Tampa, Fla. March. 1, 2024 – The University of South Florida track and field team took home a victory in the Tampa Distance Classic as they kicked off the outdoor season.

Victoria Valdez took first place (2:18.62) in the women's 800m. Catalina Edwards followed in third (2:21.04) in her first 800m event of the freshman's collegiate career.

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Abdul-Rasheed Saminu and Shevioe Reid will prepare to represent South Florida at the NCAA Indoor Championships the following weekend, March 8-9 in Boston, Mass.

The rest of the Bulls Track and Field team train to start the full Outdoor season at home in the USF Alumni Invitational on March 15 and 16.

ABOUT USF TRACK AND FIELD

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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 and Outdoor Championships 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. The Bulls men's team won the 2024 AAC Conference Championship. 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 –