JACKS RIDE WAVE OF 400 IM SUCCESS ON DAY 1

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

10/31/2025 10:48:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

VERMILLION — Led by champion Cody Vertin, seven South Dakota State swimmers placed in the top eight of the 400-yard individual medley during the opening night of competition for the Coyote Extravaganza Friday at the USD Natatorium.

A junior from Brookings, Vertin clocked a winning time of 4 minutes, 5.05 seconds, nearly two seconds faster than runner-up and teammate Kolden Kringen (4.06.84). Fellow Jackrabbits and freshmen Evan Schott (4:08.48) and Luke Watkins (4.08.80) rounded out the top five.

Filling the sixth through eighth spots, respectively, were Jack Ellison (4:09.14), Owen Byrd (4:11.74) and Bryan Wong (4:14.99). The 400 IM featured 22 swimmers.

Vertin also led a trio of Jackrabbits to place in the top six of the 100 breaststroke, finishing third in 57.57 seconds. David Bosch was right behind in fourth (:57.93), with Nik Keuser taking sixth (:58.53).

SDSU did one better in the 100 freestyle with three Jackrabbits claiming spots in the top five. Zavier Kranz was the top SDSU finisher with a third-place time of 47.14 seconds, followed by Eric Anderson in fourth (:47.63) and Jon Galles in fifth (:47.84).

Anderson and Kranz later made up half of the Jackrabbits' third-place 200 freestyle relay squad, teaming with freshmen Colt Frein and Colby Williams for a time of 1:24.57. Williams and Kranz also combined with Bosch and Braxton McGrath for a runner-up time of 3:23.19 in the 400 medley relay to open the competition.

Adding top-five individual finishes for SDSU on Friday were Landon Schemel, third in the 200 freestyle (1:45.69); McGrath, fifth in the 100 butterfly (:50.64), and Deshawn Campbell, fourth in 3-meter diving (246.95 points).

The Jackrabbits ended Day 1 in second place with 963 points. Host South Dakota leads the four-team field with 1,016.5 points, with St. Cloud State in third with 909.5 points and Augustana fourth with 606.

Competition resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday.

-GoJacks.com-