TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2025) – The University of South Florida track and field team will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to compete in the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on Friday, Jan. 31, and Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. Hosted by the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, the meet will feature top programs, including Florida State, Miami, Louisville, and Ohio State, making for an exciting two days of competition.

"Our team has been putting in a lot of hard work and we're excited to see that effort translate into quality performances this weekend," said Erik Jenkins, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "This meet is a great opportunity for us to continue building momentum and managing these early meets."
Heading into South Florida's second meet of the season, Goodness Iredia is ranked fifth in the nation in the triple jump, while Kobe Babin is ranked seventh in the pole vault, according to the Week 1 USTFCCCA National Qualifying Rankings.

The action kicks off on Friday at 10 a.m. with the men's 60-meter dash, where Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Isaac Chandra, Shomari Pettigrew, and Terrell Robinson Jr. will represent the Bulls. At 10:25 a.m., the women's 60-meter dash will feature Shaniya Benjamin, Tristen Evatt, Malaysia Johnson, Amani Kirnon, and Ja'mya Roberson.
The running events will continue throughout the day with the men's and women's unseeded 200 meters, the women's unseeded 3,000 meters, and the women's and men's 800-meter open events. The day will conclude with the men's and women's seeded 200 meters: the women's seeded 200 meters at 3:40 p.m., featuring Johnson, and the men's seeded 200 meters at 3:50 p.m., with Saminu, Nathan Metelus, and Shevioe Reid.

In the 800-meter events, the women's 800-meter open will take place at 2:55 p.m., with Rushana Dwyer, Terren Peterson, Chakiya Plummer, Adalin Robinson, Amenda Saint-Louis, Sydni Studesville, and Victoria Valdez competing, while the men's 800-meter open will follow at 3:15 p.m. with Karim Belmahdi and Gabriel Moronta Jr.
Field events on Day 1 begin at 10 a.m. with the men's long jump, where Javell Brown and Javon Brown will compete, followed by the women's long jump at 12:05 p.m., featuring Benjamin and Evatt. The men's pole vault will take place at 1 p.m., with Babin and Nikodem Pochopien in action, while the men's weight throw will begin at 10:30 a.m. with Aidan Marsh and Jason Nwosu. Additionally, the women's weight throw will feature Annalee Harbison.

Additional events that will only take place on day 2 of competition begin at 10 a.m. with the men's 60-meter hurdles, followed by the women's 60-meter hurdles at 10:30 a.m. Other notable events on Saturday include the women's unseeded mile at noon, featuring Delaney Stephens, and the men's unseeded mile at 12:25 p.m., with Andrew Marello, along with Kendell Mosley participating in the high jump.

The meet will wrap up on Saturday with the highly anticipated 4x400-meter relay races, as both the men's and women's A and B squads aim for strong finishes. The women's race will begin at 3 p.m., followed by the men's relay at 3:25 p.m.
For more information on the meet, including live results, fans can visit the meet homepage HERE. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Kobe Babin:
-Set a new program record in the pole vault with a clearance of 5.53 meters (18 feet, 1.75 inches) at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational. In addition to his record-breaking performance, he was named the AAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week.

Markel Jones:
-Jones set a new program record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.78 seconds at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational, breaking David Aristil's 14-year-old record.
Jason Nwosu:
-Achieved a new program record in the shot put with a throw of 17.73 meters (58 feet, 2 inches) in his debut for South Florida. Additionally, his performance in the weight throw, with a mark of 17.43 meters (57 feet, 2.25 inches) at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational, moved him into the Bulls' Top 10 All-Time list.

ABOUT USF TRACK AND FIELD
The USF men's track and field team claimed both the 2024 Indoor and Outdoor AAC Championships. This past season, 10 Bulls athletes earned All-American honors: Shevioe Reid, Shaniya Benjamin, Gabriel Moronta, Nathan Metelus, Terren Peterson, Amenda Saint Louis, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Goodness Iredia, Zahria Allers-Liburd, and Tre'Sean Bouis. Romaine Beckford also represented USF as he won the 2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the men's high jump.
The Bulls' achievements extended to individual accolades, with Markel Jones winning the 2024 AAC Indoor Freshman of the Year award, and Jaleel Coral being named the 2024 AAC Indoor Most Valuable Performer. The coaching team also received high honors, earning the 2024 AAC Indoor Staff of the Year award. USF boasts a remarkable track record, with 56 All-America selections and at least one All-American honoree in 10 of the past 12 years. In 2021, eight athletes combined for 11 All-American distinctions. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program milestone by 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. USF has also seen two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013: O'Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins, who took the reins in July 2019, guided the team to seven program records and 40 top-10 all-time program marks during the 2021 outdoor season. Additionally, USF has hosted significant events at its Track and Field Stadium, including the 2018 NCAA East Preliminary and the 2021 and 2023 AAC Outdoor Championships.
For complete coverage of USF Track and Field, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Instagram).