7/11/19 – South Dakota Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Plitzuweit Signs Contract Extension Through 2023-24

Original article (Plitzuwiet Inks Five-Year Contract with USD) on the University of South Dakota’s athletic website goyotes.com.

University of South Dakota director of athletics David Herbster announced this week a new five-year contract for head women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit to last through the 2023-24 season.

A two-time Summit League Coach of the Year, Plitzuweit became the first Coyote head coach to tally three consecutive 20-win seasons. She did so in her first three years at the helm of the program.

“Dawn has done an incredible job of continuing a legacy of outstanding women’s basketball at South Dakota,” said Herbster. “She has had such a positive impact with the team both on and off the court in empowering them to be great basketball players, but more importantly as strong, confident young women.”

Plitzuweit’s Coyotes had unprecedented success during the 2018-19 season, becoming the first Summit League team to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. South Dakota (28-6) spent two weeks in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and four weeks in the USA Today Coaches poll during the season, a first in the program’s Division I era.

“I am incredibly grateful to President Gestring and David Herbster for their continued commitment to our women’s basketball program at the University of South Dakota,” said Plitzuweit. “We have an amazing group of young ladies to coach, we have incredible support from our campus community and our fans are just phenomenal! We are so fortunate to call USD our home!”

South Dakota’s season included wins over a pair of teams ranking in the AP Top 25, knocking off No. 23 Iowa State and No. 22 Missouri on the road two weeks later. The Coyotes also boasted wins over Missouri State, a Sweet 16 team this past year, along with perennial stalwarts Creighton, Wichita State and Green Bay.

Plitzuweit already ranks fourth for wins at USD with an 80-22 record in three seasons. She boasts 22 winning seasons in 24 years of coaching. Plitzuweit will enter her 13th season as a head coach with 268 career victories.