TAMPA, FLA., MARCH 21, 2025 — The University of South Florida track and field team completed the first day of competition at the Alumni Invitational on Friday, highlighted by several great performances. The Bulls will return to action on Saturday, with a special alumni recognition ceremony set for 12:15 p.m. to honor past Bulls who have contributed to the program's success. Additionally, USF will recognize its senior student-athletes, celebrating their hard work and commitment throughout their careers.
The women's pole vault group saw Ella Dolce finish inside the top-15 with a 3.75m (12' 3.5") clearance. On the men's side, Noah Bitter led the way with a 10th-place finish at 5.01m (16' 5.25'). Javell Brown secured 11th place in the men's long jump, recording a mark of 7.06m (23' 2").
In the throws events, Vincent Ugwoke improved his ranking on the Bulls' top-10 list in the hammer throw, moving up to ninth place with a 52.68m (172' 10") effort. Jason Nwosu, the indoor program record holder in the shot put, delivered a 12th-place finish at 17.05m (55' 11.25"), placing him second on the Bulls' outdoor top-10 list for shot put. Annalee Harbison also added her name to the record books, finishing 10th in the women's hammer throw with a 54.64m (179' 3") mark, now ranking eighth all-time at South Florida
On the track, Nischa King placed ninth in the women's long jump with a 5.72m (18' 9.25") mark. Madeline Abega improved her outdoor time on the Bulls' top-10 list, finishing seventh in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.28, which now ranks sixth-best in program history. Amenda Saint Louis secured eighth place in the women's 800m run, crossing the line in 2:09.61. Karim Belmahdi shined in the men's 800m run, finishing fourth with a time of 1:49.43, moving up to second on the Bulls' all-time outdoor list.
In the sprints, Terren Peterson clocked 23.46 seconds in the women's 200-meter dash, placing eighth. Nathan Metelus finished second in the men's 200m with a time of 20.72. The distance group saw Hailey Cohen and Sydney Granack take sixth and seventh place, respectively, in the women's 5,000m, while Sean Perry (14:51.34), Jackson Dravo (15:03.99), and John Keester (15:10.33) placed first, sixth, and 10th in the men's 5,000m event.
"We had a strong start to the weekend, and I'm proud of how our athletes competed today," said Erik Jenkins, USF's Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "It's always special to have our alumni back to celebrate the legacy of this program. Tomorrow will be an exciting day as we honor our seniors and recognize the outstanding contributions of those who paved the way for us."
Saturday's events will begin at 11 a.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+. Track and field alumni were in attendance at Friday's meet and had the opportunity to be interviewed live on the broadcast, sharing memories from their time as USF student-athletes. KC's Quesadillas food truck will also be on-site for fans looking to purchase food during the event.
Fans are encouraged to attend the alumni recognition ceremony at 12:15 p.m., followed by the continuation of an action-packed day of competition. The Bulls will look to build on their performances and close out the weekend on a high note.
Fans can access the ESPN+ stream HERE and can keep up with live and 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 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 –
