SAN ANTONIO — UTSA will make its fourth straight NCAA postseason appearance when it travels to Tennessee for the Franklin Regional on May 9-11 at Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course (par 72/6,449 yards).
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Summer Batiste, the Roadrunners are the No. 9 seed — the highest NCAA seed in program history — and will compete against 11 other teams and six individuals in the three-day, 54-hole, stroke-play event. UTSA is riding a streak of five consecutive top-five team finishes, including a win at the Chattanooga Classic followed by back-to-back runner-up showings at the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational and the Conference USA Championship. The top four teams and top two individuals not on an advancing team will qualify for the championships, which will be held for the second straight year on May 20-25 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
This will mark UTSA's seventh all-time NCAA postseason appearance, and it is the second straight and third time overall the program has advanced via an at-large berth. In 2013, UTSA was an at-large pick for the Central Regional in Norman, Oklahoma, the first time any sport in school history received an at-large team bid to the NCAA postseason. Last year, the Roadrunners earned the No. 13 seed for the Louisville Regional, also as an at-large selection.
Familiar with The Volunteer State
UTSA is familiar with the state of Tennessee, as the NCAA Franklin Regional will mark the program's third trip to the Volunteer State this season. The Roadrunners tied for third place at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship last September in Knoxville and they claimed the Chattanooga Classic team title on March 27-29 at Council Fire Golf Club. In fact, this will be UTSA's 11th trip to Tennessee in the 17-year history of the program.
UTSA's NCAA Postseason History
UTSA will be making its fourth straight and seventh overall NCAA postseason appearance in the 17-year history of the program when it competes in the Franklin Regional on May 9-11 at Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course.
This year, UTSA earned its second straight at-large bid and will be the Franklin Regional's No. 9 seed, the highest in program history.
One year ago, the Roadrunners were the 13-seed for the Louisville Regional in Simpsonville, Kentucky, and they ended up 13th (303-298-295—896) in the 18-team field.
The Roadrunners qualified for three straight NCAA Regionals in 2011-13, the first two coming after earning the Southland Conference's automatic bid for back-to-back league crowns and the last as the first-ever at-large NCAA team berth by any sport at UTSA.
The Roadrunners also advanced to an NCAA Regional in 2018 and again the following year after capturing back-to-back Conference USA titles and earning the league's automatic bid. The 2020 season was canceled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2011 team was the first to advance to the NCAA postseason, finishing 16th at the West Regional in Auburn, Washington. The Roadrunners carded a 311-313-313—937 in the 24-team field.
Fifth-year head coach Summer Batiste was a player on UTSA's back-to-back NCAA Regional teams in 2011-12. She tied for 89th in her postseason debut and was 104th the following year.
The Roadrunners turned in their best NCAA postseason finish and score by placing 12th with an 892 (298-295-299) at the 2018 Austin Regional. Ana Gonzalez turned in the program's best NCAA individual finish and scorecard by tying for 29th with a 220 (75-70-75).
Additionally, Fabiola Arriaga qualified as an individual for the 2014 NCAA West Regional in Cle Elum, Washington, and tied for 49th with a 232 (77-78-77).
Four Roadrunners land on all-conference teams
UTSA placed a league-high four student-athletes on the All-Conference USA Teams, as Camryn Carreon and Ana Gonzalez landed on the first team while Hunter Nugent and Nicole Polivchak made the third team.
Carreon's first-team selection marks her second career all-conference award, as the San Antonio native made the second team a year ago. She ranks second on the team with a 74.13 stroke average and has logged six top-20 finishes in 2021-22. The junior earned runner-up honors at the C-USA Championship to earn all-tournament team accolades and help lead UTSA to second place for the second straight season. Carreon tied for sixth at the Tulane Classic and she carded a 3-under-par 213 that featured a season-best 69 en route to tying for 15th at the Paradise Invitational.
Gonzalez becomes the first Roadrunner to collect five all-conference certificates, as the super senior picked up her second career first-team honor this year. The Monterrey, Mexico, native leads UTSA with a 73.97 stroke average to go along with four top-10 finishes this season. She has placed in the top six in each of her last three tournaments, including a runner-up showing with a 4-under 212 to help the Roadrunners win the Chattanooga Classic and a third-place effort at the C-USA Championship to earn all-tournament team accolades. Gonzalez also made the first team in 2019 after winning the C-USA individual crown. She was a second-team selection in 2018 when she was named C-USA Freshman of the Year and a third-team choice each of the past two years.
Nugent was tabbed third-team all-conference in her debut season with the Roadrunners. The transfer from Oakville, Ontario, owns a 75.37 scoring average and a pair of top 10-finishes. She posted an 8-under 208 to tie for 10th at the season-opening Sam Golden Invitational and grabbed a share of fourth place while competing as an individual at the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational. Nugent has shot under 70 four times this season, including a 6-under 66 at the Paradise Invitational in February.
Polivchak picked up her first career all-conference award as a Roadrunner with her third-team nod this season. The super senior from Sarasota, Florida, stands third on the squad with a 75.1 average and she is riding a streak of four consecutive top-20 finishes. She placed ninth at the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational and 17th at the C-USA Championship to help lead UTSA to runner-up team showings at both tournaments. Polivchak also tied for 13th to help guide the Roadrunners to the Chattanooga Classic team crown.
With this year's four selections, UTSA now has garnered 40 all-conference certificates in its 17-year history, including 12 in five seasons under head coach Summer Batiste, a two-time C-USA coach of the Year honoree.
Batiste off to successful start
Summer Batiste is off to a successful start to her head coaching career. In her first five seasons at the helm, she has guided UTSA to four NCAA postseason appearances and a pair of Conference USA titles. The 2020 season was canceled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two-time C-USA Coach of the Year has led the Roadrunners to seven total tournament titles, two individual conference crowns and 12 all-conference certificates.
UTSA also has taken care of business in the classroom under Batiste, as the program has placed 28 student-athletes on the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll over the last five years while collecting a total of nine C-USA Academic Medals for a 3.75-or-better cumulative GPA. The Roadrunners have earned three spots on C-USA All-Academic Teams and seven Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar awards during her tenure. They also have received three NCAA Public Recognition Awards for posting an Academic Progress Rate among the top 10 percent nationally within the sport, as UTSA has recorded a perfect score of 1,000 during each of the last three reporting periods.
A native of Spring, Texas, Batiste spent three seasons as UTSA's assistant coach before being named the program's third head coach in July 2017.
A former standout player for the Roadrunners in 2007-12, Batiste served as team captain her final two seasons and earned second-team All-Southland Conference honors in both 2010 and 2011. She shared individual medalist honors with teammate Taylor Newlin at the 2012 Islander Classic after shooting a 75-74-71—220 and she posted four additional top-five finishes during her career. She was a member of back-to-back NCAA Regional teams, tying for 89th (77-85-77—239) in 2011 and 104th (78-83-84—245) in 2012.
Batiste, the daughter of former Texas A&M and Miami Dolphins football player Dana Batiste, was a three-time winner of the UTSA Weight Room Warrior Award.
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