Air Force Academy
MWC Championships
Justin Tyner Wins MWC Title in 5000-Meter Run
2/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Feb. 25, 2011
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Highlighted by three of the top four spots in the men's 5000-meter run and two of the top three places in the heptathlon, the Air Force track and field team wrapped up an impressive day of action at the 2011 Mountain West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, Feb. 25, in Albuquerque, N.M. Senior Justin Tyner earned the first conference title of 2011, winning the 5000-meter run.
Tyner set a new Mountain West Conference Championship Meet Record, as well as an Albuquerque Convention Center Record, in the 5000-meter run, as he crossed the finish line in 14:13.33 to win his first conference title at that distance. It is the second straight year that Tyner has earned all-conference honors in the 5000, as he placed second last year.
The senior was one of three Falcons to finish within the top four, as Air Force dominated the top of the medal podium. Junior Jim Walmsley clocked a time of 14:18.93, while sophomore Jeremy Drenckhahn placed fourth in 14:24.59. It is just the third time in indoor conference history that one school has accounted for three of the top four spots.
The complete 5000-meter race can be seen below.
Air Force also claimed two of the top three spots in the heptathlon, as senior Noah Palicia and sophomore Michael Tibbs finished second and third, respectively. Both athletes posted personal-best scores, as Palicia improved his score to 5532 points and Tibbs recorded a Sophomore Class Record 5014 points.
Palicia won the final two events to move from sixth to second, taking first in the pole vault (16'6¾") and 1000-meter run (2:44.81). The senior also finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.54 - a mark just 0.01 off of a personal best - en route to the second-best total in Academy history.
Tibbs, who entered the day in fifth place, used a career-best time of 2:55.05 in the 1000-meter run to secure third place in the heptathlon standings. He also earned a fifth-place score in the 60-meter hurdles (career-best 8.60) and a seventh-place mark in the pole vault (13'11¼"). Tibbs, who moved up to up to sixth on the program's all-time list, bettered his score by over 150 points to set the program's Sophomore Class Record.
Air Force also accounted for three scoring finishes in the high jump, backed by a fourth-place clearance of 6'6¼" from freshman Tyler Jordan. Sophomores Travis Smith and Zach Wood finished seventh and eighth, respectively, with matching marks of 6'4¼".
The distance medley relay team of Tyler Stanley, Cory Engel, Blair O'Bryant and Ted Artz clocked a time of 10:00.99 to finish fourth - just 0.003 out of third. Air Force also earned a fifth-place finish in the men's hammer throw from junior Robert Drye, who recorded a distance of 60'7½".
On the women's side, junior Tawny Lambuth posted a career-best 12'10¼" to tie for fifth in the pole vault. The mark, a personal improvement by five inches, is tied for the third-best throw in Academy history.
Senior Katherine Ward earned a scoring finish for the Falcons in the 5000-meter run, crossing the finish line in a time of 17:39.49 to take eighth. The Falcons also received an eighth-place score in the weight throw, as junior Paige Blackburn recorded a career-best throw of 56'1¾" - the third-best throw in Academy history. The distance medley relay team of junior Katie Carroll, classmate Emily Cotharn, freshman Stephaney Saari and sophomore Melissa Fuerst also picked up an eighth-place finish behind a season-best time of 12:23.70.
Several qualifying heats were contest today. On the men's side, senior Chris Severino and junior Manny Smith advanced to the finals in the 400-meter dash, as Severino clocked a time of 47.98 and Smith finished in 49.02. Junior Bryce Bergman advanced in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.20, while Anthony Delgado moved to the finals in the 200-meter dash behind a time of 21.80.
On the women's side, sophomore Morgan Mosby qualified to the finals of the 800-meter run with a time of 2:11.35.
After six scored events, the men stand in second place with 53 points. BYU currently leads the field with 66 points, while Wyoming and New Mexico are standing in third- (37) and fourth-place (34), respectively, while Colorado State (27) and TCU (13) round out the field. The women hold 7.5 points to stand in ninth after the first day. BYU also leads the women's side with 66 points, while New Mexico and Utah are ranked second (35) and third (27), respectively. San Diego State (24.5), TCU (21), UNLV (20), Wyoming (18) and Colorado State (15) are all standing less than 10 points apart.
The conference championships conclude tomorrow (Feb. 26) at the Albuquerque Convention Center, beginning at 9:45 a.m., with the men's shot put. Track events begin at 10:45 a.m., with the women's 60-meter hurdles.
Players Mentioned
