The Nunez name commands respect within the halls of UTSA’s athletic program. Tameka Roberts-Nunez, a track and basketball sensation, was one of the university’s premier athletes in the 1990s. Nunez was the star who broke numerous track records and qualified for three different individual events in the 1996 Olympic Trials.
A pillar of excellence, Nunez was an eight-time All-American and Roadrunner Hall of Fame inductee in 2023. She has been a shining example of greatness, and her legacy is one of UTSA’s crowning athletic achievements.
In 2025, that legacy will be carried on by her son, Austin Nunez. Born and raised in San Antonio, Nunez was one of the city’s top basketball players in 2022. As a high school senior, the guard was named the San Antonio Express News Player of the Year, and was touted as one of the best city prospects since NBA players Jordan Clarkson and Andre Roberson.
After brief stints at Arizona State University and the University of Mississippi, Nunez is bringing his talents home for his senior year — a decision he claimed transcended basketball.
“It’s bigger than just a basketball situation,” Nunez said. “It’s something that means a lot to me. My mom and dad came here, so this has always been a place that’s looked at as home for me.”
To Nunez, there is no better way to carry on his mother’s legacy than to win at the university she once called home. The guard has continued to revel in the moment, hoping to gracefully represent UTSA as his parents did.
“Representing UTSA, the school they graduated from, especially because my mom is in the Hall of Fame here, it’s something that means a lot and holds a lot of weight for me,” he remarked.
While he has relished his homecoming, it was not always his dream to play college basketball in his hometown. Coming out of Wagner High School in San Antonio, the guard initially committed to Arizona State in 2022, but transferred to Mississippi in 2023, before going back to Arizona State in 2024.
After playing four games, he was sidelined with an injury, forcing him to redshirt and miss the rest of the season. In four years, Nunez has played with a different roster each season. He has continued searching for a program to call home, and believes that he has finally found it at UTSA. His fifth season will be one with another brand new team, but Nunez has remained steadfast in his confidence that this year will be different.
“Every team I’ve played on, I’ve never really known my teammates for that long,” Nunez remarked. “It’s a similar situation here, but I feel like we have a good group of guys that know what the goal is.”
While there were numerous transfer signings over the offseason, Nunez was one of the first. Though his San Antonio connections played a major role in his decision, he also credited head coach Austin Claunch and the program for influencing his selection process.
“I feel like coach Claunch is definitely preaching the right things about the program,” Nunez claimed. “I feel like the school is trying to support the program as well. Everyone wants basketball to get better here.”
The hometown kid has been nothing but positive about Roadrunner basketball.
When asked what fans should expect this year, Nunez beamed with confidence as he replied.
“This team is going to be something people are going to want to support and watch throughout the whole season,” Nunez said.
Backed by UTSA and the City of San Antonio, Nunez and the basketball program will reach new heights this season. Every player has bought in, and Claunch has continued to preach messages of hard work and accountability. While seasons in the past have been underwhelming, this year will be one of the best in recent memory for the Roadrunners.
