IRVING — Led by four second-team selections, UTSA saw a total of 11 players earn All-Conference USA accolades when the league office announced its postseason football teams on Tuesday.
Leading the way was senior Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist and team captain Triston Wade, who was one of four defensive backs named to the second squad. Wade started all 12 games this past season and led the Roadrunners with 86 tackles, 14 pass breakups, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries from the free safety position. He registered a season-high 11 stops and picked off a second-half Hail Mary pass against FIU (Oct. 11) and added 10 tackles against New Mexico (Oct. 4) and again at Rice (Nov. 8). The Tyler native also matched a career high with three pass breakups, including an interception, in the season opener at Houston (Aug. 29) and again against Southern Miss (Nov. 13). It marked the third all-conference honor of his illustrious career, as he was a second-teamer a year ago following first-team Western Athletic Conference laurels in 2012.
Senior defensive end Robert Singletary also landed on the second team. The preseason Lombardi Award nominee saw action in all 12 games (11 starts) and paced UTSA’s defensive linemen with 69 tackles to go along with a conference-leading four forced fumbles and team-high 3.5 sacks, while his 8.5 tackles for loss ranked second on the club. The Kingwood native was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 13 after recording 10 stops, including a program-record 4.5 for loss (third-most by an FBS player this season), three sacks, a UTSA-record two forced fumbles, one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry against FIU (Oct. 11). He was an honorable mention choice a year ago.
Senior Sean Ianno was tabbed the circuit's second-team place-kicker. Ianno handled all of the Roadrunners' place-kicking duties in 11 games this season (he missed the Western Kentucky contest with an injury). The program's all-time record-holder in every kicking category connected on 17-of-21 field goals, including two game-winners (vs. FIU & Southern Miss), and added a program-record 53-yarder at Florida Atlantic (Sept. 27). The Pflugerville native also booted 19-of-21 extra points and recorded 16 touchbacks on his 33 kickoffs. Ianno was a two-time C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 13/Nov. 17).
Senior deep snapper Jesse Medrano earned UTSA's other spot on the second squad. The former walk-on played in the opening nine contests but missed the last three due to injury. He helped the team’s place-kickers connect on 14-of-15 extra points and 13-of-17 field goals this past year and the squad owned a 41-yard punting average with him snapping the pigskin. Medrano did not have one errant snap this fall and he also registered three tackles on special teams.
Meanwhile, seven Roadrunners — Scott Inskeep (Sr., OL), Jens Jeters (Sr., LB), Kam Jones (Sr., WR), Ashaad Mabry (Sr., DT), David Morgan II (Jr., TE), Cody Rogers (Sr., DE) and Kristian Stern (Sr., P) — were honorable mention selections.