BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — UTSA received gold medal performances from Andrew Akens and its distance medley relay on Friday and the Roadrunners sit in second place through six scored events at this weekend's Conference USA Indoor Championships, which is being contested at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
The league's shot put leader coming into the meet, Akens picked up the program's first-ever title in its new home. The junior from Mesquite easily topped the 19-man field with his career-long measurement of 59-9 (18.21m), which was his third victory of the campaign. He added nearly seven inches to the previous personal best (59-2 ¼/18.04m) he established at January's Houston Opener and that was more than seven feet better than his nearest competitor. It marked the Roadrunners' sixth all-time championship in the event and fourth consecutive dating back to 2011. Akens led a combined 19-point performance in the event, as Tyler Finke (50-6 ¾/15.41m) and Jeremy Jones (50-5 ½/15.38m) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Meanwhile, the foursome of Mike Medrano, Jurmarcus Shelvin, Brady Hand and Nathan Collier raced to the school's sixth all-time title in the DMR. The quartet passed the baton in 9:59.25 to edge North Texas (10:00.68) by nearly a second-and-a-half.
The two victories pushed UTSA's all-time individual/relay total to 70 and 46 of those have come under the direction of 12th-year head coach Aaron Fox.
The Roadrunners, who have won eight consecutive conference championships, racked up 38 points during the opening day of action and they trail only UTEP, which scored 42.
UTSA also received a combined nine points from Taylor Reed and Barrett Brock in the pole vault. Reed cleared 16-6 ¾ (5.05m) en route to a bronze medal, while Brock placed sixth (15-7/4.75m).
The two-day meet will conclude on Saturday.