TAMPA, FLA., APRIL 3, 2025 — The University of South Florida track and field team is set to compete in the prestigious Pepsi Florida Relays, hosted by the University of Florida. The two-day event will take place on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, at Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida. The meet will begin at 8 a.m. EDT on Friday and 9 a.m. EDT on Saturday, though the Bulls will take the field starting at 11 a.m. EDT.

USF will compete against a strong field that includes programs such as Florida State, the University of Georgia, the University of Miami, Auburn University, Purdue University and many others.

"We are looking forward to the opportunity to compete against some of the best programs in the country at the Pepsi Florida Relays," USF Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Erik Jenkins said. "This meet provides our student-athletes with the chance to test themselves in a highly competitive environment, and we are excited to see their continued progress."

The Bulls will have several athletes in action throughout the weekend. Annalee Harbison will kick things off in the women's hammer throw at 11 a.m. on Friday. The women's 4x100-meter relay team, consisting of Doris Quinoo, Terren Peterson, Malaysia Johnson and Skyler Watts, will race at 2:30 p.m., followed by the men's 4x100-meter relay team of Michael Bourne III, Isaac Chandra, Nathan Metelus and Shomari Pettigrew at 2:45 p.m. Additionally, Jason Nwosu, Aidan Marsh and Vincent Ugwoke will compete in the men's hammer throw at 3:30 p.m., while Ella Dolce will take on the women's pole vault at 4 p.m.

Victoria Valdez will race in the women's 1500 meters at 3:50 p.m., and Andrew Marello will represent the Bulls in the men's 1500 meters at 4:05 p.m. Terren Peterson will compete in the women's 200-meter dash at 4:20 p.m., while the men's 200-meter dash will feature Jaleel Croal, Nathan Metelus and Alexavier Monfries at 4:40 p.m.
In the hurdles events, Chakiya Plummer and Madeline Abega will run in the women's 400-meter hurdles at 5:25 p.m. On the men's side, Markel Jones, Devontie Archer and Michael Bourne III will take the track in the 400-meter hurdles at 5:45 p.m.

In the jumps, Nischa King will compete in the women's long jump at 6 p.m., while Javell Brown and Javon Brown will participate in the men's long jump at the same time. The meet will conclude with the Bulls' relay teams in the women's 4x400-meter relay at 6:50 p.m., followed by the men's 4x400-meter relay at 7:10 p.m.

Fans can access live results HERE.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
-The USF men's track and field team recently received a national top-10 ranking, coming in at No. 10. This marks the first time this season the Bulls have ranked in the top 10.

-Markel Jones was recently named Conference Athlete of the Week for his record-breaking performance in the 110-meter hurdles, running a 13.66 time at the USF Alumni Invitational on March 22. His time ranked 10th nationally and is his third program record of the season.

-Jaleel Croal ranked second on the Bulls' top-10 list in the men's outdoor 100-meter list with a 10.05w time. His time also ranked third in the nation in this week's rankings. Previously, his ranking stood in first place last week.

-Shomari Pettigrew placed his name on the Bulls' top-10 list for third-best with a 10.17w time, securing a ninth-place national ranking.

-Vincent Ugwoke achieved a seventh-place national ranking in the discus throw with a 59.56m (195-5) mark. Ugwoke is also the program record holder in the outdoor discus throw.

-Rushana Dwyer placed second on the Bulls' top-10 list with a 52.74 time in the women's outdoor 400-meter dash. She also received a 10th place national ranking.

-Both the men's 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay squads received national rankings of fifth and seventh place, respectively. Additionally, this is the highest the 4x400m relay has been ranked all season.

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.