June 1, 2006

Arlington, TX (CSTV U-WIRE) -- Junior Jared Connaughton qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif., after finishing third in the 200-meter dash.

Connaughton ran a time of 21.67 seconds, behind UT-El Paso's Churandy Matina (20.54) and Houston's Carey LaCour (20.61). He advanced to the finals with a time of 20.70 in Friday's heat.

"In the final, I ran the corner harder than I usually do, so with about 50 meters remaining I was almost in shock to find myself in the lead," Connaughton said. "I faded a little in the last 20 meters, but to finish third overall is a great accomplishment and gives me great confidence leading into the NCAAs."

Connaughton, the Southland Conference Outdoor Champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, qualified in both events, but he said running in one event allows him to execute properly and stay focused.

Two other Mavericks athletes must wait to see if their performance this weekend earned them a spot in the national championships. Junior sprinter Kourtnee Jones, the lone Mavericks woman athlete to compete in the finals Saturday, advanced to the finals with a time of 11.48 seconds in the 100 meters. She came up short in the final, finishing seventh with a time of 11.71. She will wait to see if she receives an at-large bid to Sacramento.

Junior Jon McDowell ran a personal best of 14.19 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, but it wasn't enough to advance to the finals. McDowell, like Jones, will await an at-large bid to nationals.

Senior pole vaulter Shay Collett, who set a new UTA record earlier this year, placed seventh with a vault of 5.41 meters and failed to reach the finals.

Junior Coby Morrison failed to qualify for the finals as he ran 54.14 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles.

The men's and women's 4 X 100 meter relay teams struggled early in their exchanges and failed to make the finals. The women, led by Kim Hargers, Chelsea Huddleston, Jones and Ellen Garrison, ran a combined time of 45.97 seconds, while the men's team of McDowell, Morrison, Byron Majors and Connaughton ran 40.63 seconds.

Jones finished the season with two personal bests in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash, while Garrison set a new personal best in the 100 meters.

"I'm proud of all my teammates," Connaughton said. "Everyone executed excellently and that is what it takes to get to the next level."

(C) 2006 The Shorthorn via CSTV U-WIRE