Falcons Split the Slate With A Pair Of Weekend Meets
9/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Sept. 28, 2004
The Air Force cross country season hits its stride this weekend, beginning a month-long stretch of competition that will conclude with the MWC championships. The Falcons open with a pair of competitions this weekend (Oct. 1-2). Part of the squad will travel to South Bend, Ind., to compete in the Notre Dame Invitational on Friday, while the rest of the team will participate in the annual Rocky Mountain Shootout on Saturday in Bolder.
Week Three Notes
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`RANK' YOU VERY MUCH
The Air Force men's cross country team is ranked 11th in the first national poll of the 2004 season, as determined by the United States Cross Country Coaches Association. With 241 points, the Falcons are just one point shy of cracking the top-10 (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo is currently ranked 10t, with 242 points). The men are also ranked third in the Mountain Region, behind Colorado (fifth, nationally) and BYU (ninth, nationally).
WENGEL NAMED MWC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Senior Abe Wengel was named the Mountain West Conference men's cross country athlete of the week, the league office announced on Sept. 22. Topping out 74 other runners, Wengel won the university division individual title at the Woody Greeno Invitational on Sept. 18. Finishing the 8K race with a season-best time of 25:25, Wengel led the Falcons to a sweep of the top seven individual spots and the team championship.
WOODY GREENO INVITATIONAL
After a week off from competition, the Falcons returned to action last weekend at the Woody Greeno Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. Taking eight of the top-10 spots for a team total of 15 points, the men's team easily won the invitational University Division title. In fact, the Falcons distanced themselves from runner-up Wichita State by 67 points! On the women's side, the Falcons finished fourth with 80 points. Air Force was just two points shy of third and just six points behind meet runner-up Wichita State.
THE LEADERS AND BEST
Freshman Kelly Robinson holds the fastest 6K time of the season in the Mountain West Conference. Leading five Falcons in the league's top-five, Robinson recorded a time of 23:14 at the Woody Greeno Invitational. Elizabeth Catherwood, Ashley Culp, Margaret Frash, Andrea Pinchak and Ashley Snyder round out the MWC top-five.
THE LEADERS AND BEST - PART II
Following his Woody Greeno Invitational winning time of 25:25, Abe Wengel currently has the second-fastest 8K time in the Mountain West Conference this season. He only trails New Mexico's Shadrack Biwott and Matt Gonzales, who both calculated times of 24:44 at the Lobo Invitational. In fact, Wengel leads a group of Falcons who hold four of the five fastest 8K times in the league. Nick Wilson, Mark Walter and Brian Dumm are ranked third through fifth in the MWC.
Players Mentioned
