TAMPA - The USF track and field team opens its outdoor schedule Friday March 6, hosting the USF Open. The meet will mark the first action for the Bulls at the newly renovated USF Track & Field Stadium ? a 3 million dollar project completed in September 2008. The field events are scheduled to begin at noon, with track events starting at 5 p.m.
Seventy-one student-athletes will represent the Bulls through 35 events, competing against the likes of Pepperdine, University of Tampa, Warner, FGCU, Florida Memorial, Johnson & Wales and Nova Southeastern.
All-BIG EAST performer Jazmine Highsmith will lead the way for the Bulls in the throws events, competing in the hammer throw. While classmate Jara Cornett will return to action in the javelin as the reining school-record holder and a 2008 NCAA Regional qualifier. Rookies Sarah Canter, Casey Wagner and Shambrey Oliver join All-BIG EAST Indoor performers Lauren Noe and Atasha Warren to round out the women's throws crew.
On the men's side junior Tyler Perkins leads the Bulls, competing in both the hammer throw and discus, after capturing the silver at last year's BIG EAST Championship with a personal-best 174-10 in the discus. Combined events specialist Grant Scelzi and senior Tony Zanella will also compete in the throws events along with newcomers Marcus Hicks and Jared Thomas.
The duo of Michael Kursteiner and Errol Blackmon will represent the Bulls in high jump competition, after both earning a sixth-place finish in the event at the BIG EAST Championship. Senior Sara Williams and freshmen Alex Rosenberger and Alex Ware are also scheduled in high jump competition.
Sophomore Stephanie Duffy will look to transfer the momentum of a career-high 12-7.5 pole vault at the BIG EAST Championship into USF Open competition. Classmate Dana Webb ? a seventh-place finisher in BIG EAST pole vault competition ? joins Duffy in the pole vault along with senior Melissa Cousin and freshman Jennifer Ross. Freshman Kirk Dandridge will also look to build on his personal-best 15-3 vault at the BIG EAST Championship and will be joined by Scelzi and Zanella in the men's pole vault.
Horizontal jumps specialists Samantha Shade and Antillo Bastian will represent the Bulls in both the long jump and triple jump competitions, both coming off top-eight finishes in BIG EAST Indoor triple jump action. Sophomore Rachel Etienne ? an eighth place finisher in the pentathlon at the conference championship ? will also compete in the long jump.
Rookies Christine Johnston and Nicole Rozario kick off the USF Open track events, competing in the 2,000m steeplechase for the first time in their collegiate careers. The distance crew will also see action in the 1,500 and 3,000 events, where many cross country performers will return to action, highlighting the Bulls lineup. Freshman Yasmin Smith ? a BIG EAST mile qualifier ? leads the way for the “Green & Gold” in the 1,500m and will be joined by juniors Kristine Budd and Katina Morales, sophomores Natalie Brethauer and Ruby Perez and fellow freshmen Monique Konstantinovic, Elizabeth McGeehan and Summer Pope in the event.
In the 3000m, USF will look to Allie Prendergast, Devin Spoerle and Rebecca Zulhke to set the pace, while also looking for strong results by seniors Danielle Harris and Jennifer Strykowski, junior Kelly Savery, sophomores Kristy Cooper and Leandra Mikos and freshmen Kaylee Brown and Kristi Degraw-Higgins.
On the men's side, junior Ryan Courtoy ? an All-BIG EAST qualifier in both the mile and 1,000m ? leads the way, competing in both the 1,500 and 3,000 events. Courtoy will be joined by the trio of Pedro Carela, Kyle Van Zile and Phillip Wise in both events while All-BIG EAST 800m runner Mikail Ebanks will run in the 1,500m.
The school record holder in the 500m (1:13.66) freshman Shaniel Chambers is scheduled to represent the Bulls in 800m competition ? where she currently ranks fifth in the USF record books. Ashley Addison, Mary Billington, Megan Smithyman and Brittany Willard will also feature for the Bulls in 800m competition.
Greg Fontus ? a BIG EAST point scorer in the 200m ? highlights the sprints lineup competing in the 200m, while Bastian will also compete in the event, marking his first-ever track competition in green and gold. On the women's side, Etienne, Williams and Yvana Hepburn will lead USF in the 200m along with Eniola Akinrinade, Katie Harper, Oliver, Ware and Brittany Willis. Pole vaulter Webb ? another non-traditional sprinter ? will also feature for the Bulls in the 200m. Akinrinade, Harper, Oliver and Willis will also represent USF in 100m competition, along with Armante Marshall in the men's 100m.
The Bulls also have a strong contingent schedule to compete in the 400m dash ? with All-BIG EAST performer Josh Wimbley leading the way. Wimbley will be joined in the event by fellow BIG EAST qualifier Reshaw Exilien as well as D'Andre Ruff and David Aristil, while Ashley Grigsby will represent the “Green & Gold” in the women's 400m.
Moving into the outdoor season also means longer hurdling events for the Bulls, including the 100m hurdles, 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles. Hurdles specialist and 60m hurdles school record holder Hepburn will set the pace for USF in the 100m hurdles, along with Etienne, Ware and Williams. In the 110m hurdles, Glenn Fowler ? an All-BIG EAST performer in the 60m hurdles ? will lead the pack, which also includes BIG EAST 60m hurdles qualifier Kendale McDaniel, Alfonso Ferguson, Scelzi and Zanella. Fowler, McDaniel and Ferguson will also feature in the men's 400m hurdles while junior Kayla Richmond and Rosenberger will represent the Bulls in women's 400m hurdles competition.
USF will look to round out a successful showing in the 4x100 and 4x400 relay competitions. Akinrinade, Harper, Oliver, Webb and Willis are all possible for the 4x100 relay while Fontus, Marshall, Ruff and Norman Nicholas will make up the men's 4x100 team. The Bulls will enter two men's 4x400 teams ? one being Ebanks, Fontus, Wimbley and Ruff, the other McDaniel, Exilien, Fowler and Scelzi ? while Chambers, Etienne, Grigsby and Williams combine in the women's 4x400 relay.
Following the USF Open, the Bulls are back in action at the USF Track & Field Stadium on March 20, hosting the Bulls Invitational.
