The University of South Florida track and field teams will compete at the NCAA East First Rounds from May 27 to 30 at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track and Field Facility in Lexington, Kentucky.
The event will be streamed live on ESPN+ for all four days. The men’s team is scheduled to compete on Wednesday and Friday, while the women’s team will participate on Thursday and Saturday. Athletes qualified by ranking among the top 48 performances in each event after scratches and injuries were considered. The top 12 finishers from both the East and West Regionals will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, set for June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
South Florida has three qualifiers in the men’s 400m hurdles, tying for most in the East Region. Devontie Archer returns for his fourth straight appearance with a season-best time of 51.45 seconds. Jaleel Croal will race both the 100m—where he ranks No.1 in his conference—and the 200m; he won gold at his conference championships with a wind-aided time that stands as one of the fastest all-conditions times nationally. Joshua Crum also returns after posting a personal best this season.
Other USF qualifiers include Nathan Metelus (400m), Darian Mills (400m hurdles), Payton Pitts (pole vault), Nikodem Pochopien (pole vault), Kelsey Singleton (400m), Doris Quainoo (100m hurdles), Zayin Roe (triple jump), Esteisy Salas Lozano (shot put), and Lilah Versluis (high jump/triple jump). Both men’s relay squads—the defending national champion 4x400m team and three-time conference champion 4x100m team—will also compete as they seek further advancement.
Erik Jenkins is serving his seventh season as head coach of USF track and field. Last year, USF’s men’s 4×400 meter relay squad claimed a national title with a program-record time, contributing to nine Bulls athletes earning All-America honors during that campaign.
University of South Florida Athletics has produced Olympians representing multiple countries, earned numerous conference titles, promotes community involvement, embraces inclusion values, features updated athletic venues across several sports, captured national championships, and participates in the American Athletic Conference, according to the official website.
