NORMAN, Okla. — Freshman April Benavidez broke the UTSA women's track & field pole vault record on Saturday for the third time this year to highlight the Roadrunners' final day of action at the Southland Conference Indoor Championships.
Benavidez cleared 12-3 ½ (3.75m) en route to a third-place finish. It was an improvement of six-and-a-half inches for the Elsa native and UTSA's best finish in the event in program history. She matched Stephen F. Austin's Macy Wade but was moved down in the standings due to more misses. Fellow frosh Rachel Stewart added a tally when she finished in a three-way tie for seventh (10-10/3.30m). Texas State's Elena Horn won her second consecutive title with her 12-9 ½ (3.90m) clearance.
The Roadrunners, who scored 68 points during the two-day meet, finished third in the team standings for the second consecutive year. Stephen F. Austin (115,5) won its third crown in a row and UT Arlington (97) was second.
UTSA received nine more points in the field events.
Sophomores Zaquita McClanahan and Stacia Newton combined for seven in the shot put. McClanahan finished fourth with her heave of 46-5 ¼ (14.15m), while Newton was seventh with a career-best measurement of 44-9 ¾ (13.66m).
Meanwhile, sophomore Eboni Johnson skipped the a seventh-place performance (39-7 ¾/12.08m) in the triple jump.
On the track, the Birds accounted for a total of six points in the 60 meters when freshmen Jhorden Hunter (7.60), Krystal Wynn (PR 7.61) and Greneshia Wright (PR 7.68) placed six through eighth, respectively.
Wynn went on to scratch out a tally in the deuce when she circled the Mosier Indoor Track oval in 25.34, which was good for eighth place.
Meanwhile, freshman Nina Herrera secured five points with her fourth-place effort (5:03.52) in the mile.
The 1,600m relay of senior Shavonne Armbrister, sophomore Briony Miller, freshman Grace Williamson and sophomore Shartanae Swearengin clocked season-best 3:56.91 en route to seventh place in the meet's final event. Williamson earlier added another point in the 800m (2:16.14).
"I thought the girls competed hard this weekend and I was really proud of Aimee Jonas' pentathlon championship on Friday," third-year head coach Aaron Fox said. "We're a very young team but are headed in the right direction. I'm excited about the future of the program and looking forward to seeing how they perform during the outdoor season."
The outdoor campaign is scheduled to begin in three weeks at the Texas Southern Relays (March 17-18).
