Coming off an exhilarating run to last year’s American Conference postseason title and an ensuing automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, UTSA women’s basketball coach Karen Aston says she feels good about the potential of her team leading into the new year. – File photo by Joe Alexander
By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
As the UTSA women’s basketball team started to win and pick up steam last March at the American Conference tournament, players adopted a motto.
“We’re not done yet,” they said.
The sixth-seeded Roadrunners kept their word, emerging from the middle of the bracket to claim the American’s postseason title.
“I don’t think we’ve had time to really think about it yet,” UTSA senior Idara Udo said in the days after the team returned home. “It’s crazy what we’ve done. It’s exciting what we’ve done. I think we’re still trying to soak in the moment.”
Four wins in four days in Birmingham. Victories over teams seeded third, second and first, respectively, to close it out. A dominant defensive performance in the title game over a Rice University team that had won 28 games.
Six months after it happened, it still doesn’t seem real.
But it is a reality, as the Roadrunners prepare to take a bow on Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome. At halftime of the UTSA-Colorado State football game, players and coaches will be honored for the team’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament in 14 years.
UTSA roster
Sema Udo, 6-0 redshirt freshman forward
Kierra Merchant, 5-9 senior guard
Jana Ros, 5-5 freshman point guard
Damara Allen, 5-10 junior guard
Mia Hammonds, 6-3 junior guard
Amaya McDonald, 6-2 freshman forward/center
Rihyana Kinsey, 5-9 freshman guard
Sanaa Bean, 6-3 sophomore forward
Taylor Ross, 6-1 redshirt sophomore forward
Bhret Clay, 5-9 sophomore guard
Marie Han, 5-3 junior guard
Adriana Robles, 5-5 sophomore point guard
Maya Linton, 5-11 redshirt senior guard
Praise Egharevba, 6-3 redshirt senior forward/center
Idara Udo, 6-1 senior forward
Emily Hunter, 6-7 sophomore center
UTSA’s Adriana Robles played in all 34 games and started 17 as a freshman last year. She’s expected to take on an expanded role as a sophomore for the Roadrunners, who are coming off an NCAA tournament appearance. – File photo by Joe Alexander