Air Force Wraps up Action at Spring Break Meets
3/31/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
March 31, 2014
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - With the Academy on spring break last week, several members of the Air Force track and field team traveled to various meets around the country, representing the Falcons from California to Ohio. Junior Blue Kearney highlighted the weekend by recording the second-best long jump distance in Academy history.
Competing at Texas State's Bobcat Invitational in San Marco, Kearney finished second in the long jump with a career-best distance of 24'4½". Kearney, who debuted on the program's top-10 list one week earlier, added a half-foot to his previous best to move into second on the Academy's all-time list - a mark that's just a half-inch shy of the program record.
Freshman Chandler Myers, who competed at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin on Friday, competed at the Bobcat Invitational on Saturday, clocking the team's fastest 200-meter time of the season to date (22.67).
A group of six traveled to San Diego State's Aztec Invitational, including five middle-distance and distance runners. Sophomore Dan Caddigan took third in the 5000-meter run with a time of 15:05.33, while classmates Sean Bapty finished fourth in the 3000-meter steeplechase (9:43.47) and fellow sophomore Stone Shoaf took fifth in the 800-meter run (1:56.17). Sophomore Kevin Mihalik and freshman Jason Engel rounded out the Falcons' competition on the track, as they finished 13th (3:56.17) and 14th (3:56.98), respectively, in the 1500-meter run. As the lone field event athlete at San Diego State, junior Kyle Gartrell accounted for the Falcons' top finish, as he finished second in the triple jump with a 46'10".
Air Force also had a pair of throwers compete at the Vanderbilt Black and Gold Invitational in Nashville. Senior William Kent placed fourth among collegiate throwers (fifth overall) in the hammer throw (175'2"), junior Danielle Tabb finished fifth in the collegiate shot put field (sixth overall) with a toss of 47'5¾".
Sophomore Joey Wilkin competed at the UC Oliver Nikoloff Invitational in Cincinnati, finishing 10th in the 110-meter hurdles (15.44) and clocking a 64.52 in the 400-meter hurdles, while classmate Kegan Garnett took third in the triple jump (43'6") and recorded a distance of 19'7¾" in the long jump at the Utah Valley Collegiate Invitational in Orem.
The Falcons open their home slate at the Cadet Outdoor Track and Field Complex this week, hosting the Air Force Relays. The three-day meet, which includes a decathlon and heptathlon competition, begins on Thursday, April 3, at 11 a.m.
