Erik Jenkins - Staff Directory

Erik Jenkins

Title:
Director of Track & Field and Cross Country
Email:
Phone:
(813) 974-4667

Years as a Head Coach: 19^th season
Years at South Florida: 8^th season
Alma Mater: Western Kentucky, 2000
Hometown: Quincy, Florida
Family: Wife: Kacey; Children: Erykah, Kaeliana & Erik

NOTABLES

Won five straight American Conference championships from 2024-26, the second-longest streak in conference history.
Coached 35 conference championship teams during his career, including five at South Florida.
Since 2008, he has coached 329 NCAA Preliminary Round qualifiers, 155 NCAA Championship finalists, 103 All-Americans, three NCAA champions, one NCAA national runner-up, five U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers, five World Championship qualifiers, and four Olympians.
Since 2008, he has coached his athletes to 11 Conference Freshman of the Year honors, 29 Conference Most Outstanding Performer awards, 216 individual conference championships, 32 relay conference championships.
Student-athletes coached by Jenkins at South Florida have earned 179 All-Conference selections and 67 individual and relay event conference championships.
Led South Florida to 20 weeks ranked in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track & Field Top 25, including a program-best No. 3 national ranking during Week 3 of the 2024 season.
Four NCAA Championship top 25 team finishes since 2023
Guided the Bulls to 37 school records, nine American Conference Championship records, and six Penn Relays championships.
5-time American Athletic Conference Men's Coaching Staff of the Year
6-time USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year

Erik Jenkins is entering his eighth season as the head coach of the South Florida track and field and cross country programs and was hired for the position on June 27, 2019.

In his role as Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, which he was named to on August 14, 2023, Jenkins oversees all aspects of the program, essentially functioning as the department’s general manager.

The Bulls have recorded 179 All-Conference selections, 67 individual and relay event conference championships, 22 American Conference Championship awards, 17 outdoor All-American selections, seven indoor All-American selections, five straight men’s team American Conference championships, two individual event NCAA championships, one relay NCAA championship, and one NCAA runner-up under the Quincy, Fla. native’s leadership.

In 2026, Jenkins led the men’s team to its fifth straight American Conference championship, the second-longest streak in conference history. At the American Indoor Championships, the Bulls had five event winners. Nikodem Pochopien won the men’s pole vault, Jaleel Croal won the men’s 60m and 200m, Alesandro Williams-Cardoso won the men’s long jump, and Alexavier Monfries won the men’s 400m. Williams-Cardoso won the American Conference Men’s Freshman of the Year, Lilah Versluis won the American Conference Women’s Freshman of the Year, and Jenkins and his staff earned the American Conference Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year. At the American Outdoor Championships, the Bulls had five event winners. Ella Dolce won the women’s pole vault, the first American Conference outdoor pole vault champion in program history. Karim Belmahdi won the men’s 1,500m, Nathan Metelus won the men’s 400m, Jaleel Croal won the men’s 100m, and Shomari Pettigrew, Croal, Alexavier Monfries, and Cayden Broadnax won the men’s 4x100m relay. The men’s 4x100m relay team and men’s 4x400m relay team earned Second Team All-American honors.

In 2025, Jenkins guided the men’s team to an indoor and outdoor track and field conference championship, earning the Bulls’ third and fourth straight American Conference titles. At the American Indoor Championships, the Bulls had 10 event winners. Abdul-Rasheed Saminu won the men’s 60m and 200m, Gabriel Moronta won the men’s 400m, Markel Jones won the men’s 60m hurdles, Archer, Reid, Jones, and Moronta won the men’s 4x400m relay, Kendell Mosley won the men’s high jump, Kobe Babin won the men’s pole vault, Rushana Dwyer won the women’s 400m, Peterson, Watts, Saint Louis, and Dwyer won the women’s 4x400m relay, and Ella Galloway won the women’s pole vault. Nikodem Pochopien earned the American Conference Freshman of the Year, Saminu earned the Most Valuable Performer and the Men’s Track Most Outstanding Performer, and Jenkins and his staff earned the American Conference Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year. Babin was the Runner-Up and First Team All-American in the pole vault at the NCAA Indoor Championships, while Saminu was named a First Team All-American in the 60m for the third straight season. USF finished 21^st at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

During the 2025 outdoor season, South Florida won the 4x100m relay at the Penn Relays for the second straight season, while adding a 4x200m relay title at the Penn Relays. At the American Outdoor Championships, the Bulls had 11 event winners. Jaleel Croal won the men’s 100m and 200m, Gabriel Moronta won the men’s 400m, Shomari Pettigrew, Jaleel Croal, Alexavier Monfries, and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu won the men’s 4x100m relay, Devontie Archer, Nathan Metelus, Corey Ottey, and Joshua Crum won the men’s 4x400m relay, Noah Bitter won the men’s pole vault, Vincent Ugwoke won the men’s discus, Rushana Dwyer won the women’s 400m, Tyra Thomas won the women’s 100m hurdles, Madeline Abega won the women’s 400m hurdles, and Amenda Saint Louis, Terren Peterson, Skyler Watts, and Rushana Dwyer won the women’s 4x400m relay. Jaleel Croal earned the American Conference Most Valuable Performer, Vincent Ugwoke earned the American Conference Men’s Field Most Outstanding Performance, and Jenkins and his staff earned the American Conference Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year. Devontie Archer, Alexavier Monfries, Corey Ottey, and Gabriel Moronta won an NCAA title in the 4x400m relay with a school-record time of 3:00.42. Jaleel Croal, Alexavier Monfries, Shomari Pettigrew, and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu earned First Team All-American honors in the 4x100m relay while Vincent Ugwoke earned First Team All-American honors in the discus. Croal (200m) and Saminu (100m) also earned Second Team All-American honors in their individual events. The men’s team finished in 14^th place at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, the highest finish in program history.

In 2024, Jenkins guided the men’s team to an indoor track and field conference championship (156 points), the first men’s championship indoor or outdoor, in program history. Overall, at the conference championships, the Bulls had eight event winners. Kobe Babin won the men’s pole vault, Nathan Metelus won the men’s 400m, Jaleel Croal won the men’s 200m and 60m, Markel Jones won the men’s 60m hurdles, and Zayquan Lincoln, Devontie Archer, Markel Jones, and Daunte O’Banion won the men’s 4x400m relay. The women finished third at the indoor conference championships, with Terren Peterson winning the women’s 200m and Zahria Allers-Liburd, Amenda Saint Louis, Je’Niya Burton, and Peterson running the women’s 4x400m relay that won. Croal was awarded the Most Valuable Performer of the American Conference Indoor Championships, Jones won the American Conference Freshman of the Year for the indoor season, and Jenkins and staff won the American Conference Coaching Staff of the Year for indoor. Jenkins’ indoor teams broke a program record on 19 occasions this season, including five at conference championships. Abdul-Rasheed Saminu earned First Team All-American honors in the 60m.

During the 2024 outdoor season, South Florida ranked No. 3 in the nation in Week 3, the highest ranking in program history. The Bulls won the 4x100m relay at the Penn Relays for the first time in program history, posting a time of 39.34. South Florida men’s team won the American Outdoor Championships with 217 points, winning by 74 points. At the American Outdoor Championships, USF recorded 10 event winners. Abdul-Rasheed Saminu won the men’s 100m and 200m, Tre’Sean Bouie won the men’s 400m, Markel Jones won the men’s 110m hurdles, Devontie Archer won the men’s 400m hurdles, Zayquan Lincoln, Jaleel Croal, Shevioe Reid, and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu won the men’s 4x100m relay, Daunte O’Banion, Shomari Pettigrew, Devontie Archer, and Tre’Sean Bouie won the men’s 4x400m relay, Kobe Babin won the men’s pole vault, and Goodness Iredia won the men’s long jump and triple jump. Saminu was named the Most Valuable Performer, Jones won the American Conference Freshman of the Year, Archer and Reid earned the American Conference Men’s Outdoor Most Outstanding Performance, and Jenkins and staff won the American Conference Coaching Staff of the Year. Saminu finished in third place and earned First Team All-American honors in the 200m, while also earning First Team All-American honors in the 100m. Goodness Iredia was a First Team All-American in the long jump, Shevioe Reid earned Second Team All-American honors in the 200m, and Archer, Bouie, Nathan Metelus, and Reid earned Second Team All-American honors in the 4x400m relay.

In 2023 under Jenkins, South Florida saw their first national champion since 1993. Romaine Beckford won both indoor and outdoor men’s high jump national championships. Beckford also swept indoor and outdoor AAC championships, en route to being named an All-American in both indoor and outdoor and setting the men’s high jump program record (2.26m). Jenkins’ team also sent the men's 4x100m relay team of Danelson Mahautiere, Shevioe Reid, Jaleel Croal, and Zayquan Lincoln to the outdoor NCAA Championships (finished 24th). The men’s team took third place overall at the indoor conference championships, and overall South Florida had three event winners. Beckford, David Ajama took first in the triple jump, and the men's 4x400 team of Daunte O'Banion, Shevioe Reid, Parker, and Wright took first as well. Nia Robinson was also named indoor track and field All-American and qualified for the women’s long jump indoor NCAA Championship (finished 13th). The men’s team finished 23^rd at the NCAA Indoor Championships. For outdoors, South Florida hosted the AAC championships, winning five events and setting six program records. Alongside Beckford’s win, Sanique Walker won the women’s 400m hurdles, Shevioe Reid won the men’s 400m, Nia Robinson won the women’s long jump, and the women’s 4x400m relay team of Benjamin, Zahria Allers-Liburd, Doneisha Anderson, and Je’Niya Burton came in first setting a new program record. The men’s team finished 25^th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

In 2022, Jenkins coached four NCAA qualifiers and All-Americans in outdoor track and field, Romaine Beckford in men’s high jump (13th), Sanique Walker in women’s 400m hurdles (17th), Shaneylix Davila in the women’s 100m hurdles (20th), and Shaniya Benjamin in the women’s long jump (20th). Jenkins coached multiple outdoor AAC championship winners including, Annia Ashley in the women’s high jump, Romaine Beckford in the men’s high jump, and the men’s 4x400m relay team of Elijah Wright, Joshua St. Clair, Michael Bourne III, and Monte Parker. During the indoor season, Jenkins helped guide Beckford to an NCAA Championship appearance in men’s high jump (15th) and a second-team All-American recognition. Beckford also won the men’s high jump AAC championship for indoors. Shaniya Benjamin won the women’s long jump indoor AAC championship and was named conference freshman of the year for the indoor season.

Under Jenkins’ guidance, the 2021 women’s 100m relay broke the school record in 43.95 seconds, were named All-Americans, and qualified for NCAA Championships. The women’s 400m relay also punched their ticket to NCAA Championships after breaking the school record four times within the 2021 season and being named AAC Champions. The men’s 4x400m set a school record and posted a time of 3 minutes and 7.43 seconds in outdoor AAC Championships to become NCAA qualifiers, while the men’s 4x100m relay set the number two outdoor all-time record at 40.48.

In 2020, Jenkins instantly brought success to USF in his first season with the Bulls. Under his direction, Stephanie Lambeth was crowned The American indoor champion in the pole vault and became the first conference champion for USF since it joined the league in 2013. Adriana Janic also earned all-conference accolades with a second-place finish in the heptathlon, and Stone Baker took third place in the pole vault and became the third Bull selected to the all-conference team. The 2020 outdoor season was canceled due to COVID-19.

Jenkins has helped rewrite both the men’s and women’s program record books. Jenkins has coached new men’s indoor program record holders: Abdul Rasheed-Saminu - men’s 60m (6.53), Nathan Metelus– men’s 200m (20.66), Gabriel Moronta – men’s 400m (46.04), Karim Belmahdi – men’s 800m (1:49.64) and men’s mile (4:03.72), Markel Jones – men’s 60m hurdles (7.65), Markel Jones/Alexavier Monfries/Nathan Metelus/Devontie Archer – men’s 4x400m relay (3:03.82), Kobe Babin – men’s pole vault (5.66m), Romaine Beckford – men’s high jump (2.26m), Goodness Iredia – men’s long jump (7.90m), and Jason Nwosu– men’s shot put (17.73m).

As well as men’s outdoor program record holders: Abdul-Rasheed Saminu – men’s 100m (9.84), Jaleel Croal – men’s 200m (19.95), Markel Jones – men’s 110m hurdles (13.58), Gabriel Moronta– men’s 400m (45.01), Jaleel Croal/Abdul-Rasheed Saminu/Shomari Pettigrew/Alexavier Monfries – men’s 4x100m relay (38.05), Corey Ottey/Gabriel Moronta/Devontie Archer/Alexavier Monfries – men’s 4x400m relay (3:00.42), Romaine Beckford – men’s high jump (2.27m), Kobe Babin – men’s pole vault (5.50m), Jason Nwosu – men’s shot put (17.90m), Eron Carter – men’s hammer (61.39m), Goodness Iredia – men’s long jump (7.94m), and Vincent Ugwoke – men’s discus (63.72m).

Jenkins also has led new women’s indoor program record holders: Shaneylix Davila – women’s 60m hurdles (8.19), Zahria Allers Liburd and Shaniya Benjamin – women’s 200m (23.53), Rushana Dwyer – women’s 400m (52.94), Zahria Allers-Liburd/Shaniya Benjamin/Terren Peterson/Amenda Saint Louis – women’s 4x400m relay (3:35.19), and Adriana Janic – women’s pentathlon (3,906).

As well as women’s outdoor program record holders: Tyra Thomas – women’s 100m hurdles (13.01), Sanique Walker – women’s 400m hurdles (55.87), Shaniya Benjamin – women’s 100m (11.33), Zahira Allers-Liburd – women’s 200m (22.87), Rushana Dwyer – women’s 400m (52.12), Zahria Allers-Liburd/Terren Peterson/Je’Niya Burton/Shaniya Benjamin – women’s 4x100m relay (43.93), Rushana Dwyer/Skyler Watts/Terren Peterson/Amenda Saint Louis – women’s 4x400m relay (3:29.07), Nia Robinson – women’s long jump (6.69m).

Jenkins arrived in Tampa after serving 11 seasons as the head coach at Western Kentucky. During his time as head coach of the Hilltoppers, Jenkins led Western Kentucky to 30 Sun Belt and Conference USA championships, was tabbed conference coach of the year 21 times between indoor and outdoor nominations and was selected as the USFTCCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year five times.

Jenkins was also an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at WKU from 2000-07.

Prior to coaching, Jenkins was a four-year letterwinner at Western Kentucky from 1995-99, where he was a Sun Belt Conference champion, NCAA qualifier, and six-time all-league performer. His primary event was the long jump, and he was crowned Sun Belt champion and Performer of the Meet while qualifying for the NCAA Championships in 1999. He also competed for the Hilltoppers in the 200 and 400 meters and was a member of the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays.

Jenkins earned his bachelor's degree in mass communications from WKU in 2000 and earned a master's degree in organizational communication in 2006. Jenkins has also received USATF Level II certifications in sprints, jumps, and throws. He has two daughters, Erykah and Kaeliana, and one son, Erik, and is married to Kacey Jenkins.

Overall, Jenkins has coached 11 conference freshmen of the year, 29 conference most outstanding performers, and guided his teams to 216 individual and 32 relay championships and five American Conference championships since 2008.

In addition, Jenkins has coached 329 NCAA preliminary participants, 155 NCAA final participants, and 103 All-Americans. In addition to his NCAA success, Jenkins has also coached five U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers, five World Championship qualifiers, and four Olympians.