Gainesville, Fla., Jan. 13, 2022 – The University of South Florida track and field wrapped up day one of the Jimmy Carnes Invitational held by the Gainesville Sports Commission.
 
Romaine Beckford won the men's high jump with a new school record of 2.21m (7'3), the second best mark in the country. Kendell Mosley finished runner-up with in 2.05m (6'8.75) In the women's high jump, senior Annia Ashley claimed second place overall with a mark of 1.75m (5'8.75). Nia Robinson followed in third position with 1.70m (5'7), tying her for tenth on the all-time list.
 
David Ajama swept the men's horizontal jumps winning the long jump in 7.33m (24'0.75) and the triple jump in 15.70m (51'6.25). Moving him to fourth on the all-time list in the long jump and third in the triple jump. Nia Robinson placed runner-up in the triple jump with a mark of 12.13m (39'9.75), moving her to seventh on the all-time list.
 
Johann Jeremiah finished second in the men's shot put with a distance of 16.48m (54'1). Alliya Boothe came in third in the women's weight throw competition at 17.06m (55'11), she doubled back to place fourth in the shot put with a mark of 12.97m (42'6.75).
 
Sophomore Kobe Babin topped the competition in the men's pole vault with a personal best of 5.20m (17'0.75), tying him for fourth on the all-time list. Stone Baker and Noah Bitter placed fourth and fifth place with 4.90m and 4.60m, respectively. Riley Hunt led the women vaulters with a third place finish with a mark of 3.65m (11'11.75).
 
In the running events, Michael Bourne III earned first place in the men's 60m hurdles in 7.93. He set a new personal best of 7.80 in the preliminaries, .01 off the school record in the event.
 
In the men's 60m dash, Jaleel Croal tied the 60m school record with a time of 6.74, leading four other Bulls among the top seven finishers. Arden La-Rose set a personal best in the women's mile in a time of 5:14.62.
 
Both the men's and women's 4x400-meter relay placed second. The women's squad of Anderson, Benjamin, Peterson and Roshofa ran a time of 3:49.04, while the men's squad of Reid, Bourne III, Lincoln, and Steiner crossed the finish line at 3:17.88.
 
"We had a good opener today. The group was competitive and took advantage of the opportunity provided by the short trip North," head coach Erik Jenkins said, "We had several performances that exceeded the school records and established person best for many. This is a good place to continue to improve on."
 
 
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 –