Jevin Relaford rounding third headed for home.
Chris Henry / University of South Florida Athletics

South Florida Baseball Leaves Florida for the First Time in 2026

The Bulls are ranked #23 in Perfect Game’s Top 25, and Michael Senay has won back-to-back American Conference Pitcher of the Week awards.

March 25, 2026

By: Clark Stanton
TAMPA, Fla. (March 25, 2026) – University of South Florida baseball leaves the state of Florida for the first time in 2026. The Bulls (21-4, 2-1 American) are headed north to Charlotte to face the 49ers (16-9, 1-2 American) in a three-game series.
 
South Florida is currently in first place in the American Conference. The 49ers are 6th, the highest-ranked 1-2 team. The last time the Bulls entered conference play in first was in 2021, when South Florida made a Super Regional berth.
 
Setting The Stage:
The Bulls are coming off a 7-3 midweek win down in Fort Myers against FGCU. The 49ers earned a 10-run rule victory against Queens at home, winning in just seven innings, 11-1. South Florida won its first conference series last weekend against Rice 2-1, while Charlotte lost to Wichita State, 2-1.
 
Series History:
The series is split at four, as both teams will seek to own the all-time record this weekend. South Florida took a three-game home series against Charlotte in 2025, 2-1, and defeated the 49ers in the quarterfinals of the 2025 American Conference Tournament in Clearwater. The Bulls are 1-2 on the road and 2-2 at home.
 
Note-A-Bull:
  • South Florida is ranked #23 in the Nation in Perfect Game's Top 25.
  • Michael Senay has won back-to-back American Conference Pitcher of the Week.
  • Senay is 4th in the nation in ERA, 6th in WHIP.
  • South Florida is 9-0 in games in which a Bull has hit a home run.
  • Jevin Relaford ranked in the top 20 nationally in stolen bases with 17.
  • Lance Trippel is currently on a 10-game hit streak, and Bradke Lohry currently has a 12-game reached base streak.
  • Jack Lutz is ranked 9th in the nation in toughest to strikeout.
  • South Florida is outscoring its opponents 195-83 so far this season.
 
Tickets:
Interested in tickets for the 2026 Bulls baseball season? Click here to learn more.
 
Follow us:
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Baseball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
 
About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball program, founded in 1966, enters its 61st season in 2026. Head coach Mitch Hannahs returns for his second year at the helm after leading the Bulls to 32 wins in his debut season—the program's highest win total since 2018. USF also posted 16 victories in American Athletic Conference play, marking its best conference showing since joining the league.
 
Hannahs, a 2023 ABCA NCAA Division I Midwest Region Coach of the Year, was named USF's eighth head coach on June 8, 2024, after an 11-year run at Indiana State, where he tallied 355 wins, six conference titles, and five NCAA Regional appearances.
 
USF has made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a historic Super Regional berth in 2021. The Bulls have captured five conference tournament titles (three Sun Belt, one Metro, one American) and six regular season championships (three Sun Belt, two Metro, one C-USA).
 
The program continues to develop top-tier talent with 134 MLB Draft picks all-time, including three selections in 2025. Notable alumni include two-time MLB All-Star and 2018 first-round draft pick Shane McClanahan. Bulls have earned All-America honors 12 times and Freshman All-America recognition 19 times.
– #GoBulls –
 
 
 
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