JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 27, 2025 — The University of South Florida track and field teams are set to compete in the NCAA East Preliminary Round this week at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. The four-day meet begins Wednesday, May 28, and runs through Saturday, May 31.

Fans can watch all the action live on ESPN+, with play-by-play from Jesse Ough and analysis from Alvin Delve. Start times are scheduled for 10 a.m. on both Wednesday and Thursday, and 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The NCAA East Preliminary Round serves as the first step in the national championship pathway. Athletes will compete for the chance to advance to the quarterfinal rounds, with hopes of securing a spot at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, scheduled for June 11–14 at the historic Hayward Field.

"We've had a strong season across the board, and this meet is where all that hard work comes to a head," said USF Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Erik Jenkins. "Our athletes are focused, motivated and ready to compete at a high level. The opportunity to qualify for Eugene is a special one, and we're excited to see who rises to the occasion."

USF's men's squad will be in action throughout Wednesday's opening day. The field events kick off at 5:30 p.m. with pole vault, where Nikodem Pochopien, Noah Bitter and Andreas Kreiss will compete in Flight 1. At 6 p.m., Jason Nwosu enters the shot-put event.

On the track, the Bulls start at 6 p.m. with the 110-meter hurdles: Markel Jones will race in Heat 1, while Michael Bourne III lines up in Heat 5. The 100-meter dash begins at 7 p.m. and will feature Abdul-Rasheed Saminu (Heat 2), Shomari Pettigrew (Heat 3) and Jaleel Croal (Heat 6).

All eyes will be on Gabriel Moronta, the reigning conference champion in the 400 meters, as he runs in Heat 3 at 7:25 p.m. in his specialty event.

In the 400-meter hurdles at 8:20 p.m., Joshua Crum (Heat 3) and Devontie Archer (Heat 6) will look to advance. The day closes with the 200-meter dash at 8:45 p.m., featuring Saminu (Heat 1), Alexavier Monfries and Nathan Metelus (Heat 4), and Croal (Heat 5).

ESPN+ Links
Wednesday, May 28 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=ad28002d-50ac-4291-b402-71a5ba05b5ab

Thursday, May 29 -  https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=2f2a3846-c6db-4620-b498-f156e4e7a6e8

Friday, May 30 – https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=f1251b3a-40bb-471a-870e-e5c87927c1d7

Saturday, May 31 -  https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/fb64584a-cf90-40ba-bf78-50a5442daac3

Fans can access live results HERE and meet information 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.