TAMPA - With a second season of cross country under the belts of many of the best distance runners for the University of South Florida track and field team, the Bulls will look to continue to grow in the distance events during the 2010 season.
On the women's side, USF's top two runners in each of the distance events except the 800 meters were freshman during the 2009 season, while the men also return nearly all of their distance runners from a season ago.
Sophomore Shaniel Chambers is back for her second season and is the top returnee for USF, after ending her first season with the Bulls second all-time in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:11.38, four seconds off the all-time best mark set by Bente General.
The Bulls will be led by sophomores in the other distance events as well, including second-year runner Allie Prendergast, who had the top overall time for USF in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Prendergast had a season-best 10:14.52 in the 3,000, as she qualified for the USA Junior National Championships, taking eighth overall up in Eugene, Ore.
Fellow sophomore Nicole Rozario qualified in the 3,000-meter steeplechase for both the BIG EAST Championships and the Junior National Championships - but did not compete - after posting the second-fastest time in school history in 10:53.05.
Another of USF's top cross country runners will be back as well, as sophomore Yasmin Smith qualified for and finished 14th overall at the BIG EAST Championships in the 1,500 meters.
Sophomores Devin Spoerle and Christine Johnston will provide depth in various events after running in several meets in 2009.
One newcomer will look to boost USF in the shorter distance events, as freshman Rachel James arrives after leading Boyd Anderson High School to the 4x800 relay title in 2009 after finishing as the runner up in 2007 and '08 along with her sister Rebecca James.
Like the women, the men also return nearly all of their best distance runners for the 2010 campaign but must make up for the loss of Carlan Arthur, who finished his USF career third on the all-time list in the 800 meters.
Senior Mikail Ebanks will be counted on to score points for the Bulls in the 800 after qualifying for the league championships last season. Ebanks ranks seventh all time in the 800 for USF.
Junior Pedro Carela, sophomore Phillip Wise and senior Ryan Courtoy will be back to run the 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000-meter events. Courtoy qualified for the BIG EAST Championships in the 1,000 meters during the indoor season, while Carela had the top times in the 1,500 and 5,000 meters during the 2009 outdoor season.
Sophomore Lucas Simari will be back to run the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while freshman Felix Soto comes in after competing in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters at the Florida state championships as a senior, including a fifth-place showing in the 1,600.
Stay tuned to GoUSFBulls.com for the last season preview, the combined events, on Monday.
