EL PASO — Ty Anderson's victory in the high jump on Saturday highlighted UTSA's third day of action at this weekend's Conference USA Outdoor Championships.
Anderson cleared a career-best 6-11 (2.11m) for the program's 61st all-time conference championship and fifth in the high jump. Southern Mississippi's Courtland Wells matched Anderson, but the Roadrunners' freshman from Luling earned the gold medal due to fewer misses. Fellow frosh Branden Perry finished in a three-way tie for fourth with his mark of 6-8 (2.03m), which gave the Roadrunners a combined 14 in the event.
UTSA also picked up 14 points in the shot put.
All-American Andrew Akens led the way with his third-place performance (58-6 ½/17.84m), while Tyler Finke (PR 55-5 ½/16.90m), Gabriel Vargas (PR 54-5 ¼/16.59m) and Kelsey Benoit (51-11/15.82m) placed fifth, sixth and eighth, respectively. Western Kentucky's Travis Gerding topped the 11-man field with his mark of 60-6 ½ (18.45m).
Meanwhile, Dusan Makevic raced to a bronze medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase after crossing the finish line in 9:22.01
UTSA's other points of the day came from Adrian Riley, who placed sixth in the long jump with a wind-aided career-best measurement of 23-10 ¼ (7.27m).
The defending champion Roadrunners, who started Saturday in fourth place in the team standings, now sit third with 54 points. Western Kentucky leads the way with 62 and meet host UTEP is just two points back of the Hilltoppers.
UTSA will have a total of 21 individual/relay entries in Sunday's running finals, including Christopher Hall (200m/400m), All-American Keyunta Hayes (110m hurdles/400m hurdles) and Mike Medrano (800m/1,500m/5k).