BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – South Florida's track and field team had a standout performance on Day 1 of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Indoor Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama, capturing three event championships and securing a historic podium sweep in the men's pole vault.

Kobe Babin successfully defended his men's indoor pole vault title, clearing 5.11 meters (16-9.25) for the second consecutive year. He was joined on the podium by teammates Nikodem Pochopien and Noah Bitter, who also cleared the same height and placed second and third, respectively. Andreas Kreiss finished in fourth place, marking a historic achievement for the Bulls with a podium sweep in the event and four top-four finishers. This marked the first time in at least 27 years that South Florida accomplished a podium sweep in the pole vault, and the first time in program history with four top-four finishers in the event. 

Kendell Mosley added to South Florida's success, capturing the men's high jump title with a leap of 2.02 meters (6-7.50). Corey Ottey also earned a podium finish in the event, tying for third with the same height, while Javell Brown contributed a sixth-place finish.

The women's pole vault also saw a historic performance, as Ella Galloway claimed the championship with a jump of 4.07 meters (13-4.25), becoming the Bulls' first pole vault champion since Stephanie Lambeth in 2020. Galloway was joined by Ella Dolce, who earned third place with a jump of 3.87 meters (12-8.25), while Madeline Dutz finished fifth with the same height.

In the long jump, Shaniya Benjamin took third place with a mark of 6.09 meters (19-11.75), while Nischa King finished seventh with a jump of 6.02 meters (19-9.00).

South Florida's sprinters also had a strong showing, with Markel Jones setting a new meet record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.71 seconds, advancing to the finals. Tyler Drew (8.09) and Michael Bourne III (7.96) also qualified for tomorrow's 60-meter finals. 

The women's 400-meter group will have four competitors in the finals tomorrow, including Rushana Dwyer (53.97), Amenda Saint Louis (54.51), Terren Peterson (54.67), and Skyler Watts (54.70). Gabriel Moronta (46.91), Nathan Metelus (47.46), Devontie Archer (47.48), and Alexavier Monfries (47.61) will represent the men's 400-meter group in tomorrow's finals. 

In the women's 60-meter hurdles, Doris Quainoo (8.33) and Tyra Thomas (8.46) both qualified for the finals, while Saminu Abdul-Rasheed (6.60), Jaleel Croal (6.67), and Shomari Pettigrew (6.78) qualified for the men's 60-meter finals. 

Karim will look to compete in the men's 800-meter finals after posting a qualifying time of 1:51.73. 

Finally, Watts will represent South Florida in the women's 200-meter finals with a qualifying time of 23.96 seconds. On the men's side, Abdule Rasheed (20.82), Shevioe Reid (21.15), Jaleel Croal (21.20), and Alexavier Monfries (21.22) will all compete in the men's 200-meter finals.

South Florida's track and field team is poised for continued success on Day 2 of the AAC Indoor Championships, which begins tomorrow at 9:15 a.m. CST. With multiple athletes qualifying for the finals in various events, the Bulls are looking forward to maintaining their momentum as they aim for even more podium finishes.

"We're incredibly proud of the athletes' performances today," said Erik Jenkins, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "The team has worked tirelessly, and it's exciting to see that hard work paying off. We've set ourselves up for a strong Day 2, and we're looking forward to carrying that energy into tomorrow's finals."
 
Fans can access tomorrow's live ESPN+ broadcast HERE. Fans can also access final results HERE.
 
For complete coverage of USF Track and Field, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Instagram). 

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.