Air Force Academy
MWC Championships
Sara Neubauer Wins MWC Weight Throw Title
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Feb. 26, 2010
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Senior Sara Neubauer earned her first Mountain West Conference title this afternoon, as the Air Force track and field team concluded the second day of action at the conference championships in Albuquerque, N.M. The Falcons earned three additional all-conference citations, while two Academy records were set or matched.
Neubauer recorded a distance of 60'2" to defeat the field by nearly a foot. She becomes the Falcons' first female conference champion since Ana-Maria Ortega won the pole vault at the 2001 championship meet. Neubauer, the first-ever conference champion in the weight throw (male or female, WAC or MWC), won the weight throw for the seventh time this season.
Junior Justin Tyner earned all-conference accolades in the 5000-meter run, as he crossed the finish line in an altitude converted time of 13:52.26 to take second. The time is well below the Academy record of 13:59.28 that former Falcon Sean Houseworth set in 2008. It is a personal-best time for Tyner and another NCAA provisional qualifying time.
Freshman Zach Wood claimed runner-up honors in the high jump, backed by a career-best clearance of 6'9". That clearance surpassed his previous best by three inches. Air Force earned additional points from fellow freshman Travis Smith, who placed fifth with a height of 6'6".
Air Force also earned all-conference honors in the distance medley relay, as senior Zach Nordahl, classmate Bryant Davis, junior Tyler Stanley and sophomore James Walmsley teamed up for a time of 10:05.76.
Sophomore Kimber Shealy cleared 12'9½" in the pole vault to place fourth, while classmate Tawny Lambuth recorded a height of 12'5½" to place eighth. Sophomore Robert Drye collected points for the Air Force men in the weight throw, as he placed fourth with a toss of 59'11¼".
Three members of the heptathlon wrapped up competition today, with freshman Michael Tibbs tying for fifth with a total of 4621. During the final day of action, Tibbs clocked a time of 8.86 in the 60-meter hurdles, cleared a career-best 14'7¼" in the pole vault and crossed the finish line of the 1000-meter run in a time of 3:10.85.
Classmate Blair O'Bryant placed ninth in the multi-event competition with a career-best total of 4377 points. O'Bryant's day was highlighted by a winning time of 2:44.30 in the 1000-meter race. He also recorded a personal-best time of 9.18 in the 60-meter hurdles and a clearance of 13'7¼" in the pole vault. Sophomore Jacob Ringrose placed 11th with 4159 points, behind marks of 9.05 in the 60-meter hurdles, 13'11¼" in the pole vault and 3:03.77 in the 1000-meter run.
Several qualifying events were also contested today.
Senior Ally Romanko and freshman Morgan Mosby both qualified to the finals of the 800-meter run. Romanko clocked a time of 2:12.65, while Mosby advanced with a time of 2:17.42. The Falcons also advanced both runners in the men's 800, as sophomore Nick White and junior Tyler Stanley recorded respective times of 1:55.40 and 1:56.59.
Freshman Uzor Udensi advanced to his first conference final, after clocking a time of 21.79 in the 200-meter dash. Classmate Justin Manchester also qualified for his first championship final, with a time of 49.19 in the 400-meter dash.
Although she didn't qualify for tomorrow's finals, junior Cresha White matched the Academy record in the 60-meter dash. Crossing the finish line in a career-best 7.68, White equaled the time that had been set in 1979 by Jeri Nelson and matched by Apryl Ford in 1981. White also recorded a personal-best time of 25.54 in the qualifying heat of the 200-meter dash and moved into a tie for third on the Academy's all-time list in the long jump with a distance of 18'5".
The Falcons conclude action at the Mountain West Conference Championships tomorrow (Feb. 27). Action begins at the Albuquerque Convention Center at 9:45 a.m., with the men's shot put and women's triple jump. Running event get underway one hour later with the women's 60-meter hurdles.
Players Mentioned
