HOUSTON – Mia Hicks earned bronze in the women's discus and 11 individuals advanced to the finals of their track disciplines on the third day of the 2018 Conference USA Championships, contested at Rice University's Wendel D. Ley Stadium.
The Roadrunners enter the fourth and final day of the championships fourth in the men's team standings and seventh on the women's team leaderboard.
Team standings
Men
1. Charlotte -78
2. Rice – 60
3. LA Tech – 33.50
4. UTSA – 23
5. UTEP – 22
6. North Texas – 21.50
7. WKU – 15
8. Southern Miss – 13
9. Middle Tennessee – 5
10. FIU – 2
Women
1. FIU – 47
2. Southern Miss – 42
3. Rice – 39
4. Middle Tennessee – 32
5. Charlotte – 27
6. North Texas – 24
7. UTSA – 17
8. Marshall – 14
9. Florida Atlantic – 12
10. UTEP – 10
11. LA Tech - 9
Throws
Kelsey Benoit and Derek Fenton earned the UTSA men's team's first points of the day with their fifth and sixth place finishes in the discus. Benoit threw the implement 49.99m to place fifth to earn four team points, while Fenton finished sixth for three team points with a best distance of 46.35m. Vincent Perez (44.71m) placed 10th overall and Mike Zuniga (37.87m) 16th.
Mia Hicks earned UTSA's first woman's podium finish of the meet with her bronze medal showing in the discus. Hicks extended her own program record with a toss of 50.12m on her second attempt of the day, earning six team points. Lacee Barnes also set a PR with a personal-best and Cayman Islands' national record distance of 49.03m, which placed sixth overall and earned three team points. Maia Campbell threw for a distance of 39.54m to place 14th and N'Dia Warren-Jacques 35.89m to place 17th.
Jumps
Gabriyella Torres earned two team points with her seventh-place finish in the women's long jump. The junior leapt a personal-best 5.96m on her third time down the runway. Ariel Watson placed 14th with a leap of 5.61m and Danielle Spence placed 16th after a PR of 5.58m.
Adrian Riley, who earned the silver in the decathlon, picked up five more UTSA team points with his fourth-place finish in the long jump with a distance of 7.72m. Jahkwan Blackley placed 11th with a PR of 7.27m and Andre Douglas leapt a PR of 6.76m to place 16th. Gabriyella Torres placed ninth in the women's high jump with a best cleared height of 1.61m.
In the men's pole vault, Kyle Real and Karney Linch tied for 13th overall with matching heights of 4.52m. Both cleared the height on their second attempt.
Sprints
Vasha Sheriff advanced to the finals in the 400m with a time of 46.37, which was good for sixth overall and second in his heat. Austin Crocker ran a PR of 47.97 to place 10th in the prelim and Desmond Jefferson a 48.07 to places 11th.
Jennifer Arinze ran a 55.31 to place seventh in the prelim and advance to the final on time. Darionne Gibson narrowly missed advancing to the final as she clocked a 55.40 and placed ninth in the 26-competitor field.
In the men's 100m dash prelim, Kaleb Campbell ran a 10.91 to place 19th and Jayden Bunting a 10.93 to place 20th. Olivia Esemena placed 13th in the women's 100m prelim with a time of 11.91.
Desmond Jefferson and Byron Taylor placed 18th and 19th, respectively, in the men's 200m prelim with times of 21.61 and 21.70. Kaleb Campbell clocked a 22.14 to come home 27th and Jayden Bunting a 22.35 to place 29th. Olivia Esemena ran a 24.55 in the women's 200m dash to place 16th in the 30-competitor field.
Hurdles
Patrick Prince won his heat and finished with the overall top time in the men's 110m hurdles with a time of 13.80 to advance to Sunday's final. Joining Prince in the final is Justin Gerbrecht as he ran a 14.60 to place eighth overall and third in his heat. Devall Harris made is 110m hurdles debut, placing 12th in the 15-competitor field with a time of 15.07.
In the women's 100m hurdles prelim, Jamiah Jackson won her heat and clocked the second-quickest time overall with a 13.88 to advance to Sunday's final. Victoria Rausch ran a 15.29 to place 15th in the preliminary round.
Andrew Pirog set a personal-best in the men's 400m hurdles with a heat and prelim-winning time of 52.33. Justin Gerbrecht also advanced to the final with a seventh-place time of 54.10. Jonathan Boozer ran a PR of 54.98 to place 11th and Ricardo Ramos a PR of 55.00 to place 12th. Devall Harris rounded out the Roadrunners in the event with a 1:00.40 to place 18th.
Christy Gilbert and Rachael Grossman each advanced to the finals in the women's 400m hurdles. Gilbert stopped the clock in 1:01.87 to place fourth overall and Grossman in 1:03.32 to claim seventh. Sierra Andres placed 11th in the prelim round with a time of 1:03.97.
Mid-distance
Rian Rodriguez represented the Blue and Orange in the prelims of the 1,500m, placing 24th with a time of 5:11.38.
Luca Chatham clocked a 1:51.23 in the men's 800m to place third overall in the prelim and advance to the finals. Joining Chatham in the finals is Zack Kovar, who ran a PR of 1:52.90 to place seventh. Caleb Devereaux clocked a personal-best 1:53.55 to place ninth in the prelim event.
Lynette Amaram placed ninth in the women's 800m prelim with a time of 2:13.81. Stephanie Sauceda ran a personal-record 2:114.24 to place 10th, Colleen Gilbert placed 13th with a 2:16.03 and Jayela Slack 16th after a 2:19.54.
Distance
John von Dohlen placed ninth in the men's 3,000m steeplechase as he crossed the line in 9:39.40. Olivia Flores ran a 12:00.42 in the women's event to place 12th in the 17-competitor field.
Championship schedule
The women's shot put opens Sunday's action at 3 p.m. The field events roll throughout the afternoon before wrapping up in the 7 p.m. hour with the women's javelin. The finals of the men's 4x100m relay starts the action on the track at 6 p.m. The 18 additional event finals will be contested over the next three hours before the women's 4x400m relay closes the championship.
Admission
Tickets are available for Sunday with price points of $12 for adults and $7 for youth (3-17).
UTSA RESULTS
MULTI EVENTS
Heptathlon final
4. Gabriyella Torres – 5,117 points
100m hurdles – 14.88 – 858 pts
High jump – 1.69m – 842 pts
Shot put – 10.30m – 549 pts
200m – 26.65 – 741 pts
Long jump – 5.79m – 786 pts
Javelin – 36.30m – 596 pts
800m – 2:25.90 – 745 pts
12. Chase Whiting – 4,325 points
100m hurdles – 15.13 – 825 pts
High jump – 1.45m – 566 pts
Shot put – 9.37m – 488 pts
200m – 26.48 – 756 pts
Long jump – 4.99m – 557 pts
Javelin – 32.35m – 521 pts
800m – 2:36.60 – 612 pts
Decathlon final
2. Adrian Riley – 7,576 points (second team All-Conference USA)
100m – 10.97 – 867 pts
Long jump – 7.66m – 975 pts
Shot put – 12.77m – 653 pts
High jump – 1.95m – 758 pts
400m – 49.80 – 824 pts
110m hurdles – 15.45 – 796 pts
Discus – 44.97m – 766 pts
Pole vault – 4.35m – 716 pts
Javelin – 55.46m – 670 pts
1,500m – 5:01.56 – 551 pts
6. Jake McDaniel – 6,456 points
100m – 11.77 – 697 pts
Long jump – 6.62m – 725 pts
Shot put – 11.04m – 570 pts
High jump – 1.98m – 785 pts
400m – 52.14 – 719 pts
110m hurdles – 16.14 – 717 pts
Discus – 28.93m – 443 pts
Pole vault – 3.65m – 522 pts
Javelin – 52.02m – 619 pts
1,500m – 4:43.43 – 659 pts
FIELD EVENTS
Hammer final (men)
9. Vincent Perez – 56.03m
Hammer final (women)
8. Mia Hicks – 51.64m
15. Faith Olszak – 46.04m
16. N'Dia Warren-Jacques – 44.51m
18. Maia Campbell – 44.03m
22. Dallas O'Connell – 40.40m
Discus final (men)
5. Kelsey Benoit – 49.99m
6. Derek Fenton – 46.35m
10. Vincent Perez – 44.71m
16. Mike Zuniga – 37.87m
Discus final (women)
3. Mia Hicks – 50.12m (third team All-Conference USA)
6. Lacee Barnes – 49.03m
14. Maia Campbell – 39.54m
17. N'Dia Warren-Jacques – 35.89m
Long jump final (men)
4. Adrian Riley – 7.72m
11. Jahkwan Blackley – 7.27m
16. Andre Douglas – 6.76m
Long jump final (women)
7. Gabriyella Torres – 5.61m
14. Ariel Watson – 5.61m
16. Danielle Spence – 5.58m
Pole vault final (men)
13-t. Kyle Real – 4.52m
13.-t. Karney Linch – 4.52m
High jump final (women)
9. Gabriyella Torres – 1.61m
TRACK EVENTS
100m prelim (men)
19. Kaleb Campbell – 10.91
20. Jayden Bunting – 10.93
100m prelim (women)
13. Olivia Esemena – 11.91
110m hurdles prelim (men)
1. Patrick Prince – 13.80 (advances to Sunday's final)
8. Justin Gerbrecht – 14.60 (advances to Sunday's final)
12. Devall Harris – 15.07
100m hurdles prelim (women)
2. Jamiah Jackson – 13.88 (advances to Sunday's final)
15. Victoria Rausch – 15.29
200m prelim (men)
18. Desmond Jefferson – 21.61
19. Byron Taylor – 21.70
27. Kaleb Campbell – 22.14
29. Jayden Bunting – 22.35
200m prelim (women)
16. Olivia Esemena – 24.55
400m hurdles prelim (men)
1. Andrew Pirog – 52.33 (advances to Sunday's final)
7. Justin Gerbrecht – 54.10 (advances to Sunday's final)
11. Jonathan Boozer – 54.98
12. Ricardo Ramos – 55.00
18. Devall Harris – 1:00.40
400m hurdles prelim (women)
4. Christy Gilbert – 1:01.87 (advances to Sunday's final)
7. Rachael Grossman – 1:03.32 (advances to Sunday's final)
11. Sierra Andres – 1:03.97
400m prelim (men)
6. Vasha Sheriff – 46.37 (advances to Sunday's final)
10. Austin Crocker – 47.97
11. Desmond Jefferson – 48.07
400m prelim (women)
7. Jennifer Arinze – 55.31 (advances to Sunday's final)
9. Darionne Gibson – 55.40
800m prelim (men)
3. Luca Chatham – 1:51.23 (advances to Sunday's final)
7. Zack Kovar – 1:52.90 (advances to Sunday's final)
9. Caleb Devereaux – 1:53.55
800m prelim (women)
9. Lynette Amaram – 2:13.81
10. Stephanie Sauceda – 2:14.24
13. Colleen Gilbert – 2:16.03
16. Jayela Slack – 2:19.54
1,500m prelim (women)
24. Rian Rodriguez – 5:11.38
3,000m steeplechase final (men)
9. John von Dohlen – 9:39.40
3,000m steeplechase final (women)
12. Olivia Flores – 12:00.42
10,000m final (men)
12. Peter Sepulveda – 35:25.33
10,000m final (women)
12. Gabby Gonzales – 39:52.78
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