Story Links TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2025) – The University of South Florida track and field team delivered great performances at the 2025 PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, hosted by the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center in Louisville, Kentucky, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Competing against top programs such as Florida State, Miami, Louisville and Ohio […]
TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2025) – The University of South Florida track and field team delivered great performances at the 2025 PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, hosted by the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center in Louisville, Kentucky, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Competing against top programs such as Florida State, Miami, Louisville and Ohio State, the Bulls made their presence felt with multiple personal bests, podium finishes and a program record.Karim Belmahdi nearly broke his school record in the men’s 800 meters, finishing second with a time of 1:50.29, just shy of his personal best.
In the men’s seeded 200 meters, Saminu Abdul-Rasheed and Nathan Metelus finished second and third, respectively, behind Purdue. Abdul-Rasheed clocked 20.97 seconds, while Metelus finished in 21.01 seconds.Shomari Pettigrew performed well in the men’s 60-meter prelims with a bold time of 6.88 seconds, finishing ahead of athletes from Michigan State, Louisville and Wisconsin. Pettigrew’s performance earned him first place in the prelims and a spot in the 60-meter semifinals on Saturday.The University of South Florida track and field team is building momentum as it prepares for more action at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m. The Bulls will return to the track for another day of competition, with several events making their debut at this year’s meet, including the 60-meter hurdles, the mile run and the men’s and women’s 4×400-meter relay.Javon Brown, competing in just his second meet with South Florida, placed 10th in the men’s unseeded long jump with a mark of 6.63 meters (21 feet, 9 inches).
On the women’s side, Nischa King claimed first place in the long jump with a mark of 5.90 meters (19 feet, 4.25 inches), moving into the Bulls’ all-time top 10 list. Evatt also competed in the event, finishing sixth with a mark of 5.52 meters (18 feet, 1.5 inches).ABOUT USF TRACK AND FIELD
The USF men’s track and field team claimed both the 2024 Indoor and Outdoor AAC Championships. This past season, 10 Bulls athletes earned All-American honors: 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. Romaine Beckford also represented USF as he won the 2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the men’s high jump.Tristen Evatt placed inside the top 12 in the women’s 60-meter prelims with a time of 7.78 seconds. Additionally, Adalin Roberson made her mark in the women’s unseeded 200-meter race, finishing with a time of 25.10 seconds for 11th place overall. In the men’s unseeded 200 meters, Isaac Chandra posted a time of 21.73 seconds to secure sixth place.The Bulls’ achievements extended to individual accolades, with Markel Jones winning the 2024 AAC Indoor Freshman of the Year award, and Jaleel Coral being named the 2024 AAC Indoor Most Valuable Performer. The coaching team also received high honors, earning the 2024 AAC Indoor Staff of the Year award. 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-American distinctions. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program milestone by earning three All-American honors during the 2021 outdoor season, while triple jumper Matthew O’Neal, a 2016 graduate, became USF’s first six-time NCAA All-American. USF has also seen two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013: O’Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins, who took the reins in July 2019, guided the team to seven program records and 40 top-10 all-time program marks during the 2021 outdoor season. Additionally, USF has hosted significant events at its Track and Field Stadium, including the 2018 NCAA East Preliminary and the 2021 and 2023 AAC Outdoor Championships.– #GoBulls –In the women’s 3,000 meters, Delaney Stephens ran a personal-best 10:08.05 to place 14th overall. Joshua Crum also set a personal best in the men’s unseeded 400 meters, finishing second with a time of 48.93 seconds.For complete coverage of USF Track and Field, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Instagram).
In pole vault action, Andreas Kreiss placed third in the men’s open pole vault with a jump of 4.89 meters (16 feet, 0.5 inches). In the men’s seeded pole vault, Kobe Babin and Nikodem Pochopien finished first and third, respectively, with jumps of 5.34 meters (17 feet, 6.25 inches) and 5.04 meters (16 feet, 6.5 inches).Goodness Iredia set a new indoor program record in the men’s long jump elite with a leap of 7.79 meters (25 feet, 6.75 inches), securing first place overall. Iredia’s mark not only earned him the top spot but also placed him atop USF’s all-time indoor long jump list.
