SAN ANTONIO ? The UTSA men’s and women’s cross country teams will host the UTSA Opener this Friday, Aug. 29, at Olmos Park. The Roadrunners will line up against teams from Texas-Pan American, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas Lutheran (women only) in the relay-format race.
The women’s race will consist of two-person relay teams running four 1,200-meter legs apiece and will begin at 6 p.m. The men’s two-man, 4xmile relay event will start at approximately 6:30 p.m.
The UTSA men return three letterwinners from last year’s squad that finished in the top six in three different meets, including winning the Ricardo Romo/Six Flags Fiesta Texas Classic. Sophomore Brandon Chiuminetta was the team’s top finisher in three meets, including a fourth-place effort at the Romo Classic and a 19th-place showing at the Southland Conference Championship. Junior Corey Vargas and sophomore Dominick Zucconi also return after combining for six top-50 finishes in 2007.
Junior Dana Mecke (Bulverde, Texas) leads a group of three returning letterwinners on the women’s side. The Smithson Valley product earned all-conference accolades with a sixth-place finish at the SLC Championship last fall and placed 65th at the NCAA South Central Regional. The top finished in all six meets in which she competed, while also playing for the volleyball team, Mecke finished in the overall top six finishers at five different meets, including winning the Romo Classic to lead UTSA to the team title. Sophomore Baylee Holder and Jayde James also return after their freshman campaigns, including posting top 11-finishes at the Romo Classic last season.
