For Immediate Release: Saturday, April 5, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

MANLEY QUALIFIES AT TEXAS RELAYS, DMR POSTS SCHOOL RECORD

AUSTIN, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American’s track and field team has qualified a fourth student-athlete for the NCAA Regional Championships.

Sophomore Marlin Manley (Hampton, VA/Bethel HS) qualified when he finished second at in the high jump at the Texas Relays Saturday afternoon. Manley cleared 6-10 3/4, which allowed him to qualify for the regional meet at Nebraska May 30^th and 31^st. His mark was also a personal best. Manley and Michael McKinney of Southern actually tied for first at 6-10 ¾, but McKinney claimed the title due to less misses.

The men’s distance medley relay team finished eighth, and the women’s team finished 16^th. The men’s team of sophomore Francisco Bouret (Brownsville, TX/Pace HS), junior Hugo Cervantes (Weslaco, TX/Weslaco HS/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), freshman Aaron Castro (McAllen, TX/McAllen Memorial HS) and sophomore Westly Keating (Pharr, TX/PSJA North HS/Texas) finished eighth in 10:27. The time broke the existing UTPA school record.

The women’s team of freshman Margeaux McCarthy (Pharr, TX/PSJA North HS), freshman Deanah Chavez (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg HS), sophomore Rowena Hamlet Mississauga, ON/Lorne Park SS) and freshman Amy Torvik (Los Fresnos, TX/Los Fresnos HS) finished 16^th in 12:36.38.

“Marlin jumped very well today,” said UTPA Head Coach Ricky Vaughn. “It came down to less misses, but he had a good day. Our men’s DMR team ran a very solid race. Our women don’t have experience running the DMR, and we didn’t run that well. It was the first time we ran the DMR, and both teams will improve with experience. Overall, we had a good meet. We brought people we thought could finish in the top eight, and, for the most part, we did, so I’m very pleased with the way we did here.”

Texas-Pan American will return to action when they visit Stephen F. Austin next weekend.

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