Air Force Academy
Rob Upton Invitational
Melissa Beerse Sets Academy Pole Vault Record
3/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
March 24, 2007
Beerse won the event after clearing a height of 12'6¼". That mark, which was over a foot better than the rest of the field, broke Ana Maria Ortega's 2001 record of 12'0½". The mark was also a new Freshman Class record, breaking the previous mark of 12'4¼" that Beerse set while setting the Academy's indoor record back in January.
Beerse wasn't the only women's pole vaulter to impact the record book today. With a new Sophomore Class record, Michelle Fryling cleared 11'3¾" to finish second in the event. Air Force also earned points from senior Becky Stone, who finished fifth (9'10") and freshman Jessica Schafer, who placed eighth (8'10¼").
Overall, the Falcons collected a pair of second-place team finishes in the 13-team meet. The men tallied 88.50 points, while the women accounted for 88.33 points.
Freshman Sara Neubauer finished second in the shot put with a throw of 42'5½", which is fifth on the Academy's all-time list. She also picked up a fourth-place score in the discus throw behind a mark of 131'7".
Fellow freshman Katie Weber threw a 136'5" in the javelin to take third, while sophomore Yvonne Johnston recorded 123'11" to place fourth. Weber's first collegiate throw was the sixth-best throw in Academy history.
Air Force also received a pair of scores in the 400-meter dash and long jump. Junior Kelly Robinson clocked 1:00.88 in the 400-meter event to take fourth, while freshman Rebecca Burditt crossed the finish line in a sixth-place time of 1:02.88. Senior Casey Johnson placed third in the long jump with a distance of 16'0½", while junior Deb Durey went 15'2" to take fifth.
Senior Dierra
On the men's side, freshman Nick Frawley was the top Air Force scorer, as he placed second in the pole vault with a height of 15'11". That was the best mark by any collegiate competitor. He was one of two Falcons to finish within scoring range, as classmate Marshall Wills took sixth with a mark of 13'5 ¼"
The Falcons also received multiple points from athletes in five other events.
Junior John Payne finished second in the 400-meter hurdles (54.89), while sophomore Aaron Nelson took fifth (56.21). Fellow sophomore Sebastian Ortiz earned a runner-up finish in the 800-meter run (1:56.31), while classmate Matt Williams clocked 1:59.18 to take sixth.
Sophomores Justin Mason and Parker Cowles finished third (10:02.34) and sixth (10:40.71), respectively, in the 3000-meter steeplechase, while junior Kenny Grosselin and freshman Ryan Workman tallied times of 15:29.30 (fourth) and 16:04.37 (fifth) in the 5000-meter run. Senior Brian Walsh (15.93-seventh) and sophomore Kellen Curry (16.05-eighth) rounded out the Falcons' multiple scorers in the 110-meter hurdles.
The men's 4x100-meter relay team clocked 41.17 to take second, while junior Kyle Meakins crossed the finish line of the 200-meter dash in 22.80 to take third. Freshman Thomas Bernard threw 155'11" in the javelin to take third in his collegiate debut.
In addition to his seventh-place time in the 110-meter hurdles, Walsh also accounted for a fourth-place score in the high jump, as he cleared 5'10¾". Juniors Kevin Hawkins and Devin Hart each earned a fifth-place finish in their respective events. Hawkins crossed the finish line of the 400-meter dash in 49.08, while Hart recorded a distance of 20'7¾" in the long jump.
Freshman Dan Paladino rounded out the Falcons' scorers with an eighth-place finish in the hammer throw. Recording a distance of 175'9", Paladino set a new Freshman Class record, in addition to tallying the 10th-best mark in Academy history.
The Falcons return to action on Saturday, March 31, when they travel to
Players Mentioned
