Falcons Travel to CSU for Conference Championships
5/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
COMING UP: The Air Force track and field team takes on the conference's best this weekend (May 11-14) at the 2005 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, in Fort Collins, Colo. The heptathlon and decathlon will kick off the weekend at noon on Wednesday (May 11), while the first individual event will be the women's hammer throw at 10 a.m., on Friday, May 13.
BREAKING NEWS: The Air Force track and field team swept the Mountain West Conference's weekly awards. Senior Paul Gensic and sophomore Olivia Korte (were named the Mountain West Conference Track and Field Athletes of the Week, the conference office announced on May 10.
RECAPPING THE TWILIGHT MEET
Olivia Korte recorded a new Academy record in the discus, tossing a 170'6" to win the event. The mark (18 feet farther than the event's runner-up) displaces her previous standard of 166'6", set last year. In addition to throwing the second-best discus in the conference this season, Korte also recorded a career-best shot put mark of 45'3" - the second-best distance in Academy history.
The men's pole vault team had four athletes who recorded season and/or career-best marks. Paul Gensic topped out at a season-best 17'11 to win the meet, while Makisi Haleck cleared a career-best height of 17'7" to finish second. Christian Morgan and Jason Jones once more matched each other and their season-best marks; each clearing 16'6?".
Other First-Place Personal-Best Marks: With a time of 21.76, Nick Luina was the top collegiate finisher in the 200-meter dash, while Josh Van Wyngaarden won the 3000-meter run in 9:10.66 - a career-high by 40 seconds. Genelle Chapman won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.31, while Jami Hodge won the 100-meter dash in 12.27 - a time that is the third-best in Academy history and just .05 off of the record.
LAST YEAR AT THE MWC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Four conference champions were crowned as the Falcon men finished third and the women took seventh at the conference's outdoor meet in 2004. The men recorded a program-best 161.5 points, while the women earned 50 points.
Sean Temple led a 1-2-3 Air Force sweep of the 110-meter hurdles, posting a time of 14.21 to win the second outdoor title of his career. Jim Campbell finished second with a time of 14.33, while Luke Marker narrowly finished third with a time of 14.35.
Dana Pounds claimed her first javelin title, throwing a distance of 165'2". Dominating the event by nearly 20 feet, she was one of three Falcons to finish within the top four. Lacy DeWall finished second with a distance of 148'3", while Caitie Holliday placed fourth with a mark of 137'5".
Ben Payne won his third consecutive 10,000-meter run, with a MWC Championship record time of 30:01.96. His time just broke the previous conference meet record of 30:02.00.
With a distance of 23'5?", Anthony Park led a one-two Falcon sweep in the long jump. Chris Banks finished second in the event, posting a mark of 23'3?".
Paul Gensic finished second in the pole vault, with a career-best height of 17'9?" - one of three Falcons to finish within the top five. Makisi Haleck placed third with a height of 16'5?" and Jason Jones took fifth at 15'7?".
RETURNING CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: The Falcons bring three athletes to the field who have won Mountain West Conference championship titles during their career. Air Force has one defending champion in Dana Pounds, who won the javelin throw last season, but they also return the 2003 conference discus champion in Dominique Boivin and 2002 conference pole vault champion in Paul Gensic.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: sophomore Bryan Jones (May 17) ... junior Andrea Pinchak (May 19)
ON THE HORIZON: Several members of the team will head to Norman, Okla., for the 2005 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships on May 27-28, with hopes of advancing to the national meet in Sacramento, Calif. Currently, 15 members have qualified for the regional championships.
MEN'S NEWS AND NOTES
THE LEADERS AND BEST: Travis Picou currently leads the Mountain West Conference in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Picou clocked season-best times of 10.54 in the 100-meter dash and 21.07 in the 200-meter dash to claim the league's top spots. Matt Schwandt also leads the MWC; posting the top javelin throw at a distance of 214'6?".
SPEARING IT UP: In addition to Matt Schwandt's league-leading distance in the javelin, Air Force boasts the second and third-ranked athletes in the conference ... as well as four of the top-five. Brandon Murphy and Marcus Wells are ranked second (208'4?") and third (203'1"), respectively, while Brian Willis is ranked fifth with a toss of 193'6".
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: The javelin isn't the only event where the MWC rankings are a little Air Force top-heavy. The Falcons currently hold five of the top nine pole vault positions as well. Paul Gensic, who cleared a 17'11" at the Falcons' Twilight Meet, is ranked third, while Makisi Haleck is fifth at 17'7". Jason Jones and Christian Morgan have matching heights of 16'6?" to tie for seventh, while Trey Fryman is ninth with a vault of 16'0?". In addition, Gensic, Haleck, Jones and Morgan have all met NCAA Regional standards.
ANOTHER VAULT, ANOTHER WIN: At least one member of the USAFA pole vault team has been the top collegiate competitor during 14 of the last 17 weeks of the season. And in the three weeks that one of the Falcons didn't win the title, Paul Gensic finished within the top-three (second at the conference's indoor meet and third at the NCAA Championships) during two. Over the course of the season, Gensic has claimed six victories, while Haleck has four. Jason Jones and Trey Fryman have each won two, while Joel Nolan has one.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN(S): Four Falcons were selected as captains this season. Representing the men's team are Brian Dumm, Nathan Franz, Paul Gensic and Caleb Pelger.
WOMEN'S NEWS AND NOTES
POUNDS TAKES NCAA LEAD: On her final throw at the Mt. SAC Relays, Dana Pounds recorded a 188'8" to become the new NCAA leader in the javelin throw, while also recording the fourth-best distance ever in U.S. history. Four of Pounds' throws went for over 180'0", as she crushed her previous Academy and MWC records. She was the top collegiate finisher, placing second only to a Danish Olympian who holds the third-best throw in the world. In fact, Pounds bested the U.S. Olympian by 17 feet, while topping the next collegiate competitor by 31 feet with the 13th-best throw in the world.
SEPERATING HERSELF FROM THE PACK: Dana Pounds, who leads the nation in the javelin throw, tops anyone in the Mountain West Conference by nearly 40 feet! Pounds has sent the spear a record distance of 188'8", while the league's second-ranked athlete, New Mexico's Veronica Gonzales, has topped out at 150'6?".
FOUR FOR FOUR: By participating in the record-breaking distance medley relay at the Drake Relays, Cindy Dawson is now a member of the four fastest DMR teams in Academy history, while Jami Hodge is a member of the top three.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: As a member of the Academy's top shuttle hurdles relay team, Rachael McIntosh continues a family tradition. Her father, Dick McIntosh, was a member of the 1975 men's team that held the Academy's men's shuttle hurdles relay record for 29 years, until it was finally topped last season.
ENDING IT JUST LIKE SHE STARTED: At the season-opening All-Comers Meet, Korte tossed a 53'11?" in the weight throw to break her own program standard in that event. At the Falcons' final home meet of the season (the Ris Westen-Air Force Twilight Invitational), Korte topped her own Academy record in the discus, recording a mark of 170'6".
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN(S): Four Falcons were selected as captains this season. Representing the women's team are Dominique Boivin, Cindy Dawson, Rachael McIntosh and Dana Pounds.
BREAKING NEWS: The Air Force track and field team swept the Mountain West Conference's weekly awards. Senior Paul Gensic and sophomore Olivia Korte (were named the Mountain West Conference Track and Field Athletes of the Week, the conference office announced on May 10.
RECAPPING THE TWILIGHT MEET
Olivia Korte recorded a new Academy record in the discus, tossing a 170'6" to win the event. The mark (18 feet farther than the event's runner-up) displaces her previous standard of 166'6", set last year. In addition to throwing the second-best discus in the conference this season, Korte also recorded a career-best shot put mark of 45'3" - the second-best distance in Academy history.
The men's pole vault team had four athletes who recorded season and/or career-best marks. Paul Gensic topped out at a season-best 17'11 to win the meet, while Makisi Haleck cleared a career-best height of 17'7" to finish second. Christian Morgan and Jason Jones once more matched each other and their season-best marks; each clearing 16'6?".
Other First-Place Personal-Best Marks: With a time of 21.76, Nick Luina was the top collegiate finisher in the 200-meter dash, while Josh Van Wyngaarden won the 3000-meter run in 9:10.66 - a career-high by 40 seconds. Genelle Chapman won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.31, while Jami Hodge won the 100-meter dash in 12.27 - a time that is the third-best in Academy history and just .05 off of the record.
LAST YEAR AT THE MWC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Four conference champions were crowned as the Falcon men finished third and the women took seventh at the conference's outdoor meet in 2004. The men recorded a program-best 161.5 points, while the women earned 50 points.
Sean Temple led a 1-2-3 Air Force sweep of the 110-meter hurdles, posting a time of 14.21 to win the second outdoor title of his career. Jim Campbell finished second with a time of 14.33, while Luke Marker narrowly finished third with a time of 14.35.
Dana Pounds claimed her first javelin title, throwing a distance of 165'2". Dominating the event by nearly 20 feet, she was one of three Falcons to finish within the top four. Lacy DeWall finished second with a distance of 148'3", while Caitie Holliday placed fourth with a mark of 137'5".
Ben Payne won his third consecutive 10,000-meter run, with a MWC Championship record time of 30:01.96. His time just broke the previous conference meet record of 30:02.00.
With a distance of 23'5?", Anthony Park led a one-two Falcon sweep in the long jump. Chris Banks finished second in the event, posting a mark of 23'3?".
Paul Gensic finished second in the pole vault, with a career-best height of 17'9?" - one of three Falcons to finish within the top five. Makisi Haleck placed third with a height of 16'5?" and Jason Jones took fifth at 15'7?".
RETURNING CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: The Falcons bring three athletes to the field who have won Mountain West Conference championship titles during their career. Air Force has one defending champion in Dana Pounds, who won the javelin throw last season, but they also return the 2003 conference discus champion in Dominique Boivin and 2002 conference pole vault champion in Paul Gensic.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: sophomore Bryan Jones (May 17) ... junior Andrea Pinchak (May 19)
ON THE HORIZON: Several members of the team will head to Norman, Okla., for the 2005 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships on May 27-28, with hopes of advancing to the national meet in Sacramento, Calif. Currently, 15 members have qualified for the regional championships.
MEN'S NEWS AND NOTES
THE LEADERS AND BEST: Travis Picou currently leads the Mountain West Conference in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Picou clocked season-best times of 10.54 in the 100-meter dash and 21.07 in the 200-meter dash to claim the league's top spots. Matt Schwandt also leads the MWC; posting the top javelin throw at a distance of 214'6?".
SPEARING IT UP: In addition to Matt Schwandt's league-leading distance in the javelin, Air Force boasts the second and third-ranked athletes in the conference ... as well as four of the top-five. Brandon Murphy and Marcus Wells are ranked second (208'4?") and third (203'1"), respectively, while Brian Willis is ranked fifth with a toss of 193'6".
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: The javelin isn't the only event where the MWC rankings are a little Air Force top-heavy. The Falcons currently hold five of the top nine pole vault positions as well. Paul Gensic, who cleared a 17'11" at the Falcons' Twilight Meet, is ranked third, while Makisi Haleck is fifth at 17'7". Jason Jones and Christian Morgan have matching heights of 16'6?" to tie for seventh, while Trey Fryman is ninth with a vault of 16'0?". In addition, Gensic, Haleck, Jones and Morgan have all met NCAA Regional standards.
ANOTHER VAULT, ANOTHER WIN: At least one member of the USAFA pole vault team has been the top collegiate competitor during 14 of the last 17 weeks of the season. And in the three weeks that one of the Falcons didn't win the title, Paul Gensic finished within the top-three (second at the conference's indoor meet and third at the NCAA Championships) during two. Over the course of the season, Gensic has claimed six victories, while Haleck has four. Jason Jones and Trey Fryman have each won two, while Joel Nolan has one.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN(S): Four Falcons were selected as captains this season. Representing the men's team are Brian Dumm, Nathan Franz, Paul Gensic and Caleb Pelger.
WOMEN'S NEWS AND NOTES
POUNDS TAKES NCAA LEAD: On her final throw at the Mt. SAC Relays, Dana Pounds recorded a 188'8" to become the new NCAA leader in the javelin throw, while also recording the fourth-best distance ever in U.S. history. Four of Pounds' throws went for over 180'0", as she crushed her previous Academy and MWC records. She was the top collegiate finisher, placing second only to a Danish Olympian who holds the third-best throw in the world. In fact, Pounds bested the U.S. Olympian by 17 feet, while topping the next collegiate competitor by 31 feet with the 13th-best throw in the world.
SEPERATING HERSELF FROM THE PACK: Dana Pounds, who leads the nation in the javelin throw, tops anyone in the Mountain West Conference by nearly 40 feet! Pounds has sent the spear a record distance of 188'8", while the league's second-ranked athlete, New Mexico's Veronica Gonzales, has topped out at 150'6?".
FOUR FOR FOUR: By participating in the record-breaking distance medley relay at the Drake Relays, Cindy Dawson is now a member of the four fastest DMR teams in Academy history, while Jami Hodge is a member of the top three.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: As a member of the Academy's top shuttle hurdles relay team, Rachael McIntosh continues a family tradition. Her father, Dick McIntosh, was a member of the 1975 men's team that held the Academy's men's shuttle hurdles relay record for 29 years, until it was finally topped last season.
ENDING IT JUST LIKE SHE STARTED: At the season-opening All-Comers Meet, Korte tossed a 53'11?" in the weight throw to break her own program standard in that event. At the Falcons' final home meet of the season (the Ris Westen-Air Force Twilight Invitational), Korte topped her own Academy record in the discus, recording a mark of 170'6".
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN(S): Four Falcons were selected as captains this season. Representing the women's team are Dominique Boivin, Cindy Dawson, Rachael McIntosh and Dana Pounds.
Ryan Cole Interview - August 26th, 2025
Tuesday, August 26
Ryan Cole Interview - August 26, 2025
Tuesday, August 26
Ryan Cole Interview March 11, 2025
Tuesday, March 11
Ryan Cole Interview - March 11, 2025
Tuesday, March 11
