March 29, 2008

Bobby Lane Invitational

ARLINGTON, Texas - - The UT Arlington men's track team posted five NCAA regional qualifying performances to highlight the UTA Bobby Lane Invitational held Saturday at Maverick Stadium.

UT Arlington's 4x100-relay team of Cordero Gray, Byron Majors, Jarid Vaughan and Eddie Beckwith helped provide one of the most exciting relay races of the day. UTA and TCU ran to the wire with the Horned Frogs taking the victory with a 40.60. UTA ran a 40.66 for second, and both were times good enough to qualify for regional competition.

Wade Hayes, the UTA record-holder in the indoor pole vault, cleared 16-6 ¾ for first place and a regional qualifying mark. Beckwith became a two-event qualifier when he won the 400 meters with a time of 46.91.

Andrew Duncan's triple jump of 50 feet was also good enough for second place and a regional qualifying distance.

Toward the end of the day, Gray gave the Mavericks their fifth qualifying time with a 21.34 and a third-place finish in the 200 meters.

The largest Bobby Lane Invitational in the meet's history provided more than just a quality university event. It also featured some of the world's best runners and jumpers, including Sanya Richards in the 4x400 relay, the 100 meters and 200 meters, Darvis Patton in the 100 meters , LaKadron Ivery in the 200 meters and Jeremy Wariner and Darold Williamson in the 200 meters.

Richards won both the 100 and the elite 200, winning the 200 with a time of 22.56.

Jared Connaughton, the former UTA All-American, excited the crowd with a 20.70 for victory in his heat of the 200 before the final elite race featuring Wariner. The two-time gold medalist from Arlington cruised to victory with a time of 20.37. Connaughton's time stood up for second place in that event, just ahead of Darvis Patton's 20.85.

Maverick sprinter Jasmine Walls ran in each heat against Richards. The UTA sophomore from Pearland, who was her squad's best sprinter through the indoor season, finished sixth in a strong field with a time of 12.15 seconds in the 100.

Walls was second in the 200 with a time of 24.06.

Angela Gonzalez finished fourth in the long jump among a 25-person field with a jump of 18-7 ¾.

Mavericks jumper Quinchun Carey continued his successful return from knee surgery to finish second in the long jump with a distance of 23-11 ¾ and Maverick teammates Patrick Kimbley and Andrew Duncan III finished fourth (23-2 1/2) and fifth (23-1 1/4), respectively.

Gray had a 10.67 in the 100 meters for sixth place.