| May 13, 2004
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4907 UTSA track and field teams ready for Southland Conference Outdoor Championships Complete Release
SAN ANTONIO - The UTSA men's and women's track and field teams will travel to San Marcos, Texas, to compete in the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships on Saturday-Monday, May 15-17, at Bobcat Stadium. The Roadrunners are looking to improve on last year's performance at the outdoor meet where the men finished seventh and the women tied for eighth. Saturday opens with the first events in the decathlon and heptathlon and the only finals are the shot put and 10,000 meters. The meet continues Sunday and Monday with the opening ceremony and track event finals beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday. An awards presentation will take place following the final event - the men's 4x400m relay - at approximately 9 p.m. The Texas State men and Stephen F. Austin women are the defending champions. Results, schedules and heat sheets are available at www.precision-timing.com
2003 Outdoor Championships Recap
The UTSA men finished seventh with 34 points at the 2003 Southland Conference Outdoor Championships in San Marcos. Henry Maruping was the top finisher for the men, placing second in the 1,500m in 3:58.35. The Roadrunner women tied McNeese State for eighth with 34 points. Letitia Gilkes was the women's top finisher as the runner-up in the 800m (2:10.49).
One-Two Punch
The UTSA men boast one of the top one-two punches in the Southland Conference in the form of Carl Johnson and Justin Youngblood. After redshirting outdoors in 2003, Johnson has emerged as one of the top hurdles in the league, while Youngblood has shown he is the SLC's top multi-eventer after taking all of last year off. Johnson has turned in NCAA regional-qualifying marks in each of his last three outings in the 110m hurdles, led by a season-best 14.13 effort in finishing third at the A&M Invitational on April 10. Youngblood, who won the SLC Indoor heptathlon, was named SLC Men's Indoor Athlete of the Year and earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor, posted an NCAA provisional-qualifying total of 7,403 points in finishing fourth in the decathlon at the Texas Relays on April 1.
SLC Accolades
UTSA has garnered Southland Conference Men's Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors three times this year. Brandon Buteaux earned indoor weekly accolades on Feb. 17, while T.R. Sissel and Carl Johnson were named Outdoor Athletes of the Week on March 23 and April 13, respectively. Super Sophomore
Sophomore Ryanne Dupree is emerging as one of the top young athletes in collegiate track and field. The San Antonio native won the SLC Indoor pentathlon and has garnered top honors in the heptathlon at two of the more prestigious outdoor meets this year, posting a personal-best 5,383 points to win the Texas Relays and 5,087 to claim top honors at the Drake Relays. Dupree also won the 100m hurdles at the Whataburger Relays with a season-best 13.96 and leaped to a regional-qualifying 19-10 1/4 mark in the long jump at the A&M Invitational.
Speedy Senior
Senior Leticia Cerna is making the most of her final season in the navy blue and orange uniform. She owns the top time in the SLC in the 3,000m steeplechase, a school record 10:47.54 recorded at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 16. Cerna, the SLC Indoor champion in the mile, also posted a regional-qualifying 4:28.95 in the 1,500m at the A&M Invitational and won the metric mile in 4:34.59 at the Whataburger Relays on March 20.
SLC Accolades
UTSA has garnered Southland Conference Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors five times this year: Ryanne Dupree (March 23, April 6 and April 27), Letitia Gilkes (Feb. 10) and Leticia Cerna (April 20).
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