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May 3, 2007

Track

Team prepares for SLC finale

With several athletes already qualified for NCAA regionals, UTA concentrates on conference.

Story by: Caleb Gremmer

The Shorthorn sports editor

The Shorthorn: Dominic Bracco

Shay Collett practices pole vaulting at Maverick Stadium Wednesday.

The men and women’s track teams complete their outdoor seasons this weekend in Nacogdoches at the Southland Conference Championships.

Events begin Friday morning, but the bulk of the competition will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

Head coach John Sauerhage said he expects a quality performance out of his team, especially on the men’s side where he believes the winner will come from UTA, UT-San Antonio or Stephen F. Austin State.

“It will be a nail-biter,” he said. “If we can perform up to our ability level, or beyond in some cases, then we should end up winning the championship.”

On the women’s side, Sauerhage said the squad was highly talented and well-prepared, but will suffer from being shorthanded. As a team, the women lack competitors to fill each event, which leaves them unable to contend for points alongside the other teams will.

“Track is a numbers game and we are outnumbered,” Sauerhage said. “The people we have are talented, we just don’t have enough of them.”

The meet will be a final attempt for the athletes to qualify individually for the NCAA Regional Meet on May 25-26. Both teams have qualified many athletes to compete at the event. Athletes at the regional meets will compete for a chance to qualify for the NCAA championships.

Accolades on the men’s side are led by Coby Morrison, who has already qualified individually for the 100-meters, 200-meters and the 400-meter hurdle. He also qualified as a part of the 4x100-meter relay team along with Jared Connaughton, Byron Majors, and Jarid Vaughan. Connaughton also qualified in the 100-meters and 200-meters.

Sprinter Eddy Beckwith, hurdlers Jon McDowell, Tim Thompson, pole-vaulter Shay Collett, triple-jumper Andrew Duncan and the 4x400-meter relay team of Vaughn, Majors, Beckwith and Curtis Hoyle have all earned bids to the NCAA Regional Meet.

Runners Kourtnee Jones, Ivorita Taylor, high jumper Stacey Bennett and pole vaulter Vanessa Maida have qualified on the women’s side.

“Moving on to the regional meet is just another goal but our number on thing right now is to win conference,” Collett said. “After that, it is just fun and games.”