TEMPE, Ariz.—The South Dakota triathlon team wrapped up its inaugural season with a runner-up performance at the 2018 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship on Sunday held at Tempe Town Lake.

South Dakota’s freshmen trio of Leah Drengenberg, Sammy Whitting and Payton Ryz each finished in the top-10 individually as the Coyotes placed second behind three-time national champion Arizona State. The Sun Devils swept the first five spots in the race with Hannah Henry successfully defending her national title in 1 hour, 1 minute and 53.6 seconds.

Drengenberg was the first athlete not from Arizona State to cross the finish line, breaking up the Sun Devil pack in sixth place with a clocking of 1:05:27.7.

The freshman led the field out of the water with a 750-meter swim split of 10:04. She remained with the Sun Devils’ leaders on the bike, only falling out of the top-five after being passed by ASU’s Audrey Ernst during the 5,000-meter run.

Teammates Whitting and Ryz were close behind, finishing ninth and 10th, respectively. Whitting crossed the finish line in 1:06:48.6 while Ryz clocked 1:08:07.5.

Seniors Brook Benes and Kathleen Juffer completed their triathlon campaigns for the Coyotes. Benes took 15th with a time of 1:11:57.9. The Coyote distance runner posted the fastest 5,000-meter run by a Coyote, clocking a 21:52 split. Juffer finished 19th after crossing the finish line in 1:17:34.5.

In the team race with three athletes scoring, Arizona State recorded a perfect score of six points. South Dakota tallied 25 points for second, while East Tennessee State took third with 38 points.