SAN ANTONIO — UTSA Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Aaron Fox has added record-setting multi-event athlete Joel McFarlane to the Roadrunners' 2019 signing class.
A native of Monikie, Scotland, McFarlane broke the British U17 heptathlon record in 2017, which has since been broken, and also set Scottish U20 and U17 records in the decathlon and heptathlon. Through the first two-plus months of 2019, he has won bronze medals in British and International heptathlon competitions and his top point total of 5,326 currently ranks 20th on the world indoor junior list.
McFarlane's 2018 season was highlighted by grabbing gold in the Scottish decathlon with a record-setting total of 7,038 points to go along with winning the Scottish Schools outdoor high jump and 110-meter hurdles crowns. He also secured a silver medal in the British heptathlon and was third in the British decathlon that year.
In 2017, McFarlane won the British U17 decathlon and set a championship meet record in the process. He also captured top honors in the British U17 heptathlon, the British International Schools indoor pentathlon and the Scottish decathlon, heptathlon, indoor high jump and long jump and outdoor 100m hurdles, high jump and long jump. A year prior, he won titles in the British U17 decathlon, the Scottish U17 decathlon and the British International Schools indoor pentathlon.
"We're very excited to announce that Joel McFarlane will be a Roadrunner," Fox said. "Not only is he one of the top junior multi-eventers in the world, but he's also a straight-A student. He's a great addition to our already strong signing class and he'll have an immediate impact once he gets to campus."
McFarlane is the 11th announced member of UTSA's 2019 class, as he joins men's signees Jayton Acosta, Oquendo Bernard, Jack Turner and Harrison Wade and women's signees Taylor Armstrong, Vera Chinedu, Ana Carolin Da Silva, Natasha Purchas, Zoie Reyna and Maren Wilms.
