SAN ANTONIO – UTSA Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Aaron Fox announced on Tuesday, August 20, that the Roadrunners have added five-time national champion and 2024 NCAA All-American jumper Rachela Pace to the already strong 2024-25 Roadrunners jump corps.
"It’s exciting to be adding another outstanding jumper to our squad with Rachela Pace,” Fox said. “She’s proven herself on the international stage and in NCAA competition, and we can’t wait to get to work with her to help reach her track goals and classroom goals during her final collegiate season.”
Originally from Dingli, Malta, Pace is fresh off an NCAA West First Round appearance in both the triple and long jumps with Fresno State. Pace earned All-Mountain West honors last season with a triple jump silver medal performance on a school-record 13.26m (43-6) leap at the 2024 Mountain West Outdoor Championships. Pace also ranks second on the Fresno State all-time long jump outdoor performances with a mark of 6.30m (20-8) last season. Pace earned USTFCCCA All-America Second Team honors while finishing 13th at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships on a triple jump of 13.03m (42-9), after collecting bronze at the Mountain West Indoor Championships in both the triple jump (13.36m/43-10) and long jump (6.29m/20-7.75). Pace also broke the Fresno indoor triple jump record three times last season and is second on the Bulldogs’ all-time indoor long jumpers list at 6.31m (20-8.5). During her second season in Fresno, Pace also earned the opportunity to compete at the 2023 NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Pace exerts a huge presence in the Malta national record book, locking up 13 national marks. Her nine outdoor records include: the outdoor national (senior) triple jump, U20 high jump, U20 long jump, U20 triple jump, U18 high jump, U18 long jump, U18 triple jump, U16 high jump and U16 triple jump. Her four indoor records include: the indoor national (senior) long jump and triple jump, U23 triple jump and U23 long jump.
Recipient of a special award from the Maltese Olympic Committee at the 2019 Sports Awards, Pace is a five-time Malta National Champion in the long jump and triple jump – adding her most recent crown on June 29 at the 2024 Maltese Championships in Marsa. She also represented her home nation at the U23 and U20 European Championships in both the long jump and triple jump, as well as placing second at the 2024 Championships of the Small States of Europe in Gibraltar. In addition, Pace made previous appearances for Malta at the Balkan Indoor Championships, European Youth Olympic Festival and the European Kids Athletic Games.
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