Coyote women improve to No. 21 in USA Today Coaches Poll

VERMILLION, S.D. (GoYotes.com) —South Dakota women’s basketball improves to No. 21 in this week’s USA Today Coaches Poll. It marks the highest ranking the Coyotes have earned in seven weeks in the poll between the last two seasons and improves three spots from last week.

South Dakota (9-1) defeated Creighton (RV) on Wednesday by a margin of 72-65. Junior center Hannah Sjerven scored a career high 28 points, grabbed nine boards and blocked five shots. The performance earned her Summit League Player of the Week honors on Monday.

Summit League Preseason Player of the Year Ciara Duffy has paced the Coyotes this season with 16.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. She’s reached double-figures in all 10 games. Sjerven joins her in averaging double-digits with 12 points per game, while junior guards Monica Arens and Chloe Lamb also contribute 10 points per game.

Additionally, South Dakota checked in at 14th in the first official RPI released this week. The Coyotes have played four teams in the top-20 of the RPI – Missouri State (2), Creighton (9), Ohio State (12) and Drake (17) – so far in nonconference action.

The Coyotes continue their four-game home stand this week by hosting Mount Marty at 7 p.m. Wednesday followed by Montana at 1 p.m. Sunday