EL PASO — Caroline Bellows collected a bronze medal in the pole vault on Saturday to lead the UTSA women's track & field team on its third day of action at this weekend's Conference USA Championships.
Bellows earned five-and-a-half points after tying for third in her specialty event with a personal-record clearance of 12-0 (3.66m). Western Kentucky's Morgan McIntyre won the event with a mark of 12-11 ¾ (3.96m).
Meanwhile, Mia Hicks picked up four points with her fifth-place finish in the discus. UTSA's record holder launched the platter 155-11 (47.53m) on her sixth and final attempt of the competition and that moved her up from seventh place. UTEP's Samantha Hall was first with her throw of 178-6 (54.40m).
Elesha Alyn registered UTSA's other point of the day with her eighth-place effort in the long jump. The senior from Miami, Fla., broke the sand with a career-best, wind-aided measurement of 18-11 ¼ (5.77m). Middle Tennessee's Elizabeth Dadzie successfully defended her league crown with her windy leap of 20-4 ¼ (6.20m).
In the running preliminary heats, the Roadrunners saw three athletes qualify for Sunday's finals.
Jennifer Arinze improved her program record in the 400 meters after crossing the finish line in 53.88, which was the second-fastest time in the field of 28 sprinters. Her previous record mark was 54.07, which came at this year's Roadrunners Invitational. Paige Patterson will join her teammate in the final after clocking a 54.44, which ranked sixth.
The only other Roadrunner that advanced to Sunday's finals was De'Stini Henderson, who peeled off the fourth-fastest clocking in the 100m (11.71).
Middle Tennessee leads the team standings through seven scored events with 47 points, while meet host UTEP (44) and defending champion Rice (39) round out the top three. UTSA sits in seventh place with its 15.5 points.
The four-day meet will wrap up on Sunday.
