· Day one results
· Photo gallery
SAN ANTONIO – Senior Diane Smith, freshman Faith Barlow and the 800-meter relay team of senior Ryanne Dupree, junior Brittany Epps and sophomores Ashley Jackson and Shanelle Slaughter were all victorious for the UTSA women’s track & field team on day one of the UTSA Relays held Friday at Blossom Athletics Center.
Smith successfully defended her UTSA Relays crown in the 800 meters, leading a 1-2-3 finish for the Roadrunners. The Taft High product crossed in 2:17.35, just ahead of fellow senior Hope Jimenez (2:17.43). Sophomore Brittney Britton was third in 2:18.23.
Barlow took top honors in the 3,000m, covering seven and one-half laps in 10:16.60. Senior teammate Brianna Mendez took fourth in 10:49.60.
The 4x2 squad of Slaughter, Epps, Dupree and Jackson also defended, passing the baton in 1:39.74 to finish comfortably ahead of Texas Lutheran (1:43.67). Slaughter, Epps and Jackson all ran for the winning team last year with former Roadrunner Morgan Moszee, while Dupree was redshirting.
Epps was second (5.74 meters) in the long jump behind Moszee, who was competing unattached. Sophomore Rikki Gray and freshman Natalie Squier both cleared 1.55 meters in the high jump to finish second and third, respectively. Junior Shantel Buggs finished second in the shot put with an 11.61m measure. Haylee Allen and Jones finished second (1:05.31) and third (1:05.33), respectively, in the 400m hurdles.
It was the first of two busy days for Dupree, the senior All-American from East Central High. Competing in her first UTSA Relays heptathlon, she stands in first place after four events with 3,481 points. Junior Ashley Allen, the two-time defending champion and meet record-holder, is second with 3,096.
Dupree also posted her third NCAA regional qualifier in the 100m hurdles in as many weeks, cruising to the preliminary round’s top time of 13.76. Senior Lyndsey Sidney and Jessica Jones also advanced to Saturday’s final, clocking times of 14.00 and 14.19, respectively.
In other preliminary round action, Epps and Slaughter moved through to the 100m final with times of 12.18 and 12.20, respectively.
The UTSA Relays continue Saturday.
