Air Force Trio Awarded All-America Status
6/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
June 13, 2011
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Highlighted by a first-team honor for senior Justin Tyner, three members of the Air Force track and field team were awarded All-America distinction by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the USTFCCCA announced this afternoon (June 13).
Tyner claimed first-team honors following an eighth-place finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase finals on June 10. In addition, junior James Cole and senior Noah Palicia were awarded honorable mention All-America status. Cole placed 24th in the national finals of the discus throw on June 8, while Palicia competed on the first day of competition in the decathlon before being forced to withdraw with injury.
Tyner was one of seven men from the Mountain West to earn first-team distinction and one of 10 to place within the top 16 of their respective events. He is also the first Air Force track athlete to collect All-America honors at an outdoor championship meet since Shane Rogers placed 11th in the steeplechase at the 2001 NCAA Championships.
Cole is the first member of the Falcons' men's team to receive USTFCCCA recognition in the discus throw, although Olivia Korte (2006) and Sara Neubauer (2009, 2010) claimed All-America honors for the women's team in that event at the Division I level. Palicia joins Marcus Nichols (1996) as the only Falcons to earn All-America honors in the decathlon.
This season marked the first year that the USTFCCCA awarded three divisions of All-America honors. First-team USTFCCCA All-America honors were awarded to those who earn any portion of a team point at the national championships (first-eighth place). Second-team All-America honors are given to those who place from ninth to 16th at the national meet. In addition, those who participated at the championship meet site, but did not place within the top 16 are listed as honorable mention for the All-American award.
Players Mentioned
