May 26, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa - The UT Arlington men's 4x100-meter relay team ran a 39.65, the third fastest time in school history, to take second place and advance to the NCAA Championship during Saturday's NCAA Midwest Region Track Championship at Drake Stadium.

The relay of Jared Connaughton, Byron Majors, Coby Morrison and Jarid Vaughan was nipped at the tape by Oklahoma (39.59).

The top five finishers in each region automatically qualifies for the NCAA Track and Field Championship, June 7-9, in Sacramento, Calif.

Senior Jon McDowell (Odessa, Texas) clocked a personal-best time of 13.69 to finish second in the men's 110-meter hurdles and advance to the NCAA Championship. The time was the second fastest in school history, trailing only Sansiski Daniel's time of 13.47 set in 1986.

The 4x400-meter relay team of Morrison, Majors, Curtis Hoyle and Eddie Beckwith finished 12th with a time of 3:10.81.

UT Arlington was the top Southland Conference team at the regional, tying for 14th with 20 points. Oklahoma won the regional meet with 75.33 points. Texas A&M won the women's title with 92 points.

In women's competition, senior Vanessa Maida (Abilene, Texas) ended her collegiate career by clearing a height of 12-00.00 to finish in 17th place.

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