Coyote Chatter

First Entry (May 13, 2009)

Tom Berg USD Sports Information Coordinator

Welcome to the first edition of The University of South Dakota sports information blog. This blog will focus on different things, ranging from updates on current USD teams, student-athletes and coaches to notes on former USD athletes to notes on athletes who’ve signed letters of intent to continue their academic and athlete careers at USD.

This will be updated periodically, and in the weeks ahead, will also include a feature called, “Where Are They Now?” If you have any submissions for updates on former athletes, coaches, etc., for this feature, please email tom.berg@usd.edu. We will also provide short tidbits on other former Coyotes.

The first blog will focus on the USD softball team, which made a 14-win improvement from 2008 under second-year Coach Amy Klyse. The Coyotes were 33-18 in 2009, which was their second-best winning percentage in school history. And that mark came in USD’s first year of transition to Division I play.

A big reason for the Coyotes’ jump in victories was big improvements at the plate.

The Coyotes finished with a .292 batting average in 2009, compared to .226 the previous season. USD also had 39 home runs, compared to 14 a year ago. USD’s slugging percentage was at .440, compared to .308 in 2008. USD also improved in runs per game (4.9 in 2009 compared to 3.3 in 2008) and on-base percentage (.358 compared to .300 in 2009)

Several Coyotes made big strides at the plate. Division I Softball All-Independent Player of the Year Tagney Jones (Sr., Lincoln, Neb.) improved her average by 103 points as she hit .421 in 2009 – that was the best single-season batting average in Coyote history. Jones led USD with 38 RBI and 14 doubles as well. Michelle Jones (Jr., Rapid City, S.D.) had a huge jump in her average, hitting .363 (compared to .139 in 2008). Jones also hit five homers.

Callie Roan (Jr., Sioux City, Iowa) provided power in the No. 2 spot with six homers and 28 RBI. Her average increased by 87 points.

Dani Bahlmann (Jr., Marshall, Minn.) improved her average by 84 points, from .177 to .261.

Those weren’t the only improvements among the regulars in the USD offensive lineup: Mel Johnson (.205 in 2008 to .284 in 2009), Rachel Fricke (.209 in 2008 to .284 in 2009) and Jasey Goedeken (.243 in 2008 to .267 in 2009) all saw their batting averages improve from the previous season.

Let’s not forget the emergence of Alexa Rudeen (Fr., Sioux City, Iowa). Rudeen found a home in the leadoff spot for USD and hit .285 with nine doubles, six homers and 20 RBI in 2009. Rudeen had a huge week in April (13-19) in which she hit five homers and had eight RBI. Three of those homers were game-winners.

Put all of those offensive elements together, and you’ve got the making of one of the best seasons in USD softball history. That also included a record of 19-14 against Division I competition.

Let’s not forget the Coyotes’ work on the mound, as Cortney Heim (So., Plattsmouth, Neb.) finished with a 20-7 record. The 20 wins were tied for most in a season in USD history. Johnson also became a steady presence as a pitcher for USD. She finished 7-2 on the season. Both players were named to the All-Independent Second Team.

Former USD athlete updates

--Cody Butler, a former kicker on The University of South Dakota football team, recently re-signed with the Sioux Falls Storm of United Indoor Football. Butler kicked for the Storm in 2006 and 2008. Butler wrapped up his USD career in 2004.

--Nate Tibbetts, a former USD men’s basketball player, has been named the head coach of the Tulsa 66ers, the NBA Development League Affliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tibbetts, who played at USD from 1997 to 2001 and is second in career assists at the school, coached the Sioux Falls Skyforce from 2007-09.

“We are pleased to add Nate to the Thunder organization,” said Thunder general manager Sam Presti in on the Tulsa Web site. “We feel that in adding Nate, we are bringing someone on board that possesses a commitment to the development of our players both in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.”

--Former USD track and field standout Brianne (Vette) Edwards was featured in a column by Mick Garry of the Argus Leader on May 13. Edwards was a former NCAA Division II heptathlon champion at USD. The feature focused on the work that Edwards and her husband, David, are doing with Lach’s Legacy, which is an organization that works to promote Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SID) awareness. The Edwards’ son, Lach, died in May 2008 from SIDS. To help raise money for the cause, Edwards has put together an event called Run for Their Lives, which will include a half-marathon, a 5K run/walk and an one-mile kids run on June 6 in Sioux Falls.

The link to Mick’s column:
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20090513/COLUMNISTS0108/905130330/1002/sports

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