June 5, 2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - UT Arlington seniors Coby Morrison and Jon McDowell have cleared numerous hurdles during their collegiate career.

They have one hurdle left to clear, figuratively speaking.

Both will lead a contingent of Mavericks who will compete at the 86th Annual NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championship, June 6-9, at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex.

Prelims begin Wednesday with the finals slated for Saturday.

McDowell, who transferred to UTA after his freshman season at Mississippi State, earned a trip to nationals after a second-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA Midwest regional in Des Moines, Iowa, May 27. His time of 13.69 seconds ranks second all-time at UT Arlington and is the eighth fastest qualifying time entering the championship.

Morrison began his career as a walk-on from Wichita Falls (Texas) Rider High School. He emerged as the most versatile athlete on the roster, qualifying for the regional in four events, including the 400-meter hurdles. He received an at-large bid in the 400-meter hurdles after running a time of 51.18. He will run against LSU's Isa Phillips who posted the second fastest time of 49.54 in Heat 3 of the prelims.

Senior Jared Connaughton, the two-time Southland Conference 200-meter champion, advanced to Sacramento with a fifth-place finish at the Midwest Region. His career-best time of 20.59 is the eighth fastest time posted.

The 4x100-meter relay placed second at the Midwest Regional with a time of 39.65 seconds. Connaughton, Byron Majors, Morrison and Jarid Vaughan will run in the prelims on Wednesday at 5:20 p.m. (CT).

McDowell will compete Wednesday at 7:20 p.m. in the prelims. The semifinals are scheduled for a 9:10 p.m. start.

On Thursday, Connaughton's prelim heat begins at approximately 5:30 p.m. and Morrison will run at 6:10 p.m.

The men's top performance at the national meet was 14 points scored in 1996. UTA's men last scored at the nationals in 2000 when the 400-meter relay team of Elston Cawley, Andra Fifer, Zach Wood and Andre Horn placed eighth.

- utamavs.com -