BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — Top-15 finishes by Lauren Rios and Morgan Ellison guided UTSA to a seventh-place finish at the American Athletic Conference Championship, which concluded Wednesday at Southern Hills Plantation Club (par 72/6,289 yards).
Rios tied for 13th at 4-over-par 220 and Ellison was one shot behind in 15th to lead the way for the Roadrunners, who ended up in sole possession of seventh with an 893 (298-298-297).
Rios registered the top finish of her UTSA career with a 13th-place tie, eclipsing her previous best of 20th from the Coach Mo Classic in her last outing. Additionally, her 220 was only one shot off her career-best 54-hole total of 3-over 219 from the Chevron Collegiate in February. She opened the week with a season-best-tying 71 and then followed with a 74 on Tuesday before posting a 75 today. The junior from Coppell, Texas, logged back-to-back birdies on Nos. 11-12 to give her a team-high 10 for the week and she played the par threes at 2-under par over three days, which ranked second in the field of nearly 60 golfers.
Ellison turned in UTSA’s best score in the final round with a 1-over 73 that featured birdies on the 476-yard, par-5 seventh and 138-yard, par-3 17th holes. The senior from Peachtree City, Georgia, also opened the event with a 73 on Monday before settling for a 75 in the second round. The tie for 15th marks her second-best finish of the season and her eighth time in the top 30 in 10 events during her final campaign. She logged a tournament-high 42 pars this week and played the par threes at even par, the sixth-best performance in the field.
Daniela Abonce was the next-highest-finishing Roadrunner, tying for 27th with a 224. The junior from Mexico bounced back from a 78 in Monday’s round with an even-par scorecard on Tuesday followed by a 74 today that was headlined by birdies on both par fives on the front nine for the second straight day.
Olivia Williams ended up with a share of 43rd with a 230 (78-77-75) that was capped by her best round of the week, a 3-over scorecard that included a trip of birdies.
Maria Bastarrica rounded out the UTSA lineup in 48th with a 236 (76-81-79).
In the team standings, UTSA ended up six shots ahead of Wichita State (899), eight in front of Tulane (901), 10 better than South Florida (903) and 28 clear of 11th-place UAB (921). The Roadrunners were only eight strokes behind Memphis (885) in the race won by Tulsa (852). Charlotte was the runner-up (873), followed by Florida Atlantic (877), East Carolins (878) and North Texas (880) in the top five.
Tulsa’s Romaine Masserey captured the individual crown with a 7-under 209 (68-71-70).
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