The UTSA Roadrunners is a collegiate athletic program that represents the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The UTSA Roadrunners are also commonly referred to as "UTSA", "Roadrunners", or "Runners", and are represented by the mascot Rowdy. The origin of Rowdy dates back to 1977, when the Roadrunner was chosen as the university's mascot by student election.
The Roadrunners compete in the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference in 17 varsity sports. UTSA is San Antonio's only institution that competes in Division I FBS. UTSA joined the Western Athletic Conference on July 1, 2012. In April 2012, it was announced that UTSA would join Conference USA on July 1, 2013. Eight years later on October 21, 2021, it was announced that UTSA would join the American Athletic Conference on July 1, 2023.
The UTSA Cheer team has garnered two National Cheerleading Associations’ (NCA) collegiate national championships, first in 2012 and again in 2021. The cheer team has also secured a pair of top 5 finishes in 2019.
Sports sponsored
Conference affiliations
Football
In December 2008, UTSA announced the planned expansion of the athletics program centered on a new football program. The team's first head coach was former Miami Hurricanes head coach Larry Coker. UTSA began practicing in August 2010 and began competing as an NCAA Division I FCS independent on September 3, 2011. On November 11, 2010, UTSA accepted an invitation for membership within the Western Athletic Conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision. UTSA is now a member of Conference USA, having joined the conference on July 1, 2013, but will leave exactly 10 years later to join the American Athletic Conference. The Roadrunners won the conference championship in December 2021 with a 49-41 win over Western Kentucky in the C-USA championship game, and repeated as champions in their final C-USA game in 2022, defeating North Texas 48–27. The team plays its home games at the Alamodome in Downtown San Antonio.
Basketball
Men's basketball
UTSA men's basketball began as an Independent in 1981 before joining the Trans America Athletic Conference, now known as the ASUN Conference, in 1986. March 12, 1988, UTSA defeated Georgia Southern 76–69 in overtime sending the Roadrunners to their first NCAA post season appearance. UTSA men's basketball has won 3 regular season championships, 4 conference tournaments, and has had 4 NCAA tournament appearances.
UTSA appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) post season play in 2018. In 2019 the Roadrunners were invited to the CIT again but turned down post season play.
Women's basketball
The Roadrunners won their first ever Southland Conference Championship in 2008 defeating Lamar 65–56 at the Merrell Center. This also marked the UTSA women's basketball team's first NCAA Tournament berth in school history.
UTSA earned an NCAA Tournament berth for a second consecutive season with a 74–63 win over top seed UT Arlington in the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament Championship Game on Saturday, March 14, 2009, at the Merrell Center.
The UTSA women's basketball team has earned 2 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 2 conference championships, 1 regular season title, and the 2011 Southland West Division Championship.
Baseball
The UTSA baseball team was formed in 1992 where they initially competed in the Southland Conference. Built in 1993, UTSA plays at Roadrunner Field which is commonly known as "The Bird Bath." The Roadrunners have won 5 conference tournaments and have 3 NCAA post season appearances.
Softball
The UTSA softball team plays their home games at Roadrunner Field and initially competed in the Southland Conference since 1992. UTSA shattered its own NCAA record in 2007, hitting 105 round-trippers in 51 contests for a 2.06 average, eclipsing the 1.87 mark set in 2004 (101/54). The Roadrunners own three of the top six home run seasons in NCAA history 105 (2006), 103 (2005), 101 (2004) and set a conference record with 14 home runs in four games at the 2006 SLC Tournament.
The Roadrunner softball team has 2 NCAA Tournament Appearances (2004, 2006), 3 Regular Season Southland Conference Titles (2004, 2005, 2006), and 2 Southland Conference Tournament Championships (2004, 2006).