The Genz

Note : Over the next few weeks, The Genz will include various blogs on The University of South Dakota spring football. This blog is a breakdown of the Coyotes as they head into spring camp. VERMILLION, S.D. -- South Dakota Football opens spring practice on Saturday, April 2 with a goal of improving its rushing attack and developing a "finishing" attitude. After going 4-7 a year ago, USD head coach Ed Meierkort will have his troops focused on winning again, a stamp that has been placed on the program since his arrival in 2003. Meierkort, who has a 48-30 career record at USD, will use the 15 spring practices including the April 21 spring game (7 p.m., DakotaDome) on improving the Coyotes' rushing attack and stopping the run, which, in turn, will help the team finish games. This year's spring practices will feature two off-campus opportunities for supporters. South Dakota will open its spring practice at the Elwood Olson Stadium in Sioux City, Iowa, before retur...

It is a cold hard reality that the business of sports can be cruel. As March Madness gets underway, a different type of madness may have been penetrated the administration walls at Nebraska-Omaha, where football and wrestling were cut to help deal with deep financial problems in the athletics department. http://www.omaha.com/article/20110313/MAVS/303139964 In a move announced on Sunday, UNO will move to Division I and become the newest member of the Summit League. While cutting football and wrestling, the department will add men's soccer and golf and "invest more heavily" in baseball, and women's basketball. It is a move that administrators say will enable the program to find footing. UNO A.D. Trev Alberts said that football was a "heavy drain" on the departments $9.5 million budget. If they go Division I, substantial investment would be have been needed in the wrestling program. Therefore in the long term interests of the entire athletics program, UNO is mo...

When an old friend does something special, you can help but crack a smile and take an an active interest. So, I am. That old friend is The University of South Dakota men's basketball team. In a season in which the Coyotes have struggled at times to play .500 basketball, they have surged at the end of the season, meriting attention. Since they were 12-13, the Coyotes have won 6-of-7 games, including a pair of heart-stopping games at the Great West Conference Tournament. USD, which has won four straight GWC games, will do battle at 7:30 p.m. central time with North Dakota for the GWC title. In this battle of Dakotas, the Coyotes will have to win without the services of Charlie Westbrook, their first-team All-GWC guard/forward. However, they have won the first two games without Westbrook's services, sneaking past Chicago State, 73-70 in overtime and then taking a 72-70 win over top seed Utah Valley State. While their semifinal win included a few breaks and a little luck, they cont...

It is best to always keep one eye on what you are doing. It is in lazy moments that mistakes happen - when stupidity sometimes takes hold and reigns over rational behavior. Recently, after morning coffee at Coffea, my next stop was at Barnes and Noble in Sioux Falls, S.D., to pick up Lauren Hillenbrand's book, Unbroken , which I have been told grabs you and doesn't let go. Also, I had to get the latest copy of the New Yorker , which featured an entertaining column by Tina Fey. I love her. With that done, I opened the hatch to the Ford Escape - thinking about one more stop before heading home. Like so many other times, I slammed the hatch shut, without paying attention to what I was doing or where my hand was situated. Not smart. I closed the hatch on my thumb and let out a little yelp. Oh my God, that hurts. As I stood there yelling for some help, I tried to reach across my body and open the hatch, nope. Then, of all things, I grabbed my keys and hit the unlock button - what? A...

One is an NBA prospect and the MVP of the men's Summit League Tournament. The other is a fiery point guard with a propensity for making big shots. NBA scouts continually follow the success of Keith Benson of the Oakland men's team while mostly SDSU women's basketball fans follow the travails of Macey Michelson, who is from Marshall High School in Minnesota. In their play and with their personalities, the 6'11 Benson and 5'6 Michelson are as far apart as their size difference. Yet, they both play in the moment, providing critical plays for their team when winning situations demand it. For the past three seasons, this pair of seniors have been driving forces behind the success of their respective teams. Benson, who is averaging 18 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, led Oakland to its third Summit League Tournament Championship game and their second straight title. Michelson, a three-year starter, has led the SDSU women to three straight Summit League Tournament tit...

Three is the beautiful number for the South Dakota State women and the Oakland men's basketball team. Oakland, which is in its fourth tourney final in five years, tries to defend its title and get another shot at the NCAA Division Men's Tournament. This is a team that loves Sioux Falls, putting together a 7-1 mark since the tournament has been held at the Arena. The SDSU women's team must feel like winning the Summit Tourney is a birthright. They are now 8-0 and have advanced to the tourney final for the third straight year. With a win, they would be the first team in the NCAA women's field to ever advance to the national tournament in each of its first three years of eligibility - quite an accomplishment. This afternoon, this team they will face the Oakland women, seeded fourth, who pulled off one of the biggest surprise in tournament history when they pummeled top seed Oral Roberts, 96-52, in the semifinals on Monday afternoon. The margin of victory was the largest in...

Southern Utah guard Caitlyn Sears is a class act. After her team lost, she handled the post-game press conference as well as any player, winning or losing, I have ever witnessed. After her team and season was ended in a loss to Oakland (Mich.) at the Summit League Tournament, she greeted the gathered media and Summit League workers with a hello and "how are you doing" and big smile on her face. And, her team lost. I don't know Sears, who had a great game to keep Southern Utah within distance of a comeback against favored Oakland in the tournament quarterfinals. Yet, she broke down her game and that of her opponent in a courteous, inviting approach. I hated to see her leave. Sears complimented Oakland, noting how hard they worked and how they limited Southern Utah's best player, Challis Pascucci, to a season low in points. She was a little reserved about her own six-point run that fueled a charge at Oakland during the second half. And, for someone like me, who has watc...