Richard Garrett Jr. now holds UTSA's indoor and outdoor shot put records.
HOUSTON — Freshman Richard Garrett Jr. won his second consecutive shot put title to open the outdoor season and he broke UTSA's eight-year-old record in the process to lead the Roadrunners men's track & field team at this weekend's Victor Lopez Invitational.
The Garland native, who set the program's indoor record in January, put the implement 57-6 ½ (15.74m) on Saturday to top the 20-man field by four-and-a-half inches. He surpassed Jason Reynosa's former mark of 57-0 (17.34m), which was set during the 2002 campaign. Garrett Jr. went on to place ninth in the discus with a personal-best throw of 148-2 (45.17m) and he also was ninth in the hammer (143-7/43.77m).
Freshman Jim Stitt was the other UTSA athlete to collect a gold medal at the two-day meet, as he won the 10,000 meters late Friday night. The Mansfield native clocked 32:30.86 to lead a trio of Roadrunners who finished among the top four. Sophomore Eric Doll placed second in 32:36.61 and fellow second-year performer Ivan Garcia was fourth in 33:21.42.
Meanwhile, junior Kyle Kaase picked up bronze in the javelin with his toss of 177-2 (54.00m).
UTSA received a half dozen other top-five efforts in its first full-team outdoor competition of the season.
The Birds will be back in action next weekend when they head to Austin to compete at the 83rd annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. The four-day meet gets underway on Wednesday, March 31, at Mike A. Myers Stadium.