SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA cross country teams opened up the 2023 season at the UIW Invitational as the women’s team took a third place finish and the men’s team finished in sixth on Saturday morning at Windcrest Golf Club.
The men’s 8000-meter run opened up the meet at 8 am. OJ Ruiz paced the Roadrunners as he finished in 17th place with a time of 25:33.5, leading UTSA to a sixth place finish. Colton Stunkard finished in 22nd place with a time of 25:47.6, while Idol Ramon followed shortly behind at 25:56.6 for 23rd place.
Adrian Orozco rounded out the top-50 individual finishers, crossing the finish line in 49th with a time of 26:42.9. Landon Blankenship (72nd, 27:36.1), Gabe Hernandez (81st, 28:06.5) and Dominick Landin (98th, 29:22.8) were the final three UTSA runners to score in the meet.
The women’s 6000-meter race started shortly after at 8:40 am. In their collegiate debut, the freshman twin duo of Melody and Marissa Espinoza led the Roadrunners to a third place team finish. Melody Espinoza led the pack with a seventh place finish and a time of 22:13.5, while Marissa Espinoza crossed the finish line in 22:52.4 to take 16thplace.
All seven scoring runners finished in the faster half of the 87 competing individuals. Taylor Cochran took 28th with a time of 23:23.1, while Jadelyn Malesich (32nd, 23:37.5) and Brooke Veltman (33rd, 23:38.9) followed shortly behind. Itzel Rojo logged a time of 23:51.3 for 38th place, while Luzaan de Wit was the final Roadrunner to score in 43rd place and a time of 24:03.5.
Three more Roadrunners competed on the women’s side to complete a team of 10 runners. Sidney Bravo crossed the finish line at 24:23.1 to take 53rd, followed by Savannah Lopez (64th, 24:51.9) and Maggie Lowry (82nd, 26:36.4).
The Roadrunners head to Salem, Oregon, on Sept. 30 to race in the Willamette Invitational, hosted by Willamette University, before returning to the Lone Star State on Oct. 13 to compete in Texas A&M’s Arturo Barrios Invitational.
UTSA Results
Men (6th/161)
|
17 |
OJ Ruiz |
25:33.5 |
|
22 |
Colton Stunkard |
25:47.6 |
|
23 |
Idol Ramon |
25:56.6 |
|
49 |
Adrian Orozco |
26:42.9 |
|
72 |
Landon Blankenship |
27:36.1 |
|
81 |
Gabe Hernandez |
28:06.5 |
|
98 |
Dominick Landin |
29:22.8 |
Women (3rd/114)
|
7 |
Melody Espinoza |
22:13.5 |
|
16 |
Marissa Espinoza |
22:52.4 |
|
28 |
Taylor Cochran |
23:23.1 |
|
32 |
Jadelyn Malesich |
23:37.5 |
|
33 |
Brooke Veltman |
23:38.9 |
|
38 |
Itzel Rojo |
23:51.3 |
|
43 |
Luzaan de Wit |
24:03.5 |
|
53 |
Sidney Bravo |
24:23.1 |
|
64 |
Savannah Lopez |
24:51.9 |
|
82 |
Maggie Lowry |
26:36.4 |
-UTSA-