May 30, 2006

Senior pole vaulter Shay Collett has received an invitation to the NCAA National Track and Field Championships, June 7-10, in Sacramento, Calif.

Collett tied for seventh at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships with a school-record vault of 5.41 meters (17-feet, 5-inches). He earned all-Southland Conference honors after a third-place effort of 5.20 meters (17-feet, .75 inches) at the 2006 SLC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Collett joins junior sprinter Jared Connaughton who earned an automatic berth following a third-place finish in the men's 200 meters on Saturday with a time of 20.67.

It marks the first time two UT Arlington male track and field athletes have qualified for the national meet in six seasons. In 2000, Elston Cawley qualified in the 100-, 200- and 4x100-meter relay teams. Andra Fifer competed in the 100 meters and the sprint relay as teammates Zach Wood, Andre Horn and Belford Johnson also compete on the sprint relay team.

- utamavs.com -