TAMPA - Freshmen Neamen Wise and Derrick Hopkins of the University of South Florida track and field team were named to the All-America Team by Track & Field News in the publication's December issue.
Wise was one of five individuals who earned All-America status in the 300/400-meter hurdles, posting the third-fastest time in the nation in the 300 hurdles with a time of 36.49 seconds as he captured the Florida 4A state title.
The Lake Brantley High School product also captured the long jump title at the state meet and finished third in the 110 hurdles. A decathlon champion at both the Nike Indoor National Championships in March and the USATF Junior Olympic National Championships in July, Wise also finished third at the USA Junior Nationals in June.
The All-America honor is the second for Wise this year, as he was previously named a USA Today All-American. In addition, Wise was tabbed the Florida Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year for 2009.
Hopkins was honored as a member of the Monsignor Pace 4x100 relay squad, which posted the fastest time in the nation in 40.54 seconds, capturing the Florida 2A state title in the process.
Hopkins also took the 100- and 200-meter titles at the state meet as a senior, after finishing first in the 200 and second in the 100 as a junior. His 200 time of 20.97 as a junior was the fastest in the nation.
Also a member of the USF football team, Hopkins and current gridiron teammates Sterling Griffin and Kayvon Webster won the 4x100 state title for the third year in a row at Monsignor Pace in 2009.
Falling just short of All-America status for USF was pole vaulter Mike Vani, who tied for the seventh-best mark in the nation at 16-8, setting a new Florida state record on his way to the state title.
On the women's side, rookie Courtney Anderson earned a spot on the publication's top 20 list in the high jump, as her height of 5-10 put her in a tie for 11th in the nation in 2009. Anderson won the Florida 4A state title.
The USF track and field teams kicks off its 2009-10 season at the Oiler Invitational Dec. 4-5 in Findlay, Ohio. The Bulls will host three meets at the USF Track and Field Stadium, beginning March 5 with the USF Open.
