The USF softball team is quietly putting together a sterling season. The Bulls have won seven straight and sit at 24-8 overall and 5-1 in the American Athletic Conference.
That AAC record puts the Bulls in second place, one game behind Florida Atlantic (6-0, 27-4).
USF is looking to improve on last season’s 8th-place finish in the conference, when the Bulls were a one-and-done in the conference tournament. They are well on their way to doing that.
After a doubleheader at Stetson on Wednesday, March 19, the Bulls return home Friday against East Carolina for a three-game series. With the exception of a game at Florida on April 23, USF’s remaining schedule will consist of AAC games.
The Gators are currently the No. 1 team in the NCAA’s RPI rankings. USF is 42nd.
The Bulls just swept the weekly AAC individual honors. Catcher Camille Ortiz-Martinez was the AAC Player of the Week and Payton Dixon was the conference Pitcher of the Week.
Baseball Bulls are heating up
USF will take its three-game winning streak to Fort Myers on Wednesday, March 19 to face Florida Gulf Coast while looking for its fourth series sweep of the season.
The Bulls beat FCGU 4-1 on Tuesday to improve to 10-8 overall. Prior to that, they took two out of three against Big Ten member Maryland.
Pitcher Bryce Archie was sensational in a 4-3 win over the Terrapins. He threw six innings in relief, allowing only three hits and one run to pick up his first win of the season.
The Bulls travel to UAB on Friday to open AAC play with a three-game series.
Lacrosse team on a roll
The women’s lacrosse team picked up two wins last week to run its record to 7-2 in the Bulls’ inaugural season.
After a 16-8 win over Bucknell, USF notched its first AAC victory by besting Temple 15-9.
The Bulls have their first conference road game on Saturday at East Carolina.
Last week’s impressive showing led to individual honors for four players.
Goalie Paige Pagano earned her second consecutive and third overall AAC Goalie of the Week award of the season.
Claire Natoli earned her first Midfielder of the Week award, while Mikaela Ness got her first Defensive Player of the Week award.
Sofia Chepenik was also named the Honorable Mention AAC Attacker of the Week for the second straight week.
Men’s track and field finishes 21st nationally
Abdul-Rasheed Saminu and Kobe Babin delivered standout performances at the NCAA Track and Field Indoor National Championships, held March 14-15 in Virginia Beach.
Saminu program records in the 60-meter prelims a 6.55 time, only to surpass it in the finals with a blistering 6.53.
That earned his third first team All-American honor since joining the Bulls.
Babin concluded his collegiate career as the national runner-up in pole vault, becoming USF's first-ever indoor first team All-American in the event. His vaults of 18-4.75 and 18-6.75 Babin set two program records.
Erik Jenkins, USF’s Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, praised the accomplishments.
"These two athletes have worked tirelessly to reach this point," he said.
"We're proud of their accomplishments and the way they've represented USF on the national stage. Their hard work and dedication have paid off in remarkable fashion."