The fall semester has officially begun at UTSA. Students took time off for summer vacation but UTSA Athletics, along with local and national teams, were not given the same freedom. Despite having little time off, this actually came to benefit UTSA.

After two years of negotiating realignment for several Conference USA teams, UTSA has joined the American Athletic Conference. Together, both the league commissioner Michael Aresco and Director of Athletics for UTSA Lisa Campos held press conferences in San Antonio to address any questions or concerns about the new merger. With this visit to San Antonio, Aresco also visited UTSA’s newest athletics facility, the Park West Fieldhouse. Going forward, this is where women’s soccer games, men’s and women’s track and cross country programs will be held.

UTSA has also lost some coaches but gained new ones in their place. Softball head coach Michelle Cheatham resigned and former Mississippi State coach Vann Stuedeman has taken the reins. Tori Smith, another new addition to the softball family, is coming in as an assistant coach to Stuedeman. 

Softball is not the only team to make changes to their staff. Peter Mulamba has joined the women’s soccer coaching staff as their newest assistant coach. Mulamba was a head coach of the Alamo City men’s soccer team before taking his position at UTSA. 

The soccer team recruited three new players for this year’s season. Forwards Maci Geltmeier and Thandie Reinkensmeier and defender Haley Lopez have all joined the UTSA soccer team. 

More big news for UTSA, former pitcher Simon Miller was drafted as the 348th overall pick in the twelfth round during the MLB draft and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds. Miller also made the Division I All-American third team in his final year at UTSA. 

Locally, San Antonio had a lot to celebrate over the summer when it came to sports. The Spurs acquired French phenom Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick and fans got to see him play twice during summer league. 

Just like the Spurs, SAFC also got in on the international action. In a long anticipated match, SAFC finally played Sunderland AFC over the summer. Ultimately, Sunderland beat SAFC 3-1, but playing against international opponents was a great opportunity for both teams. 

SAFC will continue to play games through October, the Spurs season with Wemby will begin in October and UTSA’s volleyball and soccer seasons have begun. UTSA’s first home game will be on Sept. 9.