Saturday Update: Domangue will now run at 4:10 PM; West will compete at 6:30 PM.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Bryson DeBerry broke a 20-year UT Arlington record in the men's high jump to highlight a weather-impacted day three of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field West Preliminary from Texas A&M's E.B. Cushing Stadium.
 
A senior, DeBerry became the second Maverick this week to qualify for the NCAA Championships next month when he cleared a program-best 2.19m (7-02¼) bar to automatically advance.
 
He was one of two Mavs scheduled to compete on Friday as Justin Domangue was slated to race in the men's 3000m steeplechase. However, just as running events were about to commence at 5:30 p.m., a weather system of rain and lightning resulted in a three-hour delay before officials made the decision to push all of those races to Saturday. Domangue is now scheduled to race on Saturday.
 
DeBerry – the 2021 Sun Belt Conference silver medalist – cleared bars of 2.01m (6-07), 2.06m (6-09) and 2.11m (6-11) all on his first attempts. The next bar was moved to 2.16m (7-01) – a height DeBerry had never cleared outdoors. He failed on his first two attempts, but on his third, and final, effort to set a then-personal record and tie for the then-3rd-best clearance in program history he did just that.
 
By clearing that bar, he also kept his national championship aspirations alive as he would not have advanced otherwise.
 
However, those record-setting marks were extremely short-lived. DeBerry established the all-time Maverick outdoor mark on his first try at the 7-02¼ bar, and in the process punched his ticket to nationals with a top-12 finish in the 48-person field. The previous program record was held by Ryan Chambers, who cleared 2.18m (7-01¾) in 2001.
 
The Plainview, Texas, native's previous career best in the outdoor was 2.13m (6-11¾); however, he set the indoor program record this winter as well at 2.21m (7-03). The two-time defending Sun Belt Conference Indoor High Jump Champion finished in the top-8 nationally at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in February.
 
"Bryson was so cool, calm and collected, especially on that important 7-01 bar. We (coaches) weren't quite as calm," joked UTA head coach John Sauerhage. "It's great to have another Mav qualify for nationals, and I'm so proud of Bryson for now holding both the outdoor and indoor program records."
 
The NCAA prelims feature the top-48 declared athletes in their event(s) in the West and East regions (East is also taking place this week in Jacksonville, Fla.). The top-12 finalists from each region advance to the national championships to comprise the 24-person fields.
 
DeBerry is the aforementioned second UTA member this week at the West Prelims to punch his ticket to nationals. On Wednesday, Arthur Petersen finished 9th in the javelin thanks to a throw of 66.20m (217-02) to automatically qualify into the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 9-12.
 
On Saturday – in addition to Domangue – Shelby West will look to advance to the NCAA Championships in the women's 400m hurdles. The regional final – which ultimately is an NCAA quarterfinal race – is set for 7:55 p.m. West needs to finish in the top 12 in order to advance to the NCAA Championships.
 
After posting the 3rd-best time in program history in the event on Thursday night (59.26), West will be in the second of three heats of eight competitors each. The top-3 finishers in each heat, plus the next three-best times will advance to Eugene.
 
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