TAMPA - The USF track and field team turned in its second all-around performance of the season Friday at the Bulls Invitational. The meet hosts posted 21 BIG EAST qualifying marks, adding four new qualifying marks for a season total of 29 after just two meets. USF athletes also surpassed eight NCAA Regional qualifying standards giving the Bulls nine athletes qualified for NCAA competition in 10 events while turning in more than 30 personal best performances.

Rookie Lauren Noe led off the meet for the Bulls setting a freshman record in the hammer throw with a toss measuring 163-06 to capture third place. Senior Jazmine Highsmith took fourth in the event with a 159-01 while freshmen Atasha Warren and Sarah Canter added marks of 144-11 and 142-07, respectively. Veteran Tyler Perkins placed eighth in men's hammer throw competition with a 144-01 while rookie Marcus Hicks added a 135-08, good for 10th place overall.

Pole vault competition saw a breakout performance by sophomore Dana Webb who cleared the bar at a personal-best 13-3 to win the event title. Classmate Stephanie Duffy captured the silver in the pole vault with a 12-7.5 for her second top-three finish of the season while newcomer Jennifer Ross set a personal best with a 10-6 to finish eighth.

The vertical jumpers were equally successful in the high jump as senior Errol Blackmon set a personal best with a 7-1, posting his second NCAA qualifying mark in the event as many meets. Michael Kursteiner duplicated Blackmon's feat, meeting the NCAA standard for a second time with a 6-8.75 while sophomore combined events specialist Rachel Etienne cleared the bar at a personal-best 5-2.25 to finish sixth in women's high jump competition.

Junior Samantha Shade posted one of four new BIG EAST qualifying marks in triple jump competition, with a leap measuring 37-8.75 which earned her a second-place finish while Kursteiner captured his second bronze medal finish of the day in the event with a 43-5. Seniors Vanetta Randle and Sara Williams represented the Bulls in the long jump, finishing third (17-9) and fourth (17-6.5), respectively, while decathlete Grant Scelzi posted a 19-2 in men's long jump competition, good for fifth place.

The Bulls added a second unique BIG EAST qualifier in women's discus competition as Warren added a third event to her conference repitore with a throw measuring 131-08. Noe led USF in the event with a seventh-place finish (134-05) while Canter finished in 11th place with a 123-07. Freshman Jared Thomas captured his first event title in men's discus competition, hurling the discus 169-02 while teammate Tyler Perkins finished fourth with a 151-09.

Rookie Casey Wagner continued to dominate her opponents in javelin competition, winning her second event crown in as many meets with a throw measuring  147-9 while teammate Jara Cornett took fourth place with a 143-08 - both distances were the second NCAA qualifying marks of the season for each athlete. Warren rounded out the top-three finishes for the Bulls in the throws competitions, winning the bronze with a shot put toss of 44-11.50.

Senior Glenn Fowler and junior Yvana Hepburn both proved to be unstoppable in hurdles competition, as Fowler won his second 110-meter hurdles title in as many meets (14.03) while Hepburn won the 100-meter hurdles race with a personal-best 13.76 for the second consecutive meet. Fowler also posted the only new NCAA qualifying mark for the Bulls on the day, running a 52.50 in the 400-meter hurdles to qualify for national competition.

In sprints competition, Randle represented the Bulls with a personal record 12.42 in the 100m dash while D'Andre Ruff paced USF in the 200m, crossing the finish line at 22.08. Freshman David Aristil and junior Josh Wimbley rounded out sprints competition, tying for fifth place in the 400m by running identical times of 49.01.

Ashley Grigsby led the Bulls in mid-distance competition, running a 2:16.82 in the 800m while Mikail Ebanks took silver in the men's 800m with a 1:52.70.

More than 10 USF distance runners set personal bests in Bulls Invite 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m competition. Freshman Yasmin Smith led the way in the 1,500, making her return from injury with a 4:48.27 while classmate Allie Prendergast captured the 5,000m event crown with an 18:09.25. Pedro Carela and Phillip Wise rounded out the distance field adding fourth (15:27.73) and fifth (15:44.73) place finishes, respectively in the 5,000m.

The Bulls are back in action Saturday, March 28, in the South Florida Quad - the final home meet of the 2009 outdoor season at the USF Track & Field Stadium. The Bulls Varsity Club is inviting all USF cross country and track and field alumni to join the Bulls at the event as part of the 2009 Cross Country/Track & Field Alumni Reunion.