USF Athletics

USF Track and Field Ready for AAC Indoor Championships

February 24, 2022

MEET: American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships
DATE: Feb. 25-26, 2022
LOCATION: Birmingham, Ala.
TIME: 10 a.m. ET Friday / 10 a.m. ET Saturday
Watch
Men's Heat Sheets / Women's Heat Sheets
Schedule
Results

Tampa, Fla., Feb. 24, 2022 – The University of South Florida Track and Field team is headed to Birmingham, Ala., for the American Athletic Conference Championships, being hosted at the Birmingham Crossplex following a one-year hiatus.

"You prepare for the opportunity to compete in championship meets," head coach Erik Jenkins said. "We have covered a lot of ground this regular season and seek to continue our forward advancement as a program."

The competition kicks off with the men's pole vault on Friday at 1 p.m., where Stone Baker and Kobe Babin look to move up from third and sixth on USF's all-time performance list in the events. Continuing in Friday's field events, Shaniya Benjamin and Annia Ashley leads the Bulls' entries in the women's long jump, followed by Eron Carter in the men's weight throw. 

Alliya Boothe wraps up Friday's field competitions at 4:15 p.m. with competition in the women's weight throw, looking to build off a mark of 56-7.25 from earlier this season which placed her eighth on USF's all-time list. 

Friday's track events feature trials for most events prior to final heats on Saturday. Zahria Allers-Liburd is part of USF's contingent in the women's 400-meter dash trials, trying to improve on a 55.90 mark earlier this year that put her at sixth on the program's all-time performance list, while Elijah Wright will lead USF's entries in the men's trials.

At 2:35 p.m. ET, Shaneylix Davila and Hannah Connell, who currently hold the top two spots on USF's all-time record lists, run in the 60-meter hurdles trials, followed by Michael Bourne III and Victor Steiner in the men's event. 

Connell, Kadesha Prescott, Jadaja Baxter and Zayne Jack run for the green and gold in the 60-meter dash with Jasmine Knowles representing the Bulls in the women's 800-meters later in the day. Connell, Allers-Liburd and Prescott again help lead USF's representation in the women's 200-meters, with Monte Parker and Dreshaun Sanders running for the men's team in the same event. 

Friday's competition wraps up with the distance medley relays starting at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, Romaine Beckford, Kendell Mosley and David Ajama compete for the Bulls in the men's high jump at 10:45 a.m. immediately followed by Ashley and Kendall McDaniel in the women's event. 

Alliya Boothe, as well as Johann Jeremiah and Eron Carter, represent South Florida in the women's and men's shot put, respectively, with field competition wrapping up with finals in the triple jump, where Ajama and Steiner leap for USF men and Ashley and Loren Johnson for USF women. 

Saturday's track events are mainly comprised of final heats in many events; however some events will still be run for the first time. Following the championship races that run from 12:20 p.m. ET to 2:30 p.m. ET, Nickolas Kamen looks to lead the Bulls in the 3000-meters, trying to build on his 8:32.86 he ran earlier this season, followed by both the men and women's 4x400 relay to close competitions starting at 3:40 p.m.

About USF Track and Field
The USF track and field team has earned 53 All-America selections and at least one All-American in 10 of the last 12 years, including a record eight athletes claiming 11 honors in 2021. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program record earning three All-American honors during the 2021 outdoor season, while triple jumper Matthew O'Neal, a 2016 graduate, became USF's first six-time NCAA All-American. Bulls have posted two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013 - O'Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins took over the program in 2020 and in the 2021 outdoor season the Bulls posted seven program records and 40 top 10 all-time program marks. USF hosted the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary and the 2021 AAC Outdoor Championship at the USF Track and Field Stadium located on the east end of campus. 
– #GoBulls –