Feb. 14, 2007
HOUSTON, Texas - The Bill Yeoman Fieldhouse is familiar soil for UT Arlington track standouts Jared Connaughton and Quinchun Carey. Connaughton was named the Athlete of the Year last season after setting SLC records in the 60 and 200-meter race. Carey won the long jump title. Both look to repeat their individual accomplishments and bring a team title back to Arlington when the Mavs compete at the 2007 Southland Conference Indoor Track Championship here Friday.
The meet begins Friday with the women's weight throw and the men pole vault at 3 p.m. The running prelims are slated to get underway at 4 p.m. and the distance medley races will conclude the first day at 8:25 p.m. Saturday begins with the final three events of the men's heptathlon. Field events begin at 11 a.m. and the running finals are slated to begin at 1:30 p.m.
The Mavs finished fourth a year ago with 84 points, 27 points behind Texas-San Antonio.
"I am optimistic we can compete for both conference titles," UT Arlington Head Track and Field Coach John Sauerhage said of the men's and women's competition. "We do not have any pressure on us going into the meet. We have several veterans capable of winning their events and a number of individuals who can score points. I am not predicting a championship, but I do think we are very capable of a top-three finish."
UT Arlington hopes strong performances from its veterans will be enough to climb to the top of the conference for the first time since 2000.
Connaughton will be counted upon to score points in the 60 meter and 200-meter dashes. He has the fastest time this season in the 200 with a 21.46, which ranks third fastest in SLC history. Teammate Coby Morrison has the third fastest time this season with a 21.94.
Connaughton's 6.76 clocked at the Arkansas Invitational on Jan. 12, ranks second. Morrison and sophomore Byron Majors have the eighth and ninth best times, respectively with 6.89 and 6.91.
Carey won the long jump last indoor season with a leap of 24-01.75, his mark of 23-11.75 this season is third best in the SLC. Andrew Duncan III ranks among the leaders in the high jump with a leap of 6-07.50 and sixth in the triple jump with a 47-08.
The pole vault should be a strength with Wade Hayes and Jared Tuel ranked among the top six in the conference. Hayes recorded a vault of 16-04.75 at the Arkansas Invitational on Jan. 12. Tuel cleared 16-feet at the Houston Invitational on Feb. 3.
The distance races could get a bump from senior transfer Koby Styles. The Holliday, Texas native, ranks eighth in the mile run with a 4:20.41 and fifth in the 3,000 meters with an 8:25.93. Sophomore Ivan Pinal is seventh in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:44.67.
Sophomore Idilio Campos has the third fastest 800-meter time this winter with a 1:54.81. Freshman Zach Davis is seventh with a time of 1:57.38.
Senior Jon McDowell, the 110-meter champion during the 2006 outdoor season, has the second fastest 60-meter hurdle time with an 8.06.
The distance medley relay of Campos, Eddie Beckwith, Davis and Styles ranks second in the SLC with a 10:11.64.
