@UTAMavsTFXC Teams Win Six Events At Memorable SBC Championships

Mavericks break records in stellar effort at Sun Belt meet

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UTA men finished second and the women placed seventh at the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex. The Mavericks had six event wins on the day and recorded some of the most memorable performances in school history.

Freshman Ismael Kone burst onto the scene in his conference championships debut, winning both the men's 60-meter and 200-meter events. He posted a time of 6.74 in cruising to the 60m win, and then registered a 21.03 in the 200m. His 200m time matches the third-fastest time in school history and ranks tied for 32nd nationally this year.

Meanwhile, junior transfer Bryson DeBerry equaled the UTA and Sun Belt Conference record in the men's high jump. Competing in his first SBC meet, DeBerry cleared 7-2 ½ (2.20m), which puts him among the nation's top 20 in the event, en route to his victory.

Joel Bengtsson, another freshman, won the men's 60-meter hurdles with a clocking of 8.02. His time matched his season best and tied for the No. 5 time in school history.

In addition, Justin Domangue capped his sensational indoor career by earning High Point Scorer honors at the meet. The senior picked up a gutsy come-from-behind win in the 3000 meters, crossing the line in 8:23.79. Earlier in the day, Domangue was second in the mile (4:15.69). With Monday night's runner-up finish in the 5000m, he finished with 26 points, the most by a male or a female at the meet.

"We have a young team and we will learn from this weekend and be stronger for it," UTA coach John Sauerhage said. "We had some heroic efforts today and it's a shame we didn't get it done."

The women capped Tuesday's action with a signature victory in the 4x400m relay. The Mavericks' squad of Jordyn McCarden, Mikayla Koester, Vanessa Ugorji and Tatyana Terrell posted a time of 3:44.51, which was seven seconds faster than the team's pervious best time in 2020. In addition it was the No. 2 clocking in school history, just .21 off the UTA mark.

Ugorji also had a strong meet individually, scoring in two other events. She was the runner up in the 400 meters with a time of 55.61, which was just .04 off an all-time top-5 UTA clocking, and also was seventh in the 200m (25.23).

Meanwhile, Terrell was the fifth-place finisher in the 200m (24.66). In the field, Juleen Lewis recorded a fifth place finish in the triple jump at 39-4 (11.99m).

Back on the men's side, Nolan Daggs smashed the UTA record in the weight throw by nearly three feet with a toss of 62- ¼ (18.90m). That mark was good for a bronze medal finish.

Lucas Van Klaveren made the podium after a third-place showing in the men's heptathlon. He scored a personal-best sum of 5,305, which was the No. 3 mark in school history. In addition, he was just two points behind second place and 19 out of first place.

Two other freshmen also earned bronze medals for the men, as Dominick Yancy took third in the 400 meters (47.58), while Harold Murphy was third in the 800m (1:53.19). Junior Cole Klashinsky narrowly missed all-conference honors with a valiant fourth-place effort in the men's 3000 meters (8:26.53).

--www.UTAMavs.com--

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Players Mentioned

Justin Domangue: Distance; Senior

Mikayla Koester: Sprints; Junior

Lucas Van Klaveren: Multis; Sophomore

Nolan Daggs: Throws; Sophomore

Juleen Lewis: Jumps/Sprints; Senior

Tatyana Terrell: Sprints; Junior

Vanessa Ugorji: Sprints; Sophomore

Jordyn McCarden: Sprints; Freshman

Harold Murphy: Distance; Freshman

Joel Bengtsson: Hurdles; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Justin Domangue
: Senior
: Distance

Mikayla Koester
: Junior
: Sprints

Lucas Van Klaveren
: Sophomore
: Multis

Nolan Daggs
: Sophomore
: Throws

Juleen Lewis
: Senior
: Jumps/Sprints

Tatyana Terrell
: Junior
: Sprints

Vanessa Ugorji
: Sophomore
: Sprints

Jordyn McCarden
: Freshman
: Sprints

Harold Murphy
: Freshman
: Distance

Joel Bengtsson
: Freshman
: Hurdles