Welcome to UTSA, incoming ‘Runners! If you aren’t too familiar with UTSA athletics, we are a NCAA Division I school that participates in Conference USA; we currently boast 17 different sports teams among men and women.
As you may know, football is king here in Texas and with Head Coach Frank Wilson at the reins, this team is made to live up to the hype. The Roadrunners will open up the season on the road against Arizona State but will play their first home game against Baylor on Sept. 8 at the Alamodome. Also, be sure to pack the ‘Dome when we take on rivals North Texas and Texas State.
JJ Perez/Insiderunnersports
Though football takes most of the spotlight in the fall, don’t forget that volleyball season will be in full swing too. After going 9-5 in conference play last season and making a trip to the Conference USA Semifinals, the ‘Runners are ready to build off last season’s success.
If you are a fan of March Madness and the Final Four you probably noticed that San Antonio was the home of the Final Four this past season which made UTSA the host university. Even though the ‘Runners didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament, they still had a strong enough season to earn themselves a spot in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament but lost in the quarterfinals round. Women’s Basketball went 6-10 in conference play and was able to make a run all the way to the Conference USA Quarterfinal against Western Kentucky.
UTSA’s cross-country and track & field has both men’s and women’s teams for the upcoming indoor and outdoor track & field seasons. The Roadrunners had three different athletes that qualified for the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. The cross-country squads made it to the NCAA South Central Regional with plenty of ‘Runners breaking a bunch of their personal records at the meet.
UTSA men’s golf placed first at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic and placed sixth at the Conference USA Championship. The women’s team had a very strong season; they ended up winning the conference championship as a team and advancing all the way to the NCAA Championship Regional round.
The UTSA men’s tennis team went 13-12 this past season; they were able to pull off a 6-4 record here at home. The women’s tennis team was able to go 5-4 at home this past season with both teams losing in the first round of the conference tournament.
There is currently no men’s soccer team at UTSA but there is a women’s soccer team. After a somewhat disappointing 2017 season, the Roadrunners look like they are determined to turn things around with the recent signing of new Head Coach Derek Pittman. Pittman comes from the University of Idaho from back-to-back Big Sky Conference Championships. So, look for the ‘Runners to have a strong upcoming soccer season.
Photo courtesy of Conference USA
Roadrunner baseball had a very successful season. They were able to compile an overall record of 32-24 while being able to go 16-13 in conference play. While the ‘Runners were able to have such a strong regular season, they were unable to advance in the C-USA tournament but look for the squad to build off of their strong 2018 campaign.
UTSA softball started off the year with a bang by winning seven of their first ten games of the season but were only able to go 7-14 in conference play. With a primarily young core returning for this upcoming season, keep an eye out for the ‘Runners to be go after the Conference USA crown.
Although we might not have a rich history in sports, we are definitely on the rise here at UTSA. We are getting closer and closer to solidifying ourselves as a power here in the conference and in the nation. There are plenty of Roadrunners that are playing professionally on the next level on cashing in on their success and laying down the foundation for future Roadrunners. It’s a great time to be a ‘Runner.
