May 4, 2010

Arlington, Texas - After a record setting weekend at the Northwestern State Invitational in Louisiana over the weekend, Jasmine Walls has made a rapid ascent up the national rankings that were released Tuesday.

Walls set a school record in the 200 meters with a time of 23.21 which is the 12th fastest time in the nation this season. That mark will qualify for the NCAA Preliminary Meet in Austin from May 27-29. It is also the fifth-fastest time in the West Region.

Her time of 11.81, registered earlier in the year, is tied for 46th in the West Region as the top 48 in each event make the Preliminary Meet.

Antonia Hopkins posted a time of 23.61 at Northwestern State in the 200 meters and that time ranks 19th in the West Region. She also had a season best time in the 400 meters of 54.39 and that is 36th in the region and within the qualifying standards.

The women's 4x100 relay time of 45.37 slipped out of the top 24 in the region last week but is still only less than 10/100th of a second from qualifying.

UTA's women's team is the second-highest ranked Southland team in the USTFCCCA's national rankings this week trailing only Northwestern State.

The Mavericks do not have a meet this weekend but will keep preparing for the Southland Conference Meet at Maverick Stadium from May 14-16 on the UTA campus.