Eight Bulls named USTFCCCA Scholar-Athletes
TAMPA, FLA., July 19, 2023 – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced that the University of South Florida Men’s and Women’s Track & Field teams have been named 2023 Division I All-Academic Teams.
Additionally, four Bulls from the men’s team were named All-Academic Athletes: David Ajama, Kobe Babin, Michael Bourne III, and Elijah Wright.
Four members of the women’s team were also named All-Academic Athletes: Annia Ashley, Shaniya Benjamin, Terren Peterson, and Sanique Walker.
The 2023 South Florida track & field season was highlighted by Romain Beckford winning both the Indoor and Outdoor NCAA National Championship. Beckford was named a First Team All-American after both victories. Nia Robinson was named a Second Team All-American in women’s long jump after the indoor season and tabbed the Most Outstanding Performance at the AAC Women’s Outdoor Championships with her medalist win. Additionally, Sanique Walker won the 400 meter hurdles at the AAC Outdoor Championships. The USF 4x100m relay team earned honorable mentioned All-American honors following the outdoor season.
To be named an NCAA Division I All-Academic Team, the cumulative GPA (not 2022-23 academic year, not semester) for all student-athletes on the institution’s NCAA Squad List for Indoor and/or Outdoor Track and Field must be 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period.
The criteria to be named an NCAA Division I All-Academic Athlete is a minimum CUMULATIVE grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period and must have completed at least two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters at the nominating institution.
The athletic criteria for the award is, for the indoor season, must have finished the season ranked in the top 96 in any championship individual event, or in the top 48 in any championship relay event, for the most recent indoor season, certifiable by their place on final season performance lists on TFRRS for Indoor Track and Field (including performances achieved outside the qualifying window during the indoor season). For the outdoor season, must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (the Preliminary Championship Competition and/or the Final Championship Competition) or for the multi-events, must have finished the season ranked in the top 48 in the East or top 48 in the West for the most recent outdoor season, certifiable by their place on the NCAA Division I
About USF Track and Field
The USF track and field team has earned 56 All-America selections and at least one All-American in 10 of the last 12 years, including a record eight athletes claiming 11 honors in 2021. Romaine Beckford won the 2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the men’s high jump. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program record 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. Bulls have posted two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013 – O’Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins took over the program in 2020 and in the 2021 outdoor season the Bulls posted seven program records and 40 top 10 all-time program marks. USF hosted the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary and the 2021 AAC Outdoor Championship at the USF Track and Field Stadium located on the east end of campus.
– #GoBulls –
