Complete Results
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The USF track and field team braved wind, rain and temperatures nearing 40-degrees on Saturday afternoon, recording a third-place team finish on the women's side (133 pts.) while the men came in fourth overall (143 pts.) at New Mexico's Tailwind Invitational.
"Overall I want to commend our athletes on a great effort," said head coach Warren Bye. "They stuck it out through four rain delays and dealt with temperatures we don't usually see in Florida, I thought they did a great job."
In addition to their two top-five team finishes, the Bulls logged 27 top three finishes while taking home 15 event crowns and continuing to surpass conference standards with 24 BIG EAST qualifying marks. The “Green & Gold” also built on its roster for national competition with four NCAA qualifying marks including one first-time qualifier.
Hurdles specialists Yvana Hepburn and Glenn Fowler continued to outpace the competition in the 100m hurdles and 110m hurdles, respectively. Hepburn earned top billing in the 100m hurdles for the fourth time this season, posting her fifth NCAA qualifying mark in as many meets with a 13.88. Fowler found his stride in both the 110m and 400m hurdles events, taking home a pair of event crowns with a 14.55 and a NCAA qualifying 51.58, respectively.
Rookie David Aristil joined Fowler in 400m hurdles competition, punching his NCAA regional ticket for the first time in his collegiate career with a 52.39. Kayla Richmond also had a strong showing for USF in 400m hurdles competition, capturing the event crown with a 1:03.76.
Greg Fontus set the pace for the Bulls in sprints competition, winning the 100m in 10.67 while also earning the gold in the 200m with a BIG EAST qualifying 21.38.
Christine Johnston collected another event crown for the Bulls in her first-ever 2K steeplechase, finishing in 8:33.38.
Throws specialist Lauren Noe had a breakout performance in the hammer throw, capturing the gold with a career-best throw measuring 176-4 while classmate Atasha Warren took first in the shot put with a conference-qualifying 45-3.50.
Veteran Tyler Perkins also earned a first-place finish for the “Green & Gold” in discus competition with a 169-5 while rookie Jared Thomas was a close second with a throw measuring 168-6.
The jumps specialists helped to close out the first-place finishers for the Bulls as Michael Kursteiner, Samantha Shade and Antillio Bastian all won gold. Kursteiner won the high jump competition, clearing the bar at 6-8.75 while Shade and Bastian swept the triple jump competitions with leaps measuring 39-4 and 46-6, respectively.
The Bulls are back in action Saturday, April 18 traveling to Louisiana for a battle in the bayou at the LSU Alumni Gold Invitational.
