The University of South Florida track and field program had a standout showing on Saturday, capturing a Wheel for the second time this weekend at the 129th Running of the Penn Relays presented by Toyota, held at the Penn Quakers Track & Field Complex.
The Bulls’ men’s 4×100-meter relay team of Alexavier Monfries, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Shomari Pettigrew and Jaleel Croal raced to a thrilling victory, clocking 39.00 seconds to secure the program’s second consecutive victory in the 4x100m relay. The event, streamed live on FloTrack with a split broadcast on CBS Sports Network, featured some of the nation’s top collegiate talent.
“This group continues to show what is possible when you combine focus, preparation and belief,” said USF Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Erik Jenkins. “I’m proud of the way our team represented the university on a national stage.”
The Bulls made more noise in the relays as the men’s 4×400-meter team finished second with an impressive time of 3:02.69, while the women’s 4×400-meter squad placed fourth overall, clocking 3:33.06.
Meanwhile, the Bulls also sent a contingent of athletes south to Orlando for the UCF Knights Invite. Tyra Thomas led the charge in Florida, earning a second place finish in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.48 seconds.
Fans can access final results for the UCF Invite HERE and Penn Relays HERE.
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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.
