USF Track & Field: Bulls claim 4 titles on Day 1 of UCF Invitational

Tampa freshman Shaniya Benjamin wins long jump with personal-best mark

ORLANDO, APRIL 23, 2021  The USF track and field team grabbed four individual titles on Day 1 of the UCF Knights Invitational in Orlando. The meet continues Saturday starting at 9 a.m.

On Friday, USF got off to a strong start with three women and a man claiming crowns, including both men’s and women’s champions in the pole vault.

Freshman Shaniya Benjamin (Tampa) continued her strong first season winning the long jump with a personal-best mark of 20-3 which ranks fourth on the USF all-time list.

In the 400-meter hurdles, junior Jae’Nisa Heckstall (Phoenix) won the event with a personal-best 57.52, a time that ranks second all-time in program history and approaching the record mark of 57.03 set by Amber Delpino in 2000. Heckstall now owns the top time in the American Athletic Conference and the ninth-best time in the nation. Teammate Shaneylix Davila (Kissimmee) finished fourth with a PR of 58.91, which ranks third all-time USF.

In the men’s pole vault, junior Stone Baker (New Port Richey) equaled his season-best with a mark of 16-7.25 to take the title. Meanwhile, on the women’s side senior Stephanie Lambeth (Frankenmuth, Mich.) posted a mark of 12-11.75 to win the event and lead four Bulls who placed in the top six, including Nicole Carroll (Land ‘O Lakes) who was third with a season-best of 12-0.

Freshman Alliya Booth (Bloomfield, Conn.) finished sixth in the hammer throw with a personal-best mark of 150-4 and Aicha Naouai (Bloomfield, N.J.) was third in the javelin with a PR of 130-3.

The Bulls are competing against athletes from UCF, Clemson, FIU, FAU, Florida A&M, Alabama State, Eastern Michigan, Northeastern, Toledo, Grand Valley and Southeastern among others in their second-to-last meet before the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be hosted at the USF Track & Field Stadium in Tampa, May 14-16.

To stay up-to-date on the latest USF track and field news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter / Instagram).

About USF Track and Field

The USF track and field team has produced 22 All-America selections since 2008 and at least one All-American in nine of the last 11 years. 2016 graduate Matthew O’Neal is USF’s first six-time NCAA All-American. USF has posted two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013 – O’Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). The Bulls hosted the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary at the USF Track and Field Stadium and will host the 2021 AAC Outdoor Championships.

– #GoBulls –