SAN ANTONIO — UTSA Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Aaron Fox announced on Friday that the program has signed Jabari Bennett, a transfer from Mississippi State who will join the Roadrunners beginning with the 2023 season.
A native of Silver Spring, Maryland, Bennett registered a trio of podium finishes in 2022 while competing for the Bulldogs. He unleashed a personal-best heave of 19.40 meters (63-7.75) to win the indoor shot put at the Razorback Invitational. He also surpassed 19 meters in the event with a 19.15m (62-10) measurement to place fifth at the SEC Indoor Championships as well as a runner-up mark of 19.02m (62-5) at the Alex Wilson Invitational. An NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifier, he finished second at the Mississippi State Maroon and White Invitational with an 18.02m (59-1.5) effort.
"Jabari Bennett will have an immediate impact on our program this coming season," Fox said. "He's competed at a high level in the shot put for many years, especially last season with Mississippi State. We can't wait to see him succeed academically and athletically here at UTSA."
Bennett transferred to Mississippi State from Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio, where he was a first-team All-American and conference champion. He measured 18.55m (60-10.5) to finish third in the shot put at the 2019 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, and he struck gold with a 19.21m (63-0.25) effort at the 2020 G-MAC Indoor Championships. He posted a total of 22 top-three finishes in the shot put during his time at Tiffin.
Bennett is the second member of the signing class, joining Edlin Laur from Talinn, Estonia.
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