Tampa, Fla., May 14, 2023 – The University of South Florida track and field team earned five event championships and broke six program records on the final day of the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships, hosted by USF.
 
"Today was the conclusion to a very successful championship meet," head coach Erik Jenkins said, "Our student athletes had quality performances in several event groups. We are moving in the right direction and many of the achievements from this weekend show that." 
 
Riley Hunt started the day off strong for the Bulls with a new personal record in the women's pole vault, clearing 3.82 meters (12-6.25) to finish fifth in the competition, Ella Dolce finished seventh with a mark of 3.82m (12-6.25). 
 
NCAA Indoor Champion Romaine Beckford completed the sweep of the indoor and outdoor high jump events with a 2.17-meter (7-1.5) leap, claiming the conference championship title once again. Kendell Mosley claimed fourth place for the Bulls with a jump of 2.00m (6-6.75). 
 
Nia Robinson finished fourth in the women's triple jump with a mark of 12.67m (41-7), good for fifth in the program' top ten all-time list. Robinson also moved up to third position in the women's high jump list after posting a mark of 1.76m (5-9.25) to finish fifth in the competition. 
 
In the men's pole vault, Kobe Babin set a new program record after clearing 5.36 meters (17-7) to finish second in the competition. Stone Baker followed in third position with a new personal best mark of 5.26m (17-3). Noah Bitter placed eighth with season best mark of 4.91m (16-1.25). 
 
The Bulls' fourth podium finish of the day came in the women's 4x100 relay, where the team of Je'Nyia Burton, Terren Peterson, Jadaja Baxter, and Shaniya Benjamin finished in 44.70 seconds to earn bronze and move up to sixth on USF's all-time list. Meanwhile, the men's relay team of Danelson Mahautiere, Shevioe Reid, Jaleel Croal, and Zayquan Lincoln ran a new program record with a time of 39.77 seconds, finishing second in the competition.  
 
Michael Bourne III matched his program record time of 13.91 seconds in the 110m hurdles, earning third place in the event. Victor Steiner placed fifth with a time of 14.09. Later on, Bourne claimed the conference championship title in the 400m hurdles after running a time of 50.86, moving up to fifth in the program's all-time list. 

Sanique Walker tallied another AAC championship for the Bulls after running a new program and AAC meet record of 55.87 seconds. She is currently ranked sixth in the NCAA. 
 
In the 400m dash, JeNyia Burton earned another podium finish for the Bulls after running a new program record time of 52.74 seconds to third. Doneisha Anderson followed in fourth position with 53.52 seconds, which moves her up to third place in the program's all-time list.
 
In the men's event, Shevioe Reid also recorded a new personal record time of 45.96 seconds, earning another title for the Bulls while Elijah Wright followed in third with a season best time of 46.70 seconds. Daunte O'Banion placed seventh with a time of 47.73. 
 
Also earning points for the Bulls, Lincoln and Croal took fifth (10.29) and eighth (10.42), respectively in the men's 100m dash.
 
Benjamin returned to the track in the women's 200m dash to place fifth in a program record time of 23.11. In the men's competition, Shevioe Reid placed third for the Bulls with a time of 20.53 seconds. Jaleel Croal earned a point for the Bulls with an eighth place finish. 
 
The women's 4x400 relay team of Benjamin, Zahria Allers-Liburd, Anderson, and Burton won the AAC championship title after running a new program and AAC record time of 3:32.24. 
 
Shortly after, the men's team of  O'Banion, Reid, Bourne, and Wright ran the third best time in program history of 3:07.96, finishing second in the competition and wrapping up the 2023 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships. 

The women's team finished the competition in fourth place with 78 points, the most points in program history. That was the highest program finish in AAC history and best since 2013 while a member of the Big East Conference. The women ended the weekend with four program records and three conference championships (400m hurdles, long jump and 4x400 relay), the most since 2013. 

The men's team finished the weekend in fifth place with 103 points, the most points in program history. That was the highest finish since 2016. The men ended the weekend with three program records and three conference championships (400m, 400m hurdles and high jump), the most since 2013. 
 
Up Next
The Bulls will compete at the NCAA East Region Preliminaries meet, which starts on May 24th in Jacksonville, Fl. 
 

 About USF Track and Field
The USF track and field team has earned 54 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.