One final goodbye to USD

EDITOR’S NOTE: Yeah, Jeremy already wrote his “goodbye” column in last week’s print issue of The Volante, but he still has more to say. Prepare for some reminiscing, memories and sappy prose.

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The thought of graduating has really hit me in the past week.

Maybe it was the stress of finals week, or finalizing every last detail for graduation, but for some reason, leaving USD has been hard to comprehend lately.

Call me crazy, but I’ll miss this place.

After five years and ten semesters, I’m officially leaving USD.

OK, enough with the sap. Let’s get to the good stuff: Coyote athletics.

I came to Vermillion in September 2003 with literally no background knowledge on the Coyotes, other than what I’d read in newspapers and watched on TV sports coverage. But right away I was thrown into the mix and quickly became familiar with the Coyote nation.

And from that day forward, it’s been one helluva ride.

In that span, I’ve watched Josh Mueller’s on-court antics. If you never got the chance to see Josh play, you really missed an experience. The dude was never quiet and never quit moving. He was always on the go. Always chattin’ with the refs. Always talkin’ with opponents.

In that span, I’ve watched the rebirth of USD football. I can still vividly remember watching the last USD/SDSU football game, not realizing the true magnitude of the game. It was the end of the rivalry. And as we learned later, the end of the road for Coyote coach John Austin. His exit opened the door for Ed Meierkort. And we all know what’s happened since….

In that span, I’ve watched the transition in Coyote women’s basketball. From the days of Mandy Koupal to the days of Meghan Woster to the days of Daly/Hoffman/Hoffman/Robinette/Yoerger. It all culminated with one weekend in Kearney, Neb. and one national championship game.

And in that span, I’ve watched the move to Division I.

And with that, it’s time for me to move on. Time to graduate and hit the road (30 miles down Highway 50 to Yankton).

Time for the Matt Dahlseid/Justin Rust era.

Ready, set, graduate.

— Jeremy Hoeck

USD hires Brazil native as new soccer coach

After two months without a coach, the USD women’s soccer program now has one.

Brazilian native and former Sam Houston State (Texas) coach Marcia Oliveira has been named the new Coyote soccer coach, according to an announcement today.

That’s right, USD needed a soccer coach and went to the country that produced the greatest player (Pele) in the sport’s history.

Oliveira replaces former USD coach Becky Heiberger, who resigned two months ago. Oliveira spent six seasons at Sam Houston State, where she not only led a Division I team but had to build the program from the ground up. In 2003, the Bearkats began competition and closed that season ranked No. 6 nationally out of 13 first-year Division I programs.

This past season she guided SHSU to a school-record six wins.

The Coyotes were 7-10-3 last season and 4-7-1 in the North Central Conference. In 2008, USD begins its transition to the Division I level.

And as such, the university needed to make a splash with its coaching search. It looks like they did.

— Jeremy Hoeck

Athlete(s) of the Year Chatter

It’s that time of the year.

Time to select The Volante Male and Female Athlete of the Year.

Although voting ends tomorrow, you have time to vote for the male (here) and female (here) winners.

Let me tell you, narrowing the final list down to five nominees was as hard as it’s been in my four years at USD. With each year and each list (male vs female), there are always 1-2 obvious choices. But this year, you have worthy selections on both sides.

For the male, you have a national champion (Terry Liggins), the nation’s leading rusher (Amos Allen) and the USD leader in career receptions (Brooks Little). Plus, you’ve got Dylan Grimsley and Scott Hargens — both worthy choices.

For the female, the list is STACKED. In it, you’ve got two national champions (Emma Erickson and Jill Smolczyk), a player from a national runner-up (Jeana Hoffman), one of the best distance runners in the country (Ramsey Kavan), and a worthy volleyball selection (Amber Kobus).

The two winners will be profiled in next week’s issue of The Volante.

Get online, make your pick and see who wins.

— Jeremy Hoeck

Lamppa Heads For The Pac-10

And who can blame him?

If you’re a coach in his position, if you were offered a job with a close friend at a Division I school with significantly better facilities, more job security (not to mention a nice pay increase), wouldn’t you do the same thing?

Yeah, you would. Just as Brian Lamppa did Tuesday, resigning his position as head volleyball coach at USD to take the associate head coaching gig at Washington State.

I understand that his announcement came as a shock to his Coyote team. And understandably so. The Coyotes had an amazing season last year, and return six seniors for next year’s team.

Lamppa heads to the Pacific Northwest alongside former SDSU volleyball coach Andrew Palileo, who took the head job at Washington State.

The two are close friends and have similar visions for coaching and for the game itself.

“We share a lot of the same common beliefs and values,” Lamppa told The Volante this week. “We have found we have quite the bond and connection and that is something that takes time to develop. I am honored and humbled he (Palileo) chose me to be on his staff.”

Yeah, it wasn’t the best time for the move – for the Coyotes – but keep this mind: Lamppa did what many of us would have done in the same situation.

Coaches want to challenge themselves, and by going to WSU (which was 10-22 and 1-17 in the Pac-10 last year) Lamppa has a significant challenge.

We should all wish him the best of luck out there.

— Jeremy Hoeck

Seriously, Mother Nature, we’re sick of it

Once again, Mother Nature plays her cards.

We’re getting sick you, you old bat. Pack it in. Give it up. Move to Greenland.

Here’s an update from The Volante newsroom:

Due to recent weather conditions, several of USD’s athletic events today and this weekend have been postponed or cancelled.

USD’s softball games against Augustana, which were scheduled to be held in Sioux Falls this afternoon, have been postponed.

The Coyotes’ home tennis match with the University of Sioux Falls tonight has been postponed. The tennis match with Southwest Minnesota State, which was scheduled for Saturday at the USD Tennis Courts, has also been postponed. The tennis match with Augustana on Saturday has been moved from Vermillion to the Empire Fitness Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., and will be held at 1 p.m.

In addition, the Coyote track and field teams were scheduled to participate at the Northwestern Red Raider Open in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday but that meet has been canceled.

Also, there has been no word on whether the USD club baseball team will play its game tonight or this weekend. The Coyotes were scheduled to play the Vermillion Grey Socks this afternon at Prentis Park, as well as games Saturday and Sunday against Nebraska.

— Jeremy Hoeck

Ryun Williams introduced as new coach

Ryun Williams was formally introduced Tuesday as the new USD women’s basketball coach. He replaces Chad Lavin, who guided the Coyotes to an appearance in the national championship game.

Here’s a snippet of a story you can read in this week’s print edition of The Volante:

Less than two weeks from its historic season coming to a disappointing end, the USD women’s basketball has been rejuvenated with the announcement of a new head basketball coach to take the reigns for the retired Chad Lavin.

Ryun Williams, the winningest women’s head basketball coach in the history of Wayne State College (Neb.), was named the new head coach for USD last Friday and will lead the Coyotes into their first year at the Division I level.

On Tuesday, USD athletic director Joel Nielsen introduced Williams as the new coach in a press conference in front of fans, players, coaches and the media in the Al Neuharth Media Center.

“I know we hit a home run here,” Nielsen said. “I’m very excited, as is the institution.”

Williams, who was recruited by USD men’s basketball coach Dave Boots 18 years ago as a transfer from Sheridan College (Wyom.), said he was excited to return to coach his alma mater.

“The minute I stepped in that Dome and (coach Boots) sold me on Coyote basketball, this is where I knew I wanted to be,” Williams said. “It’s great to be back to the place where I started.”

— Matt Dahlseid

Meet Ryun Williams

Hopefully you watched the Wayne State-North Dakota women’s basketball game at the regional tournament in Vermillion last month.

If you did, you were watching USD’s next coach in action. And like many of us, you probably had no idea.

Thursday, Ryun Williams was named the new Coyote women’s basketball coach. He replaces Chad Lavin, who just a week ago was coaching USD in the Division II national championship game.

But that was then. Now, welcome to the Williams Era.

The 39-year-old Williams spent a decade as the head coach at Wayne State College (Neb.) where he compiled 181 wins.

Said Williams in the USD press release:

The University of South Dakota is the right place for us to be and we could not be more excited to come back to the place that gave us our start. I have the utmost respect for coach Lavin, who has been a great friend over the years and it is a privilege to take over his team and build on the momentum he established. I can’t wait to get to work and coach the heck out of this team.

Williams is a 1992 USD graduate and played two seasons for the Coyote men, under head coach Dave Boots. He later served as one of Boots’ assistants before leaving to begin his head coaching career.

Now, it’ll come full circle. Williams will guide the Coyotes into the Division I waters, which will provide him and the team with numerous challenges.

But, don’t be discouraged, Coyote fans. Williams will bring the energy, excitement, enthusiasm and coaching savvy needed for such a challenging stretch.

Ryun Williams. Get to know him.

— — Jeremy Hoeck

Photos from the second half and post-game press conference

By Justin Wolfgang 

 

First half photos from the championship game

By Justin Wolfgang

 

Pregame of the USD vs NKU game

By Justin Wolfgang

 Here are some photos from before tonight’s Division II Women’s basketball championship game.

USD Coach Chad Lavin has a pregame chat with NKU Coach Nancy Winstel before fans were let into the arena.

 USD President James Abbott talks to students in the student section before USD’s game agianst NKU.

The championship trophey sits just off the court before the championship game.