South Dakota's basketball program dates to 1902, and the Coyotes made the transition from Division II to Division I in 2008. Competing in the Summit League, USD has steadily built competitiveness in their D-I era.
The Coyotes nickname reflects the prairie wildlife native to South Dakota, where coyotes are among the most commonly seen wild animals.
Winning the 2016-17 Summit League regular-season championship and earning an NIT berth, a breakthrough for the program since moving to Division I.
The University of South Dakota is the state's oldest public university, founded in 1862, and its Sanford Coyote Sports Center gives the basketball program one of the best facilities in the Summit League.
The South Dakota Coyotes compete in the Summit League and hold an all-time record of 276–257 (.518 winning percentage) across 17 recorded seasons dating back to 2009-10.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 16-16 | 8-8 (Summit) | Eric Peterson | |
| 2024-25 | 19-14 | 9-7 (Summit) | Eric Peterson | |
| 2023-24 | 12-20 | 5-11 (Summit) | Eric Peterson | |
| 2022-23 | 12-19 | 7-11 (Summit) | Eric Peterson | |
| 2021-22 | 19-12 | 11-7 (Summit) | Todd Lee | |
| 2020-21 | 14-11 | 11-4 (Summit) | Todd Lee | |
| 2019-20 | 20-12 | 10-6 (Summit) | Todd Lee | |
| 2018-19 | 13-17 | 7-9 (Summit) | Todd Lee | |
| 2017-18 | 26-9 | 11-3 (Summit) | Craig Smith | |
| 2016-17 | 22-12 | 12-4 (Summit) | Craig Smith | |
| 2015-16 | 14-18 | 5-11 (Summit) | Craig Smith | |
| 2014-15 | 17-16 | 9-7 (Summit) | Craig Smith | |
| 2013-14 | 12-18 | 6-8 (Summit) | Joey James | |
| 2012-13 | 10-20 | 5-11 (Summit) | David Boots | |
| 2011-12 | 10-18 | 5-13 (Summit) | David Boots | |
| 2010-11 | 18-15 | 7-5 (GWC) | David Boots | |
| 2009-10 | 22-10 | 11-1 (GWC) | David Boots |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|