June 6, 2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - UT Arlington senior Jon McDowell clocked a time of 13.60 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles semifinals to advance to Saturday's finals at the 86th NCAA Men's Track and Field Championship at Hornet Stadium Wednesday night.

McDowell, winner of the Southland Conference 110-meter hurdles the past two seasons and the runner-up at the NCAA Midwest Region, lowered his personal-best time for the fifth straight race dating back to the prelims of the SLC Championship when he ran a 13.79. McDowell advanced to the semifinals earlier in the day with a 13.67. His time is the seventh fastest entering Saturday's final, set for 12:51 p.m. (CT).

The time is the second fastest in school history. Sansiski Daniels holds the school record with a 13.47 in 1986.

The top eight Americans in each event earn all-American honors. McDowell will become the first Maverick male to earn all-American honors since Cornelius Cavitt finished fourth in the 200 meters in 1997. The last Mav to earn all-American honors was Ashely Dorsey in the women's shot put in 2002.

Earlier in the day, the 4x100-meter relay team of Jared Connaughton, Byron Majors, Coby Morrison and Jarid Vaughan missed the finals with a time of 40.12 to finish 10th in the prelims.

UT Arlington seniors Jared Connaughton and Coby Morrison will compete on Thursday. Connaughton will open the running events of the day with the men's 200-meter prelims. Morrison will run in the 400-meter hurdles Thursday afternoon.

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