VERMILLION, SD (GoYotes.com) — The University of South Dakota and USD Department of Athletics unveiled a new secondary logo for the South Dakota Coyotes Thursday evening.

Its sleek design, depicting the profile of a coyote with a piercing red eye, alert ears and a snarl, commands attention, demonstrating the rigor and energy the USD athletic teams bring to the field, court, pool and beyond.

“Our brand as an NCAA Division I institution continues to grow stronger, and this new logo represents the talent and hours of commitment that our teams and coaches have put toward building our tradition and legacy for decades,” said USD PresidentSheila K. Gestring.

The new logo replaces the gray, crouching Coyote, and will be the secondary mark of USD Athletics. The SD Paw remains the primary.

“There is nothing quite like the pride of Coyote fans,” said Athletic Director Jon Schemmel. “We needed a new, bolder look that embraces that pride as well as the strength of the Coyote community. This new mark embodies the mindset of every Coyote, and it’s something we can embrace and rally behind as we go into a new era of USD Athletics.”

The Coyote logo will be on athletic uniforms and Coyote gear, which can be purchased at the Charlie’s Bookstore & Fan Shop.

USD started discussions about how to move the mascot mark forward in 2016. In the years that followed, USD hosted a design contest through a third-party vendor, bringing in a number of high-quality designs to kickstart the evolution of the Coyote mark.

USD’s graphic design team completed the project, perfecting the evolved Coyote mark.

“We hope that every Coyote fan will wear this new mark with pride as we embark on a new legacy together,” said Schemmel.