USF DISTANCE TEAM SET TO COMPETE AT TAMPA DISTANCE CLASSIC

Friday, March 7

Tampa, Fla.

University of South Florida

Tampa Distance Classic

USF DISTANCE TEAM SET TO COMPETE AT TAMPA DISTANCE CLASSIC

March 06, 2025 | Track & Field

TAMPA, FLA., MARCH 6, 2025 — The University of South Florida distance team is set to compete at the Tampa Distance Classic on Friday, March 7, hosted by the University of Tampa at Pepin Stadium. The meet will begin at 4 p.m., with the Bulls set to race in the women's 1500-meter, women's 800-meter, and both the men's and women's 5000-meter run events.

The Bulls will open competition in the women's 1500-meter event at 4:20 p.m., featuring Catalina Edwards, Katelyn Thompson, and Cori Mac. Victoria Valdez will represent USF in the women's 800-meter dash at 5:25 p.m. The men's and women's 5000-meter run, scheduled for 8 p.m., will be the final event featuring USF athletes at the meet, with Sean Perry competing in the men's race and Hailey Cohen and Callie Wakefield racing in the women's event.

"We're excited to have our distance group open their outdoor season close to home at the Tampa Distance Classic," said Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Erik Jenkins. "This meet provides a great opportunity for our student-athletes to build momentum as we begin outdoor competition."

The Tampa Distance Classic marks the first outdoor meet of the season for the Bulls following a successful indoor campaign.

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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 –