HOUSTON — The UTSA track & field teams opened the indoor season with 18 wins at the FasTrak Collegiate on Saturday at Bill Yeoman Fieldhouse.
The UTSA women posted 10 of the wins, including a sweep of the throws by Maia Campbell, while the men posted eight victories behind Mikael Dawkins, who was the top collegiate finisher in a pair of races.
"We're really pleased with how the team competed today," UTSA Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Aaron Fox said. "To win 18 events and have so many other quality performances is a great start to the season. This is a good foundation for us as we get back to work and prepare for the meet in College Station next weekend."
Campbell started her senior season by grabbing gold in the shot put with a mark of 13.92 meters (45-8). Later in the day, the Converse Judson High School product won the weight throw with a 16.30m (53-5) measurement.
It was a strong showing for the throwers, as Lacee Barnes finished second in the shot put with a 13.34m (43-9.25) effort and third in the weight throw with a mark of 14.11m (46-3). Cynthia Gonzales secured silver in the weight throw with a heave of 14.55m (47-9) and notched a fourth-place finish in the shot put (12.17m/39-11.25).
Dawkins was the first collegian to cross the finish line in two of the sprints. The Leander native was second overall in the 200m with a time of 21.82 seconds and fourth overall and first among collegians in the 60m in 6.83.
The women captured gold in four of the six field events overall, as Ingeborg Gruenwald and Danielle Spence took top honors in the long and triple jumps, respectively.
Gruenwald, a freshman from Salzburg, Austria, leaped to a mark of 5.87m (19-3.25) to lead a 1-2-3 finish by the Roadrunners in the long jump. Maren Wilms was second (5.41m/17-9) and Spence took third place (5.21m/17-1.25).
Spence, a junior All-American from Jamaica, skipped to a winning measurement of 12.42m (40-9) in the triple jump.
Meanwhile, Wilms, a freshman from Melsbach, Germany, also collected gold in the 60-meter hurdles, racing to a time of 9.83 seconds for one of six UTSA wins on the track.
Taylor Armstrong, a freshman from DeSoto, clocked a 58.71 to win the 400m just ahead of fellow freshman Joy Baxter, who crossed in 1:02.18. Armstrong also ran the second leg on the victorious 4x400m relay team. She joined Darionne Gibson, Orla Brothers and Alanah Yukich to post a time of 3:56.99 in the final race of the day.
Olivia Esemena and Vera Chinedu shined in the sprints.
Esemena, a senior from Arlington, was the first collegian to cross in the 60m with a time of 7.57, and she finished second in the 200m in 25.19.
Chinedu, a sophomore from London, England, was the top collegiate competitor in the 200m, circling in 24.79 seconds. She also finished second in the 60m in 7.64.
The Roadrunners also claimed top honors in the distance medley relay. Sofia Salinas, Baxter, Sarah Estrada and Amber Boyd passed the baton to a winning time of 12:52.21.
On the men's side, UTSA claimed gold in four of the six field events.
Jorge Ayala made his collegiate debut a memorable one by winning the shot put with a mark of 15.55m (51-0.25). The freshman from Edinburg also finished third overall and second among collegians in the weight throw with a 14.64m (48-0) effort.
Jack Turner led a 1-2-3-4 finish in the long jump, as the freshman from England broke the sand at a distance of 7.32m (24-0.25) for gold. Brett Winnegan, who lettered four years with the UTSA football team, was second with a jump of 7.06m (23-2), while Joel McFarlane took third (7.03m/23-0.75). Gary Haasbroek was fifth overall and fourth among collegians with a leap of 7.01m (23-0).
Grant Szalek skied over the high jump bar at 2.00m (6-6.75) and the junior from Perth, Australia, ended up winning the crown in a jump-off ahead of a pair of competitors who also cleared the same height, including sophomore teammate Jamal Anderson, who ended up with the bronze.
Andre Douglas began his junior campaign with a win in the triple jump. The Jamaican skipped to a mark of 15.40m (50-6.25) for top honors.
On the track, Devall Harris was the top collegiate to cross the finish line in the 60m hurdles. The junior out of Houston clocked an 8.25 for second place overall.
The distance medley relay quartet of JD Corona, Caleb Brandon, Caleb Devereaux and Omar Bekdache captured the eighth gold medal of the day for the men with a 10:57.93 clocking.
The Roadrunners will return to action next Friday-Saturday, Jan. 17-18, at the Ted Nelson Invitational in College Station, Texas.
UTSA Results
Men
60 Meters (prelims)
2. Mikael Dawkins 6.83Q
6. Kaleb Campbell 6.92q
10. Logan Masters 7.07
60 Meters (final)
4. (1) Mikael Dawkins 6.83
7. (4) Kaleb Campbell 6.94
200 Meters
2. (1) Mikael Dawkins 21.82
5. (2) Kaleb Campbell 22.35
8. (3) Logan Masters 22.63
400 Meters
3. (2) Andrew Pirog 49.68
12. (9) Jonathan Boozer 51.69
60-Meter Hurdles (prelims)
1. Bashiru Abdullahi 7.89Q
4. Devall Harris 8.32q
5. Jack Turner 8.54q
9. Joel McFarlane 8.68
12. Jake McDaniel 8.95
60-Meter Hurdles (final)
2. (1) Devall Harris 8.25
4. (3) Jack Turner 8.52
4x400-Meter Relay
2. UTSA 3:21.19
Jonathan Boozer, Chris Rosales, Mikael Dawkins, Andrew Pirog
8. UTSA "B" 3:48.20
Caleb Devereaux, Oquendo Bernard, JD Corona, Omar Bekdache
Distance Medley Relay
1. UTSA 10:57.93
JD Corona, Caleb Brandon, Caleb Devereaux, Omar Bekdache
High Jump
1. Grant Szalek 2.00m (6-6.75)
3. Jamal Anderson 2.00m (6-6.75)
Pole Vault
5. Marcus Ramirez 4.10m (13-5.25)
— Karney Linch NH
Long Jump
1. Jack Turner 7.32m (24-0.25)
2. Brett Winnegan 7.06m (23-2)
3. Joel McFarlane 7.03m (23-0.75)
5. (4) Gary Haasbroek 7.01m (23-0)
7. (6) Andre Douglas 6.64m (21-9.5)
8. (7) Jake McDaniel 6.59m (21-7.5)
Triple Jump
1. Andre Douglas 15.40m (50-6.25)
Shot Put
1. Jorge Ayala 15.55m (51-0.25)
3. Angel Robles 14.99m (49-2.25)
7. (6) Mike Zuniga 12.81m (42-0.5)
9. (8) Justin Wright 10.59m (34-9)
Weight Throw
3. (2) Jorge Ayala 14.64m (48-0)
Women
60 Meters (prelims)
3. Olivia Esemena 7.64q
4. Vera Chinedu 7.68q
10. Ingeborg Gruenwald 8.09
60 Meters (final)
3. (1) Olivia Esemena 7.57
4. (2) Vera Chinedu 7.64
200 Meters
2. (1) Vera Chinedu 24.79
3. (2) Olivia Esemena 25.19
400 Meters
1. Taylor Armstrong 58.71
2. Joy Baxter 1:02.18
800 Meters
2. Sarah Estrada 2:30.73
60-Meter Hurdles
1. Maren Wilms 9.83
4x400-Meter Relay
1. UTSA 3:56.99
Darionne Gibson, Taylor Armstrong, Orla Brothers, Alanah Yukich
3. UTSA "B" 4:!2.46
Mackenzie Grimes, Olivia Esemena, Amber Boyd, Sofia Salinas
Distance Medley Relay
1. UTSA 12:52.21
Sofia Salinas, Joy Baxter, Sarah Estrada, Amber Boyd
Pole Vault
2. Natasha Purchas 3.35m (10-11.75)
Long Jump
1. Ingeborg Gruenwald 5.87m (1-3.25)
2. Maren Wilms 5.41m (17-9)
3. Danielle Spence 5.21m (17-1.25)
Triple Jump
1. Danielle Spence 12.42m (40-9)
Shot Put
1. Maia Campbell 13.92m (45-8)
2. Lacee Barnes 13.34m (43-9.25)
4. Cynthia Gonzales 12.17m (39-11.25)
5. Brenttany Birdow 11.25m (36-11)
Weight Throw
1. Maia Campbell 16.30m (53-5)
2. Cynthia Gonzales 14.55m (47-9)
3. Lacee Barnes 14.11m (46-3)
-UTSA-
