SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The South Florida men and Charlotte women track & field teams earned their first American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday at the UTSA Park West Athletic Complex in San Antonio.
The Bulls led the pack on the men’s side with 217 points score – the second most in a championship. Charlotte finished in second place with 143 points, while Rice had 105 points for third place. The 49ers outscored Rice by 20 points to win the women’s championship 142 to 122. South Florida finished in third place with 76 points.
South Florida’s Abdul-Rasheed Saminu was named the men’s Most Valuable Performer of the meet as the leading individual scorer, while teammate Markel Jones took home men’s Freshman of the Year. Charlotte’s Joyasia Smith captured the women’s Most Valuable Performer, while UTSA’s Ida Breigan was recognized as the conference Freshman of the Year. Erik Jensen and the coaching staff from South Florida were honored as the men’s Coaching Staff of the Year, and Charlotte’s Bob Olesen and his coaching staff completed the double from the indoor season as the women’s outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year.
The final day began with Rebekah Bergquist of East Carolina winning the gold medal in women’s discus with a throw of 50.44 meters. Charlotte’s Patience Marshall finished in second place with a toss of 50.23 meters, while South Florida’s Jazmyn James finished in third place with a mark of 47.85 meters.
In men’s high jump, Wichita State’s Brady Palen earned the gold medal with a clearance of 2.19 meters. South Florida’s Kendell Mosley set a person record, clearing 2.15 meters for silver, while Rice’s Ese Amata cleared 2.11 meters for the bronze medal.
Rice earned gold and silver medals in women’s triple jump with Ginnie Okafor taking first place with a jump of 12.93 meters, while Savannah Simms earned silver with a jump of 12.89 meters. Temple’s Obiamaka Igwenagu earned third place with a jump of 12.83 meters.
Running events began with Charlotte women earning the gold medal in the 4×100 meter relay with a season-best 43.52. East Carolina took home silver with a time of 44.18 seconds, while Memphis earned the bronze medal at 44.42 seconds.
In the men’s 4×100 meter relay, South Florida took home the gold medal with a meet record time of 38.44 seconds, the second fastest time in the country this season. UTSA earned the silver medal with a time of 38.89 seconds, while Charlotte earned third place at 40.35 seconds.
Rice’s Taigen Hunter-Galvan earned her first medal of the meet, winning the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:24.51. Charlotte’s Lauren Johnston took home silver at 4:27.60, while Tulane’s Danna Diaz rounded out the podium in third place at 4:28.72.
Charlotte’s Maddon Muhammad was the gold medalist in the men’s 1,500 meter run at 3:46.13. Rice’s Gus Gannon followed at 3:46.63, while South Florida’s Karim Belmahdi was third place at 3:46.99.
East Carolina’s Sydni McMillan claimed the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a new stadium record at 13.06. Memphis teammates Gizel Clayton (13.19) and Madison Fleming (13.31) earned silver and bronze medals.
South Florida earned first and third place in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with Markel Jones earning the top medal at 13.75. Tyler Drew finished in third with a personal best 13.87, while Wichita State’s Josh Parrish claimed the silver medal, running a personal best 13.82.
A photo-finish in the women’s 400-meter dash saw Charlotte’s Ta-Halia Fairman (52.69) edge out South Florida’s Amenda Saint Louis (52.72) for first place, while SMU’s Whitney Williams finished in third place with 53.79 seconds.
South Florida teammates Tre’Sean Bouie (46.07) and Shevioe Reid (46.48) earned first and second place in the men’s 400-meter dash, while Charlotte’s Jaiden Ventour finished with the bronze medal at 47.15 seconds.
In the women’s 100-meter dash, Joyasia Smith cruised to a first place finish, running a person best 11.15 second race. East Carolina’s Melicia Mouzzon finished in second at 11.30, while Rice’s Kennedy Gamble earned the bronze medal at 11.40.
The Bulls took first and second in the men’s 100-meter dash with Abdul-Rasheed Saminu earning the gold medal at 10.03 seconds and Jaleel Croal earning the silver medal at 10.13 seconds. UTSA’s Brice Chabot earned third place at 10.24 seconds.
Another pair of Bulls teammates earned the top two spots in men’s pole vault at Kobe Babin set a person record for the gold medal at 5.50 meters and Noah Bitter set a person record for the silver medal at 5.15 meters. Rice’s Matt Kumar earned the bronze medal at 5.05 meters.
Hunter-Galvan earned her second gold medal in the women’s 800 meter run with a season-best of 2:05.95. Wichita State’s Farrah Miller earned the silver medal at 2:06.24, while Tulane’s Elena Liano finished in third place at 2:07.34.
Tulane’s Zander Dunbar took home the gold medal in the men’s 800 meter run with a time of 1:50.24, holding off Charlotte’s Maddon Muhammad (1:50.36). South Florida’s Karim Belmahdi rounded out the podium in third place with a time of 1:50.51.
In the men’s discus, Sam Welsh of Rice earned the 10 points for first place with a throw of 58.62 meters, besting South Florida’s Vincent Ugwoke, who hit a mark of 58.07m. Memphis’ Will Dibo finished in third place with a time of 55.40 meters.
Chinazaekpere Okoye earned North Texas’ first gold medal, finishing in first place in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at 58.48 seconds. UAB’s Jasmine Dereje took home silver with a time of 58.96, while SMU’s Kirin Chacchia finished in third place at 59.00 seconds.
South Florida’s Goodness Iredia added a second gold medal, jumped 16.23 meters in the triple jump for the gold medal. UTSA teammates Jemuel Miller (16.08m) and Jacob Jenkins (15.83m) got second and third place, respectively.
It was a clean sweep by the Bulls in the men’s 400-meter hurdles as Devontie Archer set a new stadium record for the gold medal at 49.80. Markel Jones finished in second place at 50.76, while Darian Mills ran a person record 50.88 for third place.
Charlotte’s Smith added a second gold medal, this time winning the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.05 seconds. South Florida’s Zahria Allers-Liburd finished in second place at 23.30, while Memphis’ Kyndia Matlock earned the bronze medal with a time of 23.56.
The Bulls earned another sweep in the men’s 200-meter dash. Abdul-Rasheed Saminu added a third gold medal and set a conference meet record, winning at 20.34 seconds. Shevioe Reid finished with the silver medal at 20.46 seconds, while Jaleel Croal ended in third place at 20.47 seconds.
Rice earned the top two medals in the women’s high jump. Teammates Josie Taylor and Alice Taylor earned gold and silver medals with Jose clearing 1.84 meters and Alice clearing 1.80 meters. Wichita State’s Destiny Masters tied for second with a 1.80-meter clearance.
Having already won the 10,000-meter run, Tulsa’s Chloe Hershenow ran a season best in the 5,000-meter race at 16:44.84 to earn a second gold medal. Hershenow’s teammate Tamar Reeves finished in third place with a time of 16:51.62. Wichita State’s Lucy Ndungu finished with the silver medal in 16:46.49.
Charlotte’s Nickolas Scudder earned the gold medal in the men’s 5,000 meter run at 14:11.89. Tulane’s Jack Jennings finished in second place at 14:25.61, while Tulsa’s Malte Propp finished at 14.27.26 for third place.
Charlotte wrapped up the women’s championship with a first place in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:35.40. South Florida finished in second place at 3:36.04, while North Texas came in third place at 3:38.79.
South Florida won the final event in the meet in the men’s 4×400 meter relay, out leaning Charlotte for the gold medal. North Texas earned the bronze medal at 3:11.48.
2024 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Men’s Scores
1. South Florida 217
2. Charlotte 143
3. Rice 105
4. Wichita State 90
5. UTSA 81
6. Memphis 52
7. Tulsa 35
8. North Texas 34
9. East Carolina 28
10. Tulane 27
Women’s Scores
1. Charlotte 142
2. Rice 122
3. South Florida 76
4. Wichita State 69
5. East Carolina 67
5. SMU 67
7. Memphis 66
8. Tulsa 58
9. North Texas 48
10. UTSA 39.5
11. Tulane 26
12. Florida Atlantic 15
13. Temple 13
14. UAB 9.5
Most Valuable Performers
Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, South Florida (Men’s)
Joyasia Smith, Charlotte (Women’s)
Freshmen of the Year
Markel Jones, South Florida (Men’s)
Ida Breigan, UTSA (Women’s)
Coaching Staff of the Year
Erik Jenkins, South Florida (Men’s)
Bob Olesen, Charlotte (Women’s)
