Former USF midfielder Lindo Mfeka was a four-year starter at USF before being drafted by the San Jose Earthquakes this weekend. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

Coming off a season in which they helped USF win the regular season AAC title and advance to the NCAA Tournament, former Bulls men’s soccer players Marcus Epps and Lindo Mfeka were drafted in the MLS Super Draft on Friday night. 

A four-year starter for USF, Epps became the first Bull to be drafted since 2015 when he was selected with the 25th pick of the draft by the Philadelphia Union.

Mfeka, also a four-year starter, was taken minutes later when the San Jose Earthquakes drafted the midfielder with the 28th overall selection. 

The pair joins a group of 23 other USF players who have been selected in the MLS Super Draft.

Women’s basketball 

bounces back

Following the worst loss in program history, a 102-37 beatdown by UConn, the USF women’s basketball team rebounded quickly with a 79-48 win over East Carolina on Saturday. 

Senior Ariadna Pujol led USF back to the win column with a 23-point, eight-rebound performance that landed her on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.

Though the Bulls responded with a 31-point win after their devastating loss to the Huskies, coach Jose Fernandez said his team still has work to do when it comes to playing with the right mindset. 

“In order for us to be great, the score shouldn’t matter,” Fernandez said. “Every possession matters. That’s why Connecticut is so good. The score doesn’t matter, every possession does. That’s what separates the good from the great. That’s what this team needs to realize. We have to play every possession like it matters, like it’s the last possession of the game and the game is tied. Until that happens, we won’t reach where we want to get to.”

USF will have an opportunity to show Fernandez it’s ready to be great when it hosts Memphis and No. 9 Louisville this week, beginning with a game tonight at 7 against the Tigers at the Sun Dome. 

No. 25 USF men’s tennis sweeps FGCU

In the Bulls’ first return to action in the spring semester, the USF men’s tennis team swept FGCU in both singles and doubles play at the FGCU Spring Invite. 

Sunday, USF finished strong as four Bulls, including newcomers Pierre Luquet and Jakub Wojcik, won their matches without dropping a single set to the Eagles. 

Next up for the Bulls will be ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Gainesville, beginning with a match against LSU on Jan. 28.