Jan. 27, 2011
ARLINGTON, Tex. - The Oklahoma Sooner Open I helped several UT Arlington athletes elevate toward the top of the Southland Conference standings in Week 2.
Some Mavericks, like sprinter Cordero Gray retained his top spots in the 60m and the 200m from the previous week. Dwight Robinson did the same in the 800m.
Others, like sprinter Clayton Vaughn debut in the SLC rankings this week. Vaughn sat out the first week but made the most of his first collegiate meet by running a 6.80 in the 60m, ranking second behind Gray. He is also ranked fourth in the 200m with a time of 22.21.
Another freshman, Pamela Vinson, has left her mark in sprints on the women's side. Vinson's time in the 200m last week marked the best in the conference through two weeks. She also ranks second in the 60m.
Shannon Reynolds isn't far behind, ranking sixth in the 60m and fourth in the 200m.
DeAndrea Smith (seventh) and Breonna Baldwin (10th) have also cracked the top 10 in the 200m. That duo ranks first and seventh, respectively, in the 400m as well. Brittany Culbertson is ninth in the event
UT Arlington's women also have the top two and three of the top five times in the 800m. Lindsey Putman improved her league-leading time in the event last week by recording a 2:16.25, holding off teammate Esther Abuto, who ran a 2:17.40. Jennifer Carey ranks fifth.
Amanda McMahon gives the women a distance presence, ranking second in the Mile Run and the 3000m.
The women have two athletes - Sammy Nash and Lauren Marks - ranked in the top 10 in the pole vault. Jennifer Brown ranks fourth in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump.
Back to the men, Lionel Mungwari's time of 6.90 last week ranks fourth in the league and Andrew Pettis also registered a top-10 time. Mungwari also has the fifth-best long jump in the league this year.
Juan Lewis and Pettis now rank in the top 10 of the 200m at seventh and ninth, respectively. Lewis also possesses the second-best time in the 400m this year, though he didn't compete in the event last weekend.
Zack Davis slid to fifth in the 800m, but Heinz Schwarzkopf entered the top 10 at eighth with a time of 1:57.29.
Anthony Hilliman, Eric Montou and Schwarzkopf rank in the top 10 in the Mile Run at sixth, eighth and 10th, respectively.
In field events, Renan Palma ranks fourth in the league in the 60m hurdles and Isiah Clements is third in the high jump. Brandon Waller and Romain Martin are both tied for 10th in the high jump as well. Martin also ranks eighth in the pole vault.
The men have two athletes ready to challenge for points in the shot put in Casey Keeter and Branko Petrovic. Keeter's second-place finish in the Sooner Open moved him to third in the league. Petrovic ranks sixth.
UTA has also posted the best times in the men's 4x400 relay and the Distance Medley Relay.
