Women’s relay teams set new program records in the 4X100 and 4X400 relays
TAMPA, APRIL 30, 2021 – Following a week in which the Bulls posted 12 top 10 program marks, the USF track and field team closed out its regular season schedule by adding another 11 top 10 marks and setting two new program records at the UNF Team Invite in Jacksonville.
On the women’s side, the 4X100 and 4X400 relay teams both shattered program records as part of five top 10 program marks in the meet. The 4X100-meter relay team of Zahria Allers-Liburd, Shaniya Benjamin, Gabrielle DesRosiers and Kadesha Prescott posted a time of 44.20 to finish second in the meet and break the 21-year-old USF record of 44.37 set in 2000.
Not to be outdone, the 4X400-meter relay team of DesRosiers, Benjamin, Jae’Nisa Heckstall and Jasmine Knowles bettered their own record time set earlier this year by nearly two seconds as they logged a 3:34.88 to place third.
Benjamin, a freshman, made it three program top 10s for her in the meet as she continued her assault on the program long jump record, adding 2.25 inches to her personal best with a leap of 20.5.25 to finish second in the meet and move up to third on the USF all-time charts, less than a foot shy of the record.
DesRosiers, also made it three top 10s for the meet as she finished 10th in the 200 meters in 23.96, a time that ranks eighth on the USF all-time charts.
Arielle Boone posted a leap 41.5.25 to place fourth and log the fourth-best mark in program history.
On the men’s side, six program top 10s were set as Duncan Agyemang, Kobe Babin, Akeem Bradshaw and David Ajama all posted top 10 individual marks and the 4X100-meter relay posted the second-best time in program history.
The 4X100 team of Danelson Mahautiere, Monte Paker, Dre’Shaun Sanders and Toluwani Adebakin ran a time of 40.48 to finish fourth in the meet and just .14 off the USF record time of 40.34 set in 2014.
Bradshaw and Ajama finished sixth and 10th, respectively, in the long jump. Bradshaw’s leap of 24.4.25 was a season-best for the Bulls and placed him seventh all-time on the USF top 10 chart. Ajama also increased his PR with a leap of 23.11.0, which ties for 10th all-time. Victor Steiner joined the pair in also posting a PR in the event with a leap of 23-1.75 to finish 18th.
Ajama and Bradshaw also finished sixth and ninth, respectively, in the triple jump with marks of 49-6.25 and 48-10.25. Bradshaw’s PR vaulted him into eighth all-time on the USF charts, while Ajama remained sixth with a previous best of 50-5.50.
Babin finished second in the pole vault with a mark of 16-10.75, which ties him for sixth all-time at USF. Teammate Stone Baker cleared 16-0.75 to tie for third in the meet.
Agyemang ran 52.39 in the 400-meter hurdles to finish ninth and log the eighth best time in program history.
The Bulls will get next weekend off before returning to action for the 2021 AAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted at the USF Track and Field Stadium.
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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.
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