BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A personal best and meet record from Cole Klashinsky in the 5000m, and a PR and meet record in the women's mile run from Madeleine Rowe highlighted the regular-season indoor finale for the UT Arlington track and field teams Sunday at South Alabama's Jaguar Invitational from the Birmingham CrossPlex.
 
In the 5000m, Klashinsky shattered his PR by 23 seconds (14:17 flat) to win the event and also post the 8th-best time in the nation this year and 2nd-best in the Sun Belt. The 14:17 time destroyed the previous meet record of 14:46.72, but he was still tested as he claimed 1st place in only .69 of a second over defending Sun Belt Champion in Arkansas State's Lexington Hilton (14:17.69). Those two both finished 70 seconds ahead of the 3rd-place performer.
 
Rowe crossed the finish line the mile in 4:52.56 – bettering her previous personal best by nearly 6 seconds, and setting the meet record by .32 of a second which was established in 2019. The senior sat in 8th place at the one-quarter mark, but methodically moved up before blitzing the field with a final-lap 31.98 – more than 4 seconds better than anyone else – to jump from 2nd place to 1st and win by more than 4 seconds.
 
Among the other notable UTA performances on Sunday:

• Running the 3000m for the first time, Marquentin Barnes led a trio of Mavs with a 4th-place finish (8:46.94), while Jack Myers (8:47.96) and Patrick Estes (8:48.76) both set PRs and placed 5th and 6th, respectively.
   
• Medric Roberson posted a 2nd-place finish in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.14 – the 5th-best time in the Sun Belt so far this year.
   
• Mathilde Ruud set a PR in the 800m, securing a time of 2:14.55 to finish 3rd in the event.
   
• Victor Bocanegra just missed a top-3 finish in the 800m, closing in 4th place (1:53.66).
   
• Randon Gray secured a 4th-place showing in the pole vault (16-01¾ / 4.92 m).

In addition to UTA and host South Alabama, the Mavs competed against the following field – which included five other Sun Belt members: Georgia State, Louisiana, ULM, Little Rock, Arkansas State, Stephen F. Austin, UAB, Alabama State, Samford, Southern Miss, Mississippi Valley State, Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky and Alabama Huntsville.
 
UTA was not originally scheduled to compete in the Jaguar Invite, but the event was added due to the Mavs now not participating in next weekend's Gorilla Classic hosted by Pittsburg State (Feb. 12-13).
 
The meet served as the final competitive tune-up for UTA heading into the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships – which will be contested at the same location, the Birmingham CrossPlex, Feb. 22-23.
 
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