S&D: South Dakota Swim and Dive prime Summit League Preseason Coaches’ Poll

VERMILLION, S.D. – Prior to the beginning of the 2026-27 swim and dive season, coaches across the Summit League despatched of their ballots for the preseason coaches’ ballot for each Men’s and Women’s season.
 
With 25 factors and 5 of the six first-place votes, the South Dakota Men’s squad sit on the prime of the listing within the preseason ballot for the primary time for the reason that 2021 marketing campaign.
 
That yr, the Yotes completed an ideal 4-0 of their Summit League meets and completed second to Denver within the Summit League Championships.
 
With the identical variety of votes as the lads, the South Dakota Women’s Swim and Dive crew earn their first-ever preseason No. 1 slot in this system’s 16 years within the convention.
“It’s always nice to see our team ranked high in the preseason poll, but there’s a lot of work to be done between now and the end of the season,” head coach Jason Mahowald mentioned. “We have an excellent group of swimmers and divers with some very large targets.
“We’re excited to get the season started, continue working, and see how far we can push ourselves.”
In addition to the crew recognition, 4 Coyote athletes earned a spot as a “Player to Watch” as voted by the coaches.
 
Sophomore diver Maddox Mork and junior free/again Nick Rounds headline the lads’s facet whereas junior free Emily DiProspero and sophomore diver Anna Williams signify USD on the ladies’s facet. It is all 4 of those Coyote athletes earn their first preseason honors.
 
At final season’s Summit League Championships, Rounds was voted Swimming Championship MVP after inserting first in six occasions (200-yard medley relay, 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay, 100-yard backstroke, 400-yard medley relay and 100-yard freestyle).
 
Mork earned honors after he completed third within the 3-meter dive finals.
 
DiProspero earned postseason honors final yr, inserting third within the 200-yard freestyle, second within the 500-yard freestyle and first within the 1650-yard freestyle.
 
Williams earned her postseason honors with a second-place end within the crew diving occasion.
 
 
The Coyotes start their 2026-27 season on Saturday, Sept. 26 with its Red vs. White Scrimmage on the USD Natatorium earlier than beginning their common season slate at Minnesota State on Oct. 2.
 
Below are the total outcomes of the 2026-27 ballot as voted on by the coaches of the Summit League:
 
2026-27 Summit League Men’s Swimming and Diving Preseason Coaches’ Poll

2026-27 Summit League Women’s Swimming and Diving Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Men’s Players to Watch
Maddox Mork | Dive | Sophomore
Nick Rounds | Free/Back | Junior

Women’s Players to Watch

Emily DiProspero | Free | Junior 

Anna Williams | Dive | Sophomore