USF Athletics

USF to Host NCAA East Prelims With Six Bulls in Action

May 23, 2018

EVENT: NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field East Preliminary
DATES: Thursday, May 24 – Saturday, May 26
LOCATION: USF Track and Field Stadium
TICKETS: Purchase HERE | Group tickets – 1-800-Go-Bulls
QUALIFYING LISTS: Men | Women
FOLLOW: Live results | Live video | Twitter @USFXCTF
 
Editor's Note: Each day of prelims will now feature 8:45 a.m. starts. With rain in the forecast for each day of prelims, check the schedule for more possible updates to event start times. 



By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, MAY 23, 2018 – More than 1,700 student-athletes from over 170 programs will be vying for a trip to the national outdoor championships this week at the home of the Bulls.

The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field East Preliminary will take place Thursday through Saturday at USF Track and Field Stadium. Due to projected inclement weather, each day of prelims will now feature an 8:45 a.m. start after schedule adjustments.

The top 12 qualifiers from the NCAA East and West (Sacramento, Calif.) Preliminaries advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be held June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore. 

USF will be well-represented at this week's prestigious event with six competitors - David Bell (pole vault), D'angelo Ennis (triple jump), Joe Fogarasi (pole vault), Jada Massie (100 meters), Chelsea Francis (200 meters) and Imani Carmouche (high jump).

"We have a lot of good people on this team. Not only does it push the six of us that are here right now, but it sends a message to the other members that you can do it," Ennis said. "We have everything we need to do it on a big level. I'd love to see the reputation of USF continue to build."

Ennis, a junior, built lots of momentum for the NCAA postseason by capturing the triple jump title at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships with a mark of 52-7.25 on May 13.

"I've been dreaming about this for pretty much three years, ever since I got here," he said. "It just finally happened."

Ennis' longest-ever leap of 52-7.25 ranks as the second-best outdoor triple jump mark in school history. It also ranks as the 10th-best mark in the NCAA East Region this season.

"It was the best I felt in my life, honestly," he said. "I was excited to see how it would turn out. On each jump, I was just trying to push to see just how far I could really go."

The triple jump has already taken the Ennis quite a distance from his home city of Kingston, Jamaica.

"A lot of people shy away from (triple jump) but I didn't," said Ennis, who got serious about the event at age 17. "It got to a point where it wasn't painful anymore. It was fun, so I just kept pushing."

Since becoming a Bull, Ennis' tireless work ethic has helped him add nearly 2 feet to his top outdoor mark as a freshman, when he first qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary. A foot injury that season hampered his sophomore campaign, but Ennis looks and feels stronger than ever.

"I'm healthy. I think for a long time I've been saying, 'If I'm healthy, I could do big things,'" he said. "Last season, I had some residual effects from the injury my freshman year. This year, I'm ranked in a position to go to nationals right now."

With his family from Jamaica in attendance, Ennis will attempt to do just that Saturday at 7:30 p.m., when his event gets underway at USF Track and Field Stadium.  Fans can catch all three days of action by purchasing tickets HERE.

"For me, it's like the sky is the limit," Ennis said. "I just want to stay confident and go for it because I know I have the opportunity to do big things out here."

Learn more about USF's other five competitors and get ticket info below.

• David Bell (pole vault): The junior from Jacksonville, Fla., is having a stellar season that's included setting new USF indoor and outdoor records in his event. Bell qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary for the second straight season and his top outdoor mark of 17-7.00 this year earned him the No. 14 seed for this week. Watch Bell begin competing in his event on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

 

• Joe Fogarasi (pole vault): The junior from Columbia, Conn., heads to the NCAA postseason as an all-conference honoree after placing third at AAC Outdoors with a mark of 16-4.00. Fogarasi's top mark this season of 16-6.75 ranks as the ninth-best vault in USF outdoor history. Fogarasi and Bell will both compete in the pole vault Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

 

• Jada Massie (100 meters): The junior from Bradenton, Fla., is making a return trip to the NCAA East Preliminary after posting a season-best time of 11.51 seconds in the event. Massie's fastest time this year ranks third on the USF outdoor charts. Catch Massie in the first round of the 100 meters Thursday at 2:55 p.m.

 

• Chelsea Francis (200 meters): The junior from Jacksonville, Fla., recently shined at AAC Outdoors with a season-best time of 23.42 seconds to qualify for prelims. The time is the second-best in USF outdoor history and was posted after Francis set the USF indoor record at 24.00 seconds. Watch Francis compete in the first round Friday at 3:55 p.m.

 

• Imani Carmouche (high jump): The impressive freshman from Mt. Zion, Ga., qualified for prelims with a career-best mark of 5-8.00, which she reached twice this season, most recently at AAC Outdoors. Carmouche is currently tied for the fifth-best mark in the USF outdoor top 10. Catch Carmouche in action Thursday at 2 p.m.

 
Ticket Info
Three-day "all-sessions" passes are $35 per person, single-session tickets are $15 per person and all children 2 years old and younger will receive free admission. Group tickets (10 or more) are also available upon request at 1-800-Go-Bulls.
 
About USF Track and Field
Led by 13th-year head coach Warren Bye, the USF track and field team has produced 22 All-America selections since 2008 and at least one All-American in nine of the last 10 years. 2016 graduate Matthew O'Neal is USF's first six-time NCAA All-American. USF has posted two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013 - O'Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). The Bulls are home to the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary.