GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 31, 2023 – The University of South Florida track and field team wrapped up day one in Gainesville, Florida, with student-athletes continuing to move up in the program records.

Arden La-Rose, Carolyn Brown, Victoria Valdez, and Cora Kolodge started off the day for the Bulls in the women's 4x800-meter relay race, finishing in fourth place with a time of 9:24.37. Later, Shaneylix Davila, Chakiya Plummer, Madeline Abega and Hannah Connell claimed second place in the 4x100m shuttle hurdle, with a mark of 55.77 seconds.

Nia Robinson made her outdoor debut in the women's invitational long jump, placing second with 6.41 meters (21-00.50). She is now third in the programs' all-time top ten list. Annia Ashley, meanwhile, moved to ninth on the list after jumping 5.98m (19-7.25), in the women's college long jump.

Ella Dolce and Riley Hunt placed fourth (3.93m / 12-10.75) and fifth (3.78m / 12-4.75) in the women's pole vault, respectively. Dolce is now the seventh best performer in program history. Later in the day, Shaniya Benjamin ran a season-best time in the women's 200m dash with a time of 23.52 seconds.

In the men's invitational high jump, NCAA Indoor Champion Romaine Beckford posted a new personal best with a mark of 2.24m (7-4.25) to win the event and continued being undefeated for the year. Beckford remains second all-time at USF.

Sanique Walker ran a season-best in the women's 400-meter hurdles with a time of 57.84, finishing in seventh place and wrapping up the first day of competition for the Bulls.

The Bulls are back in action tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. for the second day of the Pepsi Florida Relays.

 
About USF Track and Field
The USF track and field team has earned 56 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. Romaine Beckford won the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championship in the men's high jump. 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.