Falcons Set to Host Air Force Relays
4/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
April 3, 2014
The Air Force track and field team opens the home portion of its outdoor season this weekend hosting the third-annual Air Force Relays on Friday and Saturday (April 4-5) at the Academy's Cadet Outdoor Track and Field Complex. In addition, members of the Falcons' middle distance and distance squads will travel to California over the weekend for the Stanford Invitational.
Meet Notes 13: Air Force Relays, at Stanford Invitational 
HOME MEET INFORMATION
The Air Force Relays, held at the Cadet Outdoor Track and Field Complex, will begin with the decathlon and heptathlon on Friday, April 4 (please note, the start of the multi-events has been pushed back a day from the original schedule due to a forecast of inclement weather). The multi-events will now begin at 11:00 a.m., on Friday and 10:00 a.m., on Saturday. The full team competition on Saturday, April 5, will also begin at 10:00 a.m. (a complete schedule is below). The hammer throw will take place in the Upper Field, while the rest of the events will be held within the main complex. Live results are not available for this meet, but updates will be made on the team's Twitter page (@af_trackfield).
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | AIR FORCE RELAYS
10:00 a.m.: Women's Hammer Throw, Men's Hammer Throw; 10:00 a.m.: Women's Pole Vault, Men's Pole Vault; 11:00 a.m.: Men's High Jump, Women's High Jump; 11:00 a.m.: Men's Long Jump, Women's Long Jump, Men's Triple Jump, Women's Triple Jump; 11:00 a.m.: Women's Shot Put, Men's Shot Put; 11:15 a.m.: Men's Discus Throw, Women's Discus Throw, Men's Javelin Throw, Women's Javelin Throw; 12:00 p.m.: 2000-Meter Steeplechase, 4x100-Meter Relay, 100-/110-Meter Hurdles, Distance Medley Relay, Sprint Medley Relay, 4x800-Meter Relay, 400-Meter Hurdles, 4x200-Meter Relay, 3000-Meter Run, 4x400-Meter Relay (women will compete first in all running events).
ROAD MEET INFORMATION
Air Force is sending 12 runners to the Stanford Invitational, which will take place at Cobb Track and Angell Field on Stanford's campus over the April 4-5 weekend. The meet, which will feature over 3,300 athletes from around the country, will have live results at www.rtspt.com and live video streaming via Flotrack.
A LOOK AT THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Two Falcons - Annette Eichenberger (seventh in the 800-meter run, 2:07.92) and Joey Uhle (10th in the pole vault, 17'6½") - are ranked among the nation's top 10 in their respective events, while another pair - Patrick Corona (17th in the 1500-meter run, 3:46.04) and Blue Kearney (19th in the long jump, 24'4½") are listed in the top 20.
KEARNEY CONTINUES TO SHINE
One week after becoming the first Falcon in over a decade to impact the top five of the men's long jump, Blue Kearney climbed from fourth to second following a career-best jump of 24'4½" at the Texas State Bobcat Invitational on March 29. By adding over a half-foot to his previous best, Kearney finished second at the meet and moved within a half-inch of the Academy's 11-year-old record.
FALCONS TAKE FOURTH AT AZTEC INVITATIONAL
Six Falcons traveled to San Diego State's Aztec Invitational on March 29 ... and combined to finish fourth in the overall Division I team standings at that meet. Kyle Gartrell (triple jump) and Dan Caddigan (5000-meter run) were the top DI finishers in their respective races, finishing second and third, respectively, in the overall standings, while Stone Shoaf (800-meter run) and Sean Bapty (3000-meter steeplechase) added a pair of second-place finishes. Kevin Mihalik and Jason Engel rounded out the Falcons' scorers in the Division I field, as they placed third and fourth, respectively, in the 1500-meter run.
POLE VAULT PAIR EARNS TOP-FIVE FINISHES AT TEXAS RELAYS
Joey Uhle cleared a season-best 17'6½" to tie for 15th in the "invitational" section of the pole vault at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 29 - just one day after Cort Rogers debuted in same placement of the "B" section with a mark of 16'6¾".
YOU LOOK FAMILIAR
Four sets of Falcons attended the same high schools prior to beginning their collegiate careers at Air Force. Besides the Perkins twins (Charlie and Zach), who both attended Alameda High School in Alameda, Calif., the Falcons roster boasts two Stevens High School graduates in juniors Riley Coates and Sierra Schepper (Rapid City, S.D.), two Ronald Reagan High School graduates in juniors Erica Carson and Morgan Malone (San Antonio, Texas) and two Episcopal High School graduates in senior Paige Shirley and freshman Emily Smithwick. In addition, Jalen Fooster and William Kent both competed for the Throw 1 Deep Track Club while growing up in Marietta, Ga.
FUN FACT
The Falcons' pole vault duo of Paige Shirley and Emily Smithwick accounted for three state titles in four years for Episcopal High School, as Shirley claimed back-to-back titles in 2009-10 and Smithwick won the state title in 2012.
WHAT'S ON DECK
For the second time in four weeks, Air Force travels to Arizona for competition. The Falcons, who opened the outdoor season in Tempe, travel to Tucson on Saturday, April 12, for the Jim Click Shootout.
