Friday, March 14
Virginia Beach, VA.
University of South Florida
at
NCAA Indoor National Championships
USF'S ABDUL-RASHEED SAMINU AND KOBE BABIN GEARED UP FOR NCAA INDOOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
March 13, 2025 | Track & Field
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., MARCH 13, 2025 — The University of South Florida's Abdul-Rasheed Saminu and Kobe Babin are primed to compete at the NCAA Track and Field Indoor National Championships, set for March 14-15 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The meet kicks off at 9:15 a.m. ET on Friday and 9:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, and fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+.
Saminu will take the stage in the 60-meter dash semifinals at 7:18 p.m. ET on Friday. Should he advance, the finals will be held on Saturday at 6:10 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, Babin will have one shot at glory in the pole vault competition, which begins at 6 p.m. ET on Friday.
"These two athletes have worked tirelessly to reach this point," said Erik Jenkins, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "We're excited to see their dedication and preparation come to life on the national stage. This is a tremendous opportunity for both of them to showcase their talent and represent South Florida with pride."
Both athletes are coming off impressive performances at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, where Saminu claimed titles in the 60-meter and 200-meter events and was named Most Valuable Performer and awarded Most Outstanding Performance. Babin, who was the champion in the pole vault event and has earned three AAC Field Athlete of the Week honors this season, has consistently demonstrated his skill and determination, earning his place among the nation's best.
The top eight athletes in each event will be named First Team All-American, while finishers placing 9th through 16th will earn Second Team All-American honors.
Fans who subscribe to ESPN+ can access the stream HERE
Up Next:
The Bulls will aim to carry their momentum forward as they host back-to-back home meets with the South Florida Invitational on Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22.
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 captured back-to-back American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in 2024 and 2025 and also claimed the 2024 AAC Outdoor Championship. This past season, 10 Bulls athletes earned All-America honors, including 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. Additionally, Romaine Beckford represented USF by winning the 2023 NCAA indoor and outdoor national titles in the men's high jump.
The Bulls' achievements extended to individual accolades, with Saminu Abdul-Rasheed earning the 2025 Indoor Most Valuable Performer award and Nikodem Pochopien being named Freshman of the Year. The USF coaching staff also received high honors, earning the AAC Indoor Staff of the Year award in both 2024 and 2025. 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-America distinctions. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program milestone by earning three All-America honors during the 2021 outdoor season, while triple jumper Matthew O'Neal, a 2016 graduate, became USF's first six-time NCAA All-American. Since 2013, USF has produced two NCAA runner-up finishes: O'Neal in the triple jump (2016) and Courtney Anderson in the high jump (2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins, who took over in July 2019, has played a key role in the program's success, guiding USF to seven program records and 40 top-10 all-time program marks during the 2021 outdoor season. USF has also hosted major track and field events at its USF Track & Field Stadium, including the 2018 NCAA East Preliminary and the AAC Outdoor Championships in 2021 and 2023.
Saminu will take the stage in the 60-meter dash semifinals at 7:18 p.m. ET on Friday. Should he advance, the finals will be held on Saturday at 6:10 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, Babin will have one shot at glory in the pole vault competition, which begins at 6 p.m. ET on Friday.
"These two athletes have worked tirelessly to reach this point," said Erik Jenkins, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "We're excited to see their dedication and preparation come to life on the national stage. This is a tremendous opportunity for both of them to showcase their talent and represent South Florida with pride."
Both athletes are coming off impressive performances at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, where Saminu claimed titles in the 60-meter and 200-meter events and was named Most Valuable Performer and awarded Most Outstanding Performance. Babin, who was the champion in the pole vault event and has earned three AAC Field Athlete of the Week honors this season, has consistently demonstrated his skill and determination, earning his place among the nation's best.
The top eight athletes in each event will be named First Team All-American, while finishers placing 9th through 16th will earn Second Team All-American honors.
Fans who subscribe to ESPN+ can access the stream HERE
Up Next:
The Bulls will aim to carry their momentum forward as they host back-to-back home meets with the South Florida Invitational on Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22.
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 captured back-to-back American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in 2024 and 2025 and also claimed the 2024 AAC Outdoor Championship. This past season, 10 Bulls athletes earned All-America honors, including 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. Additionally, Romaine Beckford represented USF by winning the 2023 NCAA indoor and outdoor national titles in the men's high jump.
The Bulls' achievements extended to individual accolades, with Saminu Abdul-Rasheed earning the 2025 Indoor Most Valuable Performer award and Nikodem Pochopien being named Freshman of the Year. The USF coaching staff also received high honors, earning the AAC Indoor Staff of the Year award in both 2024 and 2025. 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-America distinctions. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program milestone by earning three All-America honors during the 2021 outdoor season, while triple jumper Matthew O'Neal, a 2016 graduate, became USF's first six-time NCAA All-American. Since 2013, USF has produced two NCAA runner-up finishes: O'Neal in the triple jump (2016) and Courtney Anderson in the high jump (2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins, who took over in July 2019, has played a key role in the program's success, guiding USF to seven program records and 40 top-10 all-time program marks during the 2021 outdoor season. USF has also hosted major track and field events at its USF Track & Field Stadium, including the 2018 NCAA East Preliminary and the AAC Outdoor Championships in 2021 and 2023.
– #GoBulls –
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