May 28, 2008
ARLINGTON - - While most students and student-athletes at UT Arlington have headed home or made their plans for summer, a handful of track and field Mavericks have been training for one of their biggest meets of the year and a chance to advance to nationals.
UTA will take two relays teams, 10 men and one female standout to the NCAA Midwest Regional Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday and Saturday in Lincoln, Neb., on the campus of the University of Nebraska. The women's long jump, hammer throw, men's high jump and javelin kick things off on Friday at 1 p.m. at Ed Weir Stadium.
Running events start at 1:30 p.m. with the preliminaries of the women's 4x100-meter relay.
On Saturday, the field events portion of the meet begins at 1 p.m., while the finals of the women's 4x100-meter relay begins at 4 p.m.
UTA has 11 total athletes headed to the regional meet - three of them in more than one individual event. Sophomore sprinter Jasmine Walls qualified for regionals in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Freshman sprinter Cordero Gray also qualified in those two events in the men's competition. Gray will also be running for UTA in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays. Andrew Duncan qualified in the high jump and triple jump.
Senior jumper Quinchun Carey makes his return to regionals in the long jump.
Jarid Vaughan qualified in the 100 meters and will be running on both regional-qualifying relays as well. Eddie Beckwith will run the 400 meters and be a part of the 4x400-meter relay squad, and distance runner Idilio Campos added himself to the list after winning the Southland Conference championship two weeks ago in Huntsville in the 800 meters.
UTA has two pole vaulters qualified - Wade Hayes and Cory Carswell.
The University of Nebraska plans to release start lists on Thursday evening. To see the heat and lane assignments for UT Arlington athletes, go to www.huskers.com. Fans also can follow live action of the meet at that Web site.
