GoUSFBulls.com Nine Qualify for NCAA East Preliminary

[Brad]

USF ATHLETICS 

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MEET: NCAA East Preliminary
DATE: May 26-28
LOCATION: Jacksonville, Fla. | Hodges Stadium
FOLLOW: Meet Central | Schedule | Live Results 
THE FIELD: Men | Women

 

Nine Qualify for NCAA East Preliminary

O’Neal enters with best triple jump distance in the field

 

TAMPA, MAY 19, 2016 – Eight men and one woman from USF have qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round held May 26-28 in Jacksonville, Fla.

 

The nine Bulls are among the top 48 declared athletes in their event. After next week’s competition, the top 16 in each event advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held June 8-11 in Eugene, Ore.

 

Six of the nine Bulls are peaking at the right time, recording season-bests at last week’s American Athletic Conference Championships. Returning to the NCAA Preliminary for the fourth time is senior Matthew O’Neal. He recorded his top triple jump this season of 54 feet, 11.50 inches (16.75m) at the conference championships, was the top jump in the East and the second-best in the NCAA this season. The Jackson, Miss. native is coming off his sixth conference title and will be a heavy favorite to advance to Eugene to with a chance to earn All-America honors for a sixth time. Also participating in Saturday’s 3 p.m. triple jump is freshman Errol Ennis. The Jamaican made the most of his lone appearance this spring with a distance of 50-7.5 (15.43m) at the conference championships which ranks 36^th in the East. 

 

Senior Paul Barrett (Tampa) qualified for the second consecutive season in the 400m hurdles. His season and personal-best time of 50.81 at the conference championships ranks 11^th in the East. The quarterfinals of the 400m hurdles are Friday at 7:45 p.m.

 

Senior Devin Screen qualified in the discus for the second time in his career. The Tallahassee native is making a return trip for the first time since 2014 after redshirting the 2015 season. His career-best throw of 187-0 (57.01m) won the conference title and ranks 15^th in the East. The discus begins at 4 p.m. on Friday.

 

Also making a return trip to Jacksonville is senior Winston Perry in the Pole Vault. The Fort Lauderdale native snuck into the field of 48 at No. 47 with a season-best height of 16-6.75 (5.05m). Perry will be joined by teammate David Akins who qualified in his first season with USF. The sophomore from Orlando and third-team all-conference member ranks 34^th in the East with a jump of 16-8.75 (5.10m). The pole vault is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

 

Along with Akins and Ennis, first time qualifiers include Bruce Barclay, Dwight Davis and Bernicia Holifield. Barclay, a senior from Fort Lauderdale, recorded his top time of 14.18 in the 110m hurdles last week. He enters Friday’s event, which begins at 5:30 p.m., ranked 40^th in the East. Davis is the conference runner-up in the 400m dash and is ranked 30^th in the East after a personal-best time of 46.51 at the conference championships. The senior from Hollywood, Fla., will run at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday. 

 

Holifield’s top throw in the hammer of 188-3 (57.39m) at the Seminole Invitational ranks No. 37 in the East. The Tallahassee native will throw at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

 

The Bulls are coming of an impressive week at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships in Orlando where the men’s team finished fourth with 92.50 points, both record highs for USF in the three year history of the meet.

ALL-CONFERENCE
First Team
Matthew O’Neal – Triple Jump
Devin Screen – Discus Throw

Second Team
Paul Barrett – 400m Hurdles
Matthew O’Neal – Long Jump
Devin Screen – Hammer Throw

Third Team
David Akins – Pole Vault
Dwight Davis – 400m Dash

NOTABLE MEN’S RESULTS | TOP SIX MEDAL | TOP EIGHT SCORE
1. Matthew O’Neal – Triple Jump, 54-11.50 (school record, conference meet record, facility record)
1. Devin Screen – Discus, 187-0 (personal best)
2. Paul Barrett – 400m Hurdles, 50.81 (personal best, third all-time at USF)
2. Matthew O’Neal – Long Jump, 24-10 (personal best, fifth all-time at USF)

2. Devin Screen – Hammer Throw, 185-0
3. Dwight Davis – 400m Dash, 46.51 (personal best, third all-time at USF)
3. David Akins – Pole Vault, 16-8.75
4. David Bell – Pole Vault, 16-2.75
4. Errol Ennis – Triple Jump, 50-7.50 (personal best, fifth all-time at USF)
4. Barclay, Davis, Williams, Yoon - 4x100m Relay (third all-time at USF)
5. Winston Perry – Pole Vault, 16-2.75
6. Bruce Barclay – 110m Hurdles, 14.18 (personal best, fifth all-time at USF)
6. Anderson Charles – 800m Run, 1:51.52
6. Cody Chernoff – Pole Vault, 16-2.75 (personal best)
6. Devin Screen – Shot Put, 55-3 (school record)
7. Zach Diaczynsky – Hammer Throw, 172-6
8. Barrett, Davis, Yoon, Charles – 4x400m 
8. Justin Jack – High Jump, 6-6.75

 

NOTABLE WOMEN’S RESULTS | TOP SIX MEDAL | TOP EIGHT SCORE
4. Jessica Taylor – 5,000m Run, 17:03.53
5. Bernicia Holifield – Hammer Throw, 181-7
5. Mikeia Pooler – Heptathlon, 4,591 (personal best, seventh all-time at USF)
5. Laticia Sims – 100m Hurdles, 13.66
6. Onalee Collins – Javelin, 136-5 (personal best, fifth all-time at USF)
6. Golden, Francis, Jackson, Dooling - 4x100m Relay, 45.63 (fourth all-time at USF)
7. Mira Carrozza – Javelin, 135-7
7. Lauren Kilts – High Jump, 5-7 (personal best, seventh all-time at USF)
8. Catherine Blaney – 3,000m Steeplechase, 10:58.91 (personal best, fourth all-time at USF)
8. Brandi Lucas – Shot Put, 47-11.75 (personal best, fifth all-time at USF)

 

NCAA QUALIFIERS
1. Matthew O’Neal – Triple Jump, 54-11.75
11. Paul Barrett – 400m Hurdles, 50.81
15. Devin Screen – Discus Throw, 187-0
30. Dwight Davis – 400m Dash, 46.51
34. David Akins – Pole Vault, 16-8.75
36. Errol Ennis – Triple Jump, 50-7.5
37. Bernicia Holifield – Hammer Throw, 188-3
40. Bruce Barclay – 110m Hurdles, 14.18 
47. Winston Perry – Pole Vault, 16-6.75