CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Davante Edwards earned a bronze medal in the men's high jump to highlight action for the UTSA track & field teams Saturday at the Air Force Reserve Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Irwin Belk Track & Field Center.
Edwards cleared an outdoor season-best height of 2.08 meters (6-9 ¾) for third place in the high jump and six points toward the Roadrunners' team total. A native of Ennis, Texas, he topped each of his first three heights on his first attempt, including sailing over the bar at 2.03m (6-8) to put him in a tie for the lead with Southern Miss' Caleb Parker.
As one of just three jumpers remaining at 2.08m, Edwards missed on his first try but was good on his second jump. He ended up in third behind Parker, who cleared 2.11m (6-11), and Middle Tennessee's Jacob Patten, who went over 2.08m on his first attempt.
It marked the senior's second straight medal at the C-USA Outdoor, as Edwards secured silver with a personal-best clearance of 2.12m (6-11 ½) last year in Houston.
UTSA collected a total of six points in the high jump, as Jamal Anderson placed seventh with a 1.98m (6-6) clearance and Jake McDaniel finished eighth by topping 1.93m (6-4).
Steven Thomas scratched for a point in the men's discus. A day after finishing seventh in the hammer throw, the senior from Baltimore measured 44.09m (144-8) for eighth place in the discus.
The men are tied with Rice and UTEP for second place with 37 points through the first seven events. Charlotte sits atop the team standings with 67.
In women's Saturday action, UTSA received a pair of seventh-place finishes in the field.
Caroline Bellows soared over the bar at a height of 3.61m (11-10) to contribute two points in the pole vault, while Danielle Spence leaped to a distance of 5.81m (19-0 ¾) for seventh in the long jump.
The women are in 11th with 8.5 points through seven events in a team race led by Rice (45).
In Saturday running prelims, UTSA advanced a total of 13 to Sunday's finals.
The men pushed eight through to the finals, including four between the two hurdle races.
Two-time defending champion Patrick Prince sped to a 14.01 clocking to win his heat of the 110-meter hurdles and move into the final. The senior from Conroe turned in the second-fastest qualifying time of the day in his first action since pulling up at the Roadrunner Invitational on March 23.
Justin Gerbrecht advanced to Sunday's finals in both hurdles. The senior registered the eighth-best time in the 110m hurdles with a season-best 14.44 clocking. The Houston native came back later in the day to finish second in his heat of the 400m hurdles with a personal-best time of 52.67, the third-fastest time in the prelims.
Andrew Pirog won that 400m hurdles preliminary heat, finishing just ahead of Gerbrecht with a 52.55 clocking, the second-best time of the day.
A pair of Roadrunners are moving on in the 800m, as Zack Kovar posted the third-fastest time in the field with a PR of 1:52.12 and Luca Chatham cruised to a 1:52.77 to qualify automatically out of his heat.
Monty Bertschy timed a season best 3:57.49 to advance in the 1,500m and Vasha Sheriff will race in the 400m final after circling in a season-best time of 46.98.
Meanwhile, the women had five finals qualifiers on Saturday, headlined by Olivia Esemena, who moved on in both sprints. The junior from Arlington sped to an 11.70 clocking to win her heat and end up with the fifth-fastest qualifying time of the day. She later posted a personal-best time of 24.22 in the 200m to advance to Sunday's final in the deuce.
Darionne Gibson clocked a 55.33 to move into the 400m final, while Brooke Lomax is in the 800m final after registering a 2:17.29. Orla Brothers also advanced with a 1:02.32 clocking in the 400m hurdles.
The final day of the C-USA Outdoor is slated to get underway earlier than originally scheduled on Sunday due to the threat of inclement weather. Field events now will start at 7 a.m. CT and running finals will get underway at 9 a.m.
A free live video stream for Sunday's action will be provided online at http://conferenceusa.com/watch/default.aspx?Live=8044. For complete meet coverage, including live results and video streams, please visit http://conferenceusa.com/tournaments/?id=410.
UTSA Results (Saturday)
Men
100 Meters (prelims)
17. Kaleb Campbell 10.84
20. Jayden Bunting 11.03
200 Meters (prelims)
15. Mikael Dawkins 21.73
27. Jared Taylor 22.68
400 Meters (prelims)
4. Vasha Sheriff 46.89q
15. Chris Rosales 48.78
16. Austin Crocker 48.91
800 Meters (prelims)
3. Zack Kovar 1:52.12q
8. Luca Chatham 1:52.77q
13. Cameron Hudson 1:55.09
16. Caleb Devereaux 1:56.27
1,500 Meters (prelims)
5. Monty Bertschy 3:57.49q
12. Christopher Wise 4:04.25
110-Meter Hurdles (prelims)
2. Patrick Prince 14.01q
8. Justin Gerbrecht 14.44q
14. Devall Harris 14.98
18. Justin Wright 15.84
400-Meter Hurdles (prelims)
2. Andrew Pirog 52.55q
3. Justin Gerbrecht 52.67q
12. Jonathan Boozer 53.86
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
13. Omar Bekdache 10:21.91
High Jump
3. Davante Edwards 2.08m (6-9 ¾)
7. Jamal Anderson 1.98m (6-6)
8. Jake McDaniel 1.93m (6-4)
Long Jump
14. Jake McDaniel 5.09m (16-8 ½)
Discus
8. Steven Thomas 44.09m (144-8)
12. Vincent Perez 40.97m (134-5)
13. Ronald Lozano 40.49m (132-10)
17. Mike Zuniga 36.00m (118-1)
Women
100 Meters (prelims)
5. Olivia Esemena 11.70q
17. Vera Chinedu 12.05
25. Sydney Howells 12.34
200 Meters (prelims)
8. Olivia Esemena 24.22q
14. Vera Chinedu 24.67
32. Sydney Howells 25.65
400 Meters (prelims)
8. Darionne Gibson 55.33q
21. Erin Wilson 57.40
800 Meters (prelims)
8. Brooke Lomax 2:17.29q
1,500 Meters (prelims)
13. Amber Boyd 4:43.22
20. Rian Rodriguez 4:56.51
400-Meter Hurdles (prelims)
8. Orla Brothers 1:02.32q
12. Sierra Andres 1:05.41
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
13. Briana Gonzalez 11:37.16
Pole Vault
7. Caroline Bellows 3.61m (11-10)
Long Jump
7. Danielle Spence 5.81m (19-0 ¾)
10. Gabriyella Torres 5.57m (18-3 ¼)
16. Briana Washington 5.40m (17-8 ¾)
Discus
9. Lacee Barnes 41.44m (135-11)
