USF Men's Teams Show Potential in Start of New Era for Bulls
Editor's Note: Senior Writer Tom Zebold takes a look back at USF's memorable 2019-20 seasons in track and field along with cross country under the leadership of new head coach Erik Jenkins and his talented staff.
Part I: USF Women's Teams Make Progress
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, APRIL 24, 2020 – Head coach
Erik Jenkins and his hard-working staff covered lots of ground in 2019-20 to build a solid foundation for the new era of USF track and field/cross country.
Program-enhancing project requirements included establishing a culture of excellence that reflects the preeminent university each Bull represents in competition, the classroom and the Bay area community.
"We grabbed the Bull by the horns and jumped right into it," Jenkins said. "We needed to figure out what type of kids fit South Florida both athletically and academically within the American Athletic Conference that would move us towards being a national-type program, so that we have success within the conference and at the national level."
Aside from bettering lots of Bulls on current rosters, Jenkins' and his new team of USF teachers also had to tirelessly recruit more top-level talent tailored to the ambitious brand the program is developing.
Prior to USF, Jenkins successfully created a blueprint for success as a 21-time conference coach of the year who earned USFTCCA Southeast Region top honors five times in 11 seasons at Western Kentucky.
"We just wanted to get that Bull 'U' out in front of people and I think we did a good job of that," Jenkins said. "We're gonna do an even better job of it in the years to come because now we've learned more about the university, the culture within the actual university and within the athletic department."
While Jenkins' staff planned for the future, let's take a look at notable achievements made by the USF men's teams that also helped push the program forward during 2019-20 season. In the process, we'll find out more about what makes Jenkins really excited for the future.
Pieces to Puzzle Appear During Indoor Season
Several Bulls in many different areas of competition made a great first impression on Jenkins' staff in half of a normal spring track and field season.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USF was limited to a seven-meet indoor season that was capped off by a standout performance by
Stone Baker. The sophomore from New Port Richey, Fla., earned all-conference honors at AAC Indoors with a third-place pole vault height of 5.11 meters (16-9.25).
Baker also moved up to third on USF's all-time indoor pole vault list with a height of 17-2.75 at the Howie Ryan Invitational on Feb. 14.
"I think Stone is going to continue to get better," Jenkins said. "He's just comes to work and that's what we like about him."
Jenkins also was proud of what USF's 4x400 relay team accomplished at AAC Indoors. Seniors
Maurice Nock,
Yohance Haynes and
Taquon Terry joined forces with freshman
Monte Parker to record the second-fastest time in program indoor history (3:14.36). The third-place performance earned six points for the Bulls and certainly pumped up the producers.
"For a lot of those guys, it was the first time they ever earned a medal. They were just going through the roof," Jenkins said. "That was so big for them."
Terry contributed four more points at conference with a fifth-place long jump that covered a distance of 7.10 meters (23-3.50). The Alachua, Fla., native also won the long jump event at the Crimson Invite on Jan. 31.
"He did a good job," Jenkins said.
Meanwhile, newcomer
Akeem Bradshaw hit the ground running as a midyear transfer. The junior from Tortola, British Virgin Islands placed fifth in the triple jump at AAC Indoors and ninth in the long jump.
"You're talking about a guy who hadn't had a chance to really to tune up and he made the finals in both events," Jenkins said. "I think he's a guy who is heading in the right direction."
Another Bull who is turning into a key contributor is
Melvin Briley. The sophomore from Jacksonville, Fla., set new personal indoor bests in the 60 meters (7.45), long jump (21-11.50) and triple jump (48-9.00). Briley turned in three top-five finishes in triple jump events throughout the season.
Altogether, emerging and veteran Bulls tallied 11 total top-10 marks in USF's indoor record book and four events wins. First-place performers included
Didah Hall (400m hurdles) and
Evan Babatz (mile run).
"We've got some pieces to the puzzle that we believe we can definitely move forward with," Jenkins said.
Picture Would Have Been Even Brighter Outdoors
Unfortunately, USF's entire outdoor season had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think we would have been quite a bit more improved on both sides and especially on the men's side," Jenkins said.
Huge "pieces to the puzzle" would have included two former Florida high school 100-meter state champions.
Sophomore
Lavonte Valentine (Palm Bay, Fla.), a 2017 champion, had fun chatting about past achievements and future possibilities with
Terrence Horne, a sophomore receiver on the football team who won the 2018 Class 4A title.
"Those two guys actually had competed against each other," Jenkins said. "That was pretty unique in practice, them talking about things like that."
Specializing in sprint events, Horne had been double-training with the track team for about a month this spring with the blessing of new head football coach
Jeff Scott.
"He came right in and said, 'Coach we can help you.' Horne had already reached out to me and communicated well with the football coaching staff," Jenkins said. "… He was gonna open up at our home meet. We're really excited about him."
USF's sprints squad would have been boosted even more by senior
Maurice Nock (Sanford, Fla.) along with freshmen
Danelson Mahautiere (Roseau, Dominican Republic) and
Monte Parker (Plantation, Fla.).
"We think we would have been a little better, but obviously we believe in year two, three, four, five and on down the road," said Jenkins of the men's team. "South Florida will have something to say sooner than later."
Latzke Leads Young Cross Country Team
Jenkins sees lots of room for growth in USF's cross country team that featured "a very unique blend" of six freshmen and three juniors this fall.
"We put a mandate out in front of them, 'This is who is gonna travel. This is how we're going to conduct business,'" Jenkins said. "They adhered to it and they gave us what they had."
Under the direction of distance coach
Damon Griffiths, freshman Alex Latzke (Safety Harbor, Fla.) was consistently USF's top finisher throughout the five-meet schedule. Latzke led the way with a third-place finish in the Bulls' team title victory at the USF Invitational.
"We expect him to come back healthy and happy and continue to move forward with us," Jenkins said.
The Bulls began the fall with a fourth-place finish at the FGCU Invitational and learned as they went. For Jenkins, that's all part of the process of building a program in the first year.
"The guys had a lot of ups and downs, but I look at the guys' team and said you know what, 'You're young,'" Jenkins said. "You're supposed to take a couple punches to the face and we did that. They grew from it and we're going to continue moving forward."
About USF Track and Field
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 11 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 hosted the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary at the USF Track and Field Stadium.
