Photo by Jorden Pompey | The Crow’s Nest
By Jorden Pompey
USF men’s basketball reached new milestones in March
Getting ranked for the first time in program history by the Associated Press at no. 24. First regular season championship in program history. A nation best of 15 straight wins. Undefeated at home during conference play.
The Bulls ended the regular season 23-6 after falling to the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes and headed to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) as the number one seed. After defeating the East Carolina Pirates in the quarterfinal, the University of Alabama at Birmingham beat the Bulls 93-83 in the semifinals.
After not being selected to the March Madness Tournament, USF was invited to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) to face former AAC rival — the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The War on I-4 was revived as the Bulls came out victorious 83-77. USF received one last home game to take on the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams. VCU ended USF’s season defeating the Bulls 70-65.
Vittoria Blasigh named Freshman of the Year
USF’s women’s basketball ended the regular season 18-13 and earned a first-round bye in the AAC Tournament.
The team met with Wichita State University in the second round and defeated the Shockers 69-92. USF took on the University of Texas at San Antonio in the quarterfinals as the Road Runners ended the Bulls season 58-56.
Freshman guard Vittoria Blasigh was named AAC Freshman of the Year as she averaged 13.5 points and two assists per game. Junior forward Romi Levy received the Newcomer of the Year averaging 14.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Explosive offense led USF baseball
The Bulls’ bats were nothing short of explosive during a 12-9 run in March. USF put up 152 runs on the scoreboard (+16-point differential).
Junior utility player Bobby Boser received two honors as the AAC Player of the Week and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association National Hitter of the Week for the week March 4 to 10. Boser became the first Bull to hit for the cycle since Bryan Hierlmeier in 2004. From March 5 to10, Boser blasted five home runs and recorded 16 runs batted in. Senior infielder John Montes also received AAC Player of the Week award for the week of March 18 to 24. Montes recorded two home runs including a grand slam and eight RBI’s.
The Bulls sit at fifth place in the AAC with a 3-3 conference record and 16-13 overall.
Softball hits milestones with 1,500 wins, Eriksen reaches 1,100 career wins
USF softball finished the month 12-9, an overall of 24-15 on the season and 4-8 in conference play to land seventh in the AAC.
The team reached a milestone of 1,500 wins in program history and head coach Ken Eriksen reached 1,100 career wins.
Sophomore pitcher Payton Dixon currently leads the conference in earned run average 1.30, opposing batting average of .187, strikeouts of 108 and tied with 12 wins.
Women’s tennis dominates March 6-2, rises in national ranks
USF women’s tennis team flipped the script from February and went 6-2 in March— rising in the national ranks from No. 72 to No. 57.
Senior Grace Schumacher received an AAC Player of the Week award for her win against VCU in singles and doubles.
USF prepares for the AAC Championship in Dallas from April 17 to 21 after facing Rice on April 6 and Florida International University on April 7.
No. 69 Bulls battle with eyes on AAC Championship
The men’s tennis team wavered through ranks as they landed at No. 69 in the nation and went 4-7 in March winning matches over Penn State, Tulane, UAB and Texas Tech. USF is matched up against Wichita State April 5, Tulsa April 7 and Florida Atlantic University April 10 before heading to the AAC Championships in Tulsa, Okla.
Melanie Green shines as AAC Golfer of the Week
The women’s golf team started March at the Valspar Augusta Invitational finishing 13th out of 17 shooting 892 (+28).
In the Mountain View Collegiate, USF finished first out of 15 shooting 848 (-16) to secure its third win in the during.
Senior Melanie Green secured her second win of the season and was named AAC Golfer of the Week. Green shot a 205 (-11).
USF prepares for the Chattanooga Classic from April 7 to 9 with the AAC Championship from April 15 to 17 in Brooksville, Fla.
Jake Peacock triumphs as men’s golf prepares for AAC Championship
The No. 42 Bulls finished seventh in the Hayt Invitational shooting an 886.
At the Pauma Valley Invitational USF finished 14th out 15 shooting an 870 (+18). In the Valspar Collegiate USF finished 13th out 16 shooting an 863 (+11).
Senior Jake Peacock was named AAC Men’s Golfer of the Week for his performance at the Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate.
USF prepares for the Augusta Haskins Invitational from April 6 to7 before the AAC Championship in Belleair, Fla from April 19 to21.
Abdul-Rasheed Saminu makes history at indoor championship, outdoor season starts strong with record breaking performances
As the NCAA Indoor Championship wrapped up in Boston, sophomore Abdul-Rasheed Saminu made history as he was named to the 60m First Team All-American team — the first male Bull sprinter to do so since David Aristil in 2012 for the outdoor 400m hurdles.
Saminu finished eighth (6.69) in the 60m final. Senior Shevioe Reid finished 11th in the 200m semi-final in the indoor championship. Reid’s 20.81 time was the best finish in a men’s 200m NCAA Championship in program history. Reid was also named to the 200m dash Second Team All-American team.
The outdoor season kicked off at the University of Tampa in the distance classic. USF took home the victory, with junior Victoria Valdez finishing first with a time of 2:18.62 and freshman Catalina Edwards place third with a time of 2:21.04.
The Bulls set four records at the USF Alumni Invitational in front former USF All-Americans, Hall of Famers and Olympians.
Junior Kobe Babin set a program record in men’s pole vault and secured the win with a 5.40m breaking his own record of 5.36 set last spring.
The Bulls finished first in the women’s 4x100m relay setting the second fastest time in program history.
The men finished first as well setting a program record of 39.13.
Sophomore Goodness Iredia placed first in the men’s triple jump. Sophomore Michael Bourne III set a program record in the 110m hurdles with a 13.88 and taking the victory.
USF travelled to Gainesville for the Pepsi Florida Relays and set more records.
A record that only lasted a day was seniors Tre’Sean Bouie, Reid, Gabriel Moronta, and sophomore Nathan Metelus set a program record in the 4x400m relay at 3:30.77 to place third.
Seniors Shaniya Benjamin, Zahria Allers-Liburd, sophomore Terren Peterson and junior Je’Niya Burton set a program record in the 4x100m 39.03 to place first.
Iredia captured the first win on March 29 in the men’s long jump recording a 7.48m, the eighth best jump in program history.
The men’s track and field team opened the national rankings at fifth, but dropped to 13th in week two.
