SAN ANTONIO — UTSA Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Aaron Fox announced Wednesday that the program has added distance standouts Abby Barraza, Taylor Cochran, Marissa Espinoza, Melody Espinoza and Jadelyn Malesich to the 2023 signing class.
"We're excited about signing these five distance runners and adding some quality depth to our program," Fox said. "This group includes state qualifiers, regional and district champions and academic all-district performers, so we're looking forward to seeing them succeed on and off the track once they get to campus."
Abby Barraza (El Paso, Texas/Franklin HS)
Region and area qualifier in the middle distances for El Paso Franklin High School … advanced to the 2022 Region I-6A Meet in the 800 meters … district bronze medalist in both the 800m and 1,600m as a senior … area qualifier in both events as a junior … owns personal bests of 2:20.03 in the 800m and 5:18.25 in the 1,600m.
Taylor Cochran (New Braunfels, Texas/Canyon HS)
2023 Region IV-5A qualifier in the 3,200 meters for New Braunfels Canyon High School … helped lead Canyon High School to the Class 5A state meet in cross country, finishing seventh after registering a third-place showing at the regional meet … four-time academic all-district selection … selected for the Legacy All-Star Texas Girls Coaches Association Award … owns personal bests of 5:17.43 in the 1,600m and 11:27.58 in the 3,200m.
Marissa Espinoza (San Antonio, Texas/Brackenridge HS)
All-State performer at Brackenridge High School … broke her own school record in the 1,600 meters with a time of 5:09.12 to finish seventh at the 2023 Class 5A state meet … originally set the school record with a runner-up time of 5:10.16 at the regional meet … earned all-region honors in both the 1,600m and 3,200m as a senior … district runner-up in the 800, 1,600m and 3,200m … state qualifier and district runner-up in cross country during her final campaign … owns personal bests of 5:10.16 in the 1,600m and 11:12.76 in the 3,200m … twin sister of fellow signee, Melody Espinoza.
Melody Espinoza (San Antonio, Texas/Brackenridge HS)
State qualifier in track & field and cross country for Brackenridge High School … 2023 Region IV-5A champion in the 3,200 meters after clocking a time of 11:03.61 to lock in a spot in the state meet this month … also earned all-region accolades in the 1,600m with a third-place time of 5:13.24 … swept district crowns in cross country and in the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m as a senior … academic all-state selection … owns personal bests of 5:10.95 in the 1,600m and 11:03.61 in the 3,200m, which is a school record … twin sister of fellow signee, Marissa Espinoza.
Jadelyn Malesich (San Antonio, Texas/Brandeis HS)
Regional qualifier and district champion at San Antonio Brandeis High School … swept District 28-6A titles in the 800 meters with a meet record time of 2:18.56 and the 3,200m with an 11:26.81 clocking as a senior … also captured the district bronze medal in the 1,600m in 5:16.49 … advanced to the regional meet in cross country all four years … two-time cross country team MVP and one-time track & field MVP at Brandeis … three-time academic all-district selection … owns personal bests of 2:17.86 in the 800m, 5:03.80 in the 1,600m and 11:26.81 in the 3,200m.
The addition of these five distance runners brings UTSA's signing class to nine, as they join Ida Breigan, Edlin Laur and current Roadrunners Jabari Bennett and Ayumi Kobayashi.
-UTSA-
