USF Athletics

This Week in USF Athletics

February 04, 2019

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Bulls Weekly Highlights

• Host USF softball starts its season with a five-game run at USF Opening Weekend Invitational, starting Thursday with a test against Illinois State at 6:30 p.m.
• USF men's basketball (15-6) shoots for its fourth straight win Thursday night at SMU before hosting East Carolina on Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
• USF women's basketball (11-11) faces Tulane in New Orleans on Wednesday night and hosts Houston on Sunday at 2 p.m.
• The USF Athletic Hall of Fame is now accepting nominations and will induct its sixth class in the fall of 2019.
• USF men's soccer started its spring schedule with a scoreless draw against Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union in Clearwater over the weekend.
• Host USF women's golf captured the Florida Challenge team title with a two-shot victory while freshman Ramya Meenakshisundaram earned co-medalist honors in the Bulls' spring opener last week.

 
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, FEB. 4, 2019 – Take a look ahead at the week in USF Athletics and catch up on last week's action:

Softball
This Week: The Bulls begin their season with five home games during the USF Opening Weekend Invitational at USF Softball Stadium. USF starts with a test against Illinois State on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Friday matchup against No. 7/6 Arizona at 7:15 p.m. The Bulls will play two games Saturday against No. 19/14 Michigan (3:15 p.m.) and NC State (8:15 p.m.). USF wraps up opening weekend with a game against No. 5 Florida on Sunday at 4:15 p.m. Purchase tickets at USFBullsTix.com.

Last Week: Head coach Ken Eriksen and select players talked about the season ahead at team media day on Jan. 30. Read the story and watch the interviews HERE.

Need to Know: Following the USF Opening Weekend Invitational, the Bulls will host Team Japan on Monday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. (gates open at 4:30 p.m.). A ticket for the game is included in the USF Opening Weekend Invitational tournament pass… Tickets for the 2019 USF softball season can be purchased HERE, or renewed HERE. Season tickets are $80 ($64 for USF alumni, faculty, or staff), and there will be a Flex Pack option that includes 10 tickets for $30. For single-game pricing, the USF Opening Weekend Invitational will be $15 per day. All other opponent single-game tickets will be $7 for ages 12 and over, and $5 for children under the age of 12.

Follow the Bulls: Get all the important updates on the team by following the Bulls on Twitter @USFSoftball.

 
Men's Basketball (15-6, 5-4)
This Week: USF shoots for its fourth straight win at SMU in Dallas on Thursday at 9 p.m. (TV: ESPNU)… The Bulls are back at the Yuengling Center on Sunday to host East Carolina at 5:30 p.m. (TV: ESPN3). Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com… Sophomore Justin Brown was named to The American's weekly honor roll on Monday after boosting the Bulls to their first three-game winning streak in the league.

Last Week: Justin Brown scored a career-high 19 points and made five three-pointers as USF held off a late Memphis rally on its way to an 84-78 victory over the Tigers on Feb. 2. Brown made three of his five three-pointers in the opening five minutes while USF scored the first 19 points of the game and led, 27-1, before Memphis made its first field goal at the 10:11 mark.

Need to Know: USF has won three league games in a row for the first time since 2012… Laquincy Rideau is one steal shy of a new USF single-season record and leads the nation with 3.24 steals per game... Rideau also leads The American with 5.7 assists per game… USF leads the nation with 614 total free throw attempts and ranks ninth nationally with 9.8 steals per game…Redshirt freshman Alexis Yetna ranks 22^nd in the country with a conference-leading 9.8 rebounds per game.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the team by following the Bulls on Twitter @USFMBB.

 
Women's Basketball (11-11, 2-6)
This Week: USF finishes up a two-game road trip Wednesday with an 8 p.m. test at Tulane (TV: ESPN3)… The Bulls return to the Yuengling Center on Sunday to host Houston at 2 p.m. (TV: ESPN2). Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.

Last Week: Alyssa Rader gave the Bulls the lead in the fourth quarter and scored a team-high 18 points in a 66-63 War on I-4 series game loss at UCF on Feb. 3. Rader added seven rebounds in her first game action since Jan. 8… Enna Pehadzic scored a career-high 22 points and matched her single-game best with five three-pointers in a 57-56 loss to Cincinnati on Jan. 30.

Need to Know: USF leads The American in rebounding (43.9 per game, 12th nationally) and free throw percentage (.729)  … Freshman Sydni Harvey has the best free throw percentage (.893) in the AAC and ranks 14th nationally in the stat category.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the team all season by following the Bulls on Twitter @USFWBB.

 
Athletics
Last Week: The USF Athletic Hall of Fame is now accepting nominations and will induct its sixth class in the fall of 2019, USF Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly announced. The USF Athletic Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class in 2009, currently has 22 individuals and one team among its honored members of outstanding contributors to Bulls athletics. The 2019 Class will be the first to be inducted to the Hall of Fame since 2013. Learn more HERE… USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly announced the addition of Meredith Scerba to the Athletics senior leadership team as Senior Associate Director of Athletics for External Relations. Learn more about Scerba HERE.

Need to Know: Stay up to date on notable program topics by checking out USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly's Bull Speed Ahead podcast archive HERE.

Follow the Bulls: Stay up to date on the program by following @USFAthletics on Twitter.

 
Football
This Week: USF football season ticket members can renew their tickets and lock in their seats for the 2019 season until the deadline this Wednesday. Season tickets may be renewed by visiting USFBullsTix.com by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls… Former USF standouts D'Ernest Johnson, Sean Price and Quinterrius Eatmon are now playing for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). Orlando opens the season at home against Atlanta on Saturday at 8 p.m. (TV: CBS).

Need to Know: Deposits for new season ticket members are currently being taken and may be made HERE. New season tickets will be available for purchase beginning in April.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on USF football on Twitter HERE and on Facebook HERE.

 
Women's Golf
Need to Know: USF's second event of the spring is the Moon Golf Invitational, which takes place Feb. 18-19 in Melbourne, Fla.

Last Week: Host USF captured the Florida Challenge team title with a two-shot victory while freshman Ramya Meenakshisundaram earned co-medalist honors on Jan. 28 at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club. Read the spring season-opening recap HERE.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the Bulls by following the team on Twitter @USFWGolf.

 
Men's Golf
This Week: Freshmen Massimo Mbetse, Anthony Muttillo and sophomore Erik Souchak gained valuable experience playing 54 holes at Georgia Southern Individual Collegiate, which finished up Monday in Statesboro, Ga. Mbetse led the Bulls with a tie for 22nd place in his first top-25 finish with the program. Check out the final-round recap HERE.

Last Week: Playing in wet conditions, freshman Massimo Mbetse carded a career best 1-under 71 in the first round of the Georgia Southern Individual Collegiate and finished the 36-hole day in a tie for 12th at 1-over on Feb. 3. Learn more HERE.

Need to Know: USF's first team tournament of the spring is the Gator Invitational Feb. 16-17 in Gainesville, Fla.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the Bulls on Twitter @USFMGolf.

 
Women's Tennis (4-3)
Need to Know: USF's next match is Friday, Feb. 15 at Kentucky, followed by a matchup at Tennessee on Sunday, Feb. 17. USF's next home match is Friday, Feb. 22 against Mississippi State at 1 p.m. Admission is free at the USF Varsity Courts… Learn more about undefeated Ana Roman Dominguez's recent singles win over the nation's top-ranked player and the senior's path to USF HERE.

Last Week: USF extended its winning streak to three matches with a 6-1 victory over North Florida on Feb. 3… Five of the six singles wins for the Bulls came in straight sets while USF cruised to a 7-0 victory over Middle Tennessee on Feb. 2.

Follow the Bulls: Stay up to date on the Bulls by following @USFWTEN on Twitter.

 
Men's Tennis (2-4)
This Week: USF begins an eight-match home stand on Saturday at 10 a.m. against Stetson… The Bulls host Florida Atlantic on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free at the USF Varsity Courts.

Last Week: Freshman Sergio Gomez Montesa picked up his first-ever win over a ranked opponent in the Bulls' 6-1 loss at No. 3 Mississippi State on Feb. 3… Alberto Barroso-Campos posted a three-set victory over No. 33 Johannes Schretter in USF's 6-1 loss at No. 11 Baylor on Feb. 1.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the Bulls by following the team on Twitter @USFMTen.

 
Track & Field
This Week: USF travels to Birmingham, Ala., to compete in the Samford Invitational on Friday.

Last Week: Randall Ceneus (400m), D'Angelo Ennis (triple jump) and Stephanie Lambeth (pole vault) each posted event victories at the Villanova Invitational on Feb. 2. Read the recap HERE.

Need to Know: After this weekend's meet, USF will compete in The American Indoor Championships Feb. 22-23 in Birmingham, Ala.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the Bulls by following the team on Twitter @USFXCTF.

 
Baseball
Last Week: Head coach Billy Mohl gave the Bulls a solid progress report during team media day on Jan. 30. Read all about it and watch interviews with Mohl and select players HERE.

Need to Know: Learn about USF's talent in the outfield, infield and on the pitcher's mound for the upcoming season that begins with a three-game home series against Samford Feb. 15-17… USF's 2019 season schedule features 55 games, 30 being played in front of the home crowd. USF will meet schools from seven different conferences, play a rare non-conference road series and get a unique experience against the Tampa Bay Rays. Learn more HERE… Tickets for the 2019 season can be purchased HERE, or renewed HERE. Season tickets are $80 ($64 for USF alumni, faculty, or staff), and there will be a Flex Pack option that includes 10 tickets for $30. For the Florida State and Florida matchups, the single-game ticket prices will be $10. All other single-game tickets will be $7 for ages 12 and over, and $5 for children under the age of 12.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the Bulls on Twitter @USFBaseball.

 
Men's Soccer
Last Week: Head coach Bob Butehorn announced the Bulls' four-game spring 2019 schedule, which started off with USF's scoreless draw against Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union in Clearwater on Feb. 2.

Need to Know: USF's next spring game is Saturday, Feb. 16 against the USL's Louisville City at IMG Academy in Bradenton. Action begins at 10 a.m.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the Bulls by following the team on Twitter @USFMSoc.
 

Sailing
Need to Know: The Bulls begin their spring season as the host of the USF Women's Intersectional Feb. 16-17 in St. Petersburg.

Follow the Bulls: Stay updated on the Bulls throughout the season by follow them on Twitter @USFSailingTeam.
 
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 53^rd season in 2018-19. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 16 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including at least three in each of the last three seasons, and own 113 conference championships overall. Nine USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2017-18 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the third straight year in 2017-18 and have posted a program record seven straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. USF has seen more than 180 student-athletes earn their degree in the last two years.