Falcons Set to Host 19th Annual Air Force Invitational
2/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Feb. 11, 2009
The Air Force track and field team returns to the Academy this weekend to host its largest regular season meet of the year. The 19th annual Air Force Invitational will be held on Friday-Saturday (Feb. 13-14) at the Cadet Field House. The two-day meet, which will feature 16 different schools, begins at 2 p.m., on Friday, Feb. 13.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday's action begins at 2 p.m., with the men's weight throw and non-seeded pole vault. The shotgun for the first track event, the qualifying rounds of the 400-meter dash, is slated for 2:30 p.m. Saturday's action begins at 9:30 a.m., with the men's and women's long jump. The finals of the women's 5000-meter run will commence at 10 a.m.
LINE THEM UP
The Air Force Invitational will feature eight NCAA Division I schools (Air Force, BYU, Colorado, Colorado State, Northern Colorado, Utah State, Wichita State and Wyoming) and seven NCAA Division II programs (Abilene Christian, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State-Pueblo, Mesa State, New Mexico-Highlands, Regis and Colorado-Colorado Springs), as well as runners from Colby Community College.
HISTORY 101
The Air Force Invitational began in 1991. The Air Force men won the team title in 1995 and repeated the honor in 2007. Four different programs have won the men's titles, highlighted by Colorado State's nine championships. The Rams have also dominated the women's team standings, claiming 11 of the last 12 team titles. The last time an Air Force Invitational record was broken was during the 2007 meet, when Wichita State's Stephanie Miller recorded a distance of 40'2¾" in the triple jump.
PROVISIONALLY SPEAKING
Two Falcons tallied NCAA Provisional Marks this past weekend at Notre Dames' Meyo Invitational. Sean Houseworth clocked a time of 14:00.47 in the 5000-meter run, while junior Sara Neubauer tossed a 49'11¼" in the shot put. The duo joined junior Melissa Beerse (pole vault) as athletes who have met the NCAA Provisional Qualifying Mark in their respective events.
WELL DONE, WALMSLEY
Freshman James Walmsley placed 19th at the USA Cross Country Championships (Junior Division) on Feb. 7. Walmsley clocked a career-best 8000-meter time of 25:36 to finish within the top third of the 67-runner field.
FIRST UP
Sara Neubauer recorded a season-best, Junior Class distance to win the shot put at the Notre Dame Meyo Invitational on Feb. 7. Tossing a distance of 49'11¼", Neubauer bettered the other 28 competitors by nearly two feet. Her winning shot came during her first attempt.
QUICK ON HIS FEET
Sean Houseworth clocked a time of 14:00.47 to place second in the 5000-meter run at the Meyo Invitational. With his season-best time, Houseworth finished only behind Patrick Smyth, a four-time All-American from Notre Dame who was competing on his home track. The duo, which finished just 0.40 seconds apart, distanced themselves from the other 34 runners by nine seconds.
SO CLOSE
Both Sean Houseworth and Sara Neubauer nearly topped the Academy records that they already hold at the Meyo Invitational. Houseworth's time of 14:00.47 is just shy of the program standard (13:59.28) that he set last year, while Neubauer's distance of 49'11¼" is just short of her Academy record of 50'2".
CURRY AND CASTLE
Senior Kellen Curry updated the Academy records in a pair of events at Notre Dame. Crossing the finish line of the 60-meter hurdles in 8.00, Curry matched the eighth-fastest time in Academy history. In addition, he moved into 10th on the 200-meter dash list with a time of 22.04. Classmate Daniel Castle entered the record book of the mile with a time of 4:08.30, the 10th-fastest time ever.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Junior Becca Burditt joined classmates Jessica Mapes and Danielle McCarty, as well as freshman Margaret Weingart to record the program's seventh-fastest time in the 4x400-meter relay at 3:57.53. Burditt also moved into eighth-place on the program's all-time list in the 800-meter run after clocking a time of 2:16.25. With a time of 17:51.21, sophomore Katherine Ward clocked the seventh-best time in Academy history in the 5000-meter run.
WHAT'S ON DECK
Air Force will travel to Laramie, Wyo., for the annual Robert Shine Invitational on Friday, Feb. 20. The meet will be the Falcons' final tune-up for the Mountain West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held Feb. 26-28 at the Academy.
Air Force Invitational Information (schedule of events, meet records, etc.) 
