Air Force Concludes Action at Rocky Mountain Classic

Feb. 20, 2015

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Three sophomores made improvements to the Academy's all-time list this evening (Feb. 20), as members of the Air Force track and field team wrapped up competition at the Rocky Mountain Classic in Laramie, Wyo. Highlighting the night was the second-best men's shot put and third-best women's pole vault marks in Academy history.

Sophomore Darby Maier recorded the second-best shot put distance in Academy history (58'9½") and debuted in ninth on the all-time weight throw list (57'4¼"), while classmate Zoe Casteel became just the third vaulter in Air Force women's history to clear the 13-foot bar during indoor season (13'1½"). Fellow sophomore Cydnee Reese debuted on the program's all-time list in the weight throw, after recording a career-best distance of 52'8¼".

Casteel's winning clearance, which is ranked third on the program's all-time list, paced the Falcons to four of the top-five finishes in that event. Classmate Emily Smithwick added over a foot to her personal best to take second at 12'1½", while freshman Hannah Durbin finished third with a clearance of 11'5¾". Junior Riley Vann rounded out the Falcons' top-five finishers on the pole vault, as she posted a matching clearance of 11'5¾" to finish fifth based on attempts.

The career-best distance by Maier helped Air Force to a one-two finish in the shot put, as junior Grant Hamilton won the event with a throw of 59'0" - a mark just shy of his current Academy record.

Air Force swept the pole vault titles, as sophomore Kyle Pater led the men to three of the top-four placements. Pater won the event with a height of 16'8¾", while classmate Tyler Ginger and freshman Tyler Berson finished second (15'9") and fourth (career-best 13'3½"), respectively.

Freshman John Reynolds rounded out the Falcons' contingent of first-place finishers, as he won the triple jump with a mark of 48'2¾". Air Force picked up two of the top-three spots in that event, as senior Kyle Gartrell finished third with a distance of 46'1¼". Gartrell also earned a top-three finish in the long jump, as he finished second with a season-best mark of 22'2¼".

The Falcons claimed two top-five finishes in the women's shot put, as senior Danielle Tabb and junior Katelyn Holland finished third (45'0½") and fifth (43'8½"), respectively. Senior Evan McDowell placed third in the high jump (5'10¾"), while junior Spencer Baldwin and freshman Funmi Akinlosotu claimed fourth-place finishes in the men's weight throw (58'6¾") and women's triple jump (34'2¾"), respectively.

The Falcons claimed runner-up finishes in three of the four running events they competed in. Senior Morgan Malone and sophomore Chandler Myers took second in their respective races in the 55-meter dash, with Morgan clocking a 7.29 in the women's race and Myers finishing the men's race in 6.52. Freshman Jamiel Trimble clocked a time of 7.58 to take second in the men's 55-meter hurdles.

Freshman Cody Ray also competed in the 55-meter dash, finishing fourth with a debut time of 6.64, while sophomore Alexa Chacon placed third in the 55-meter hurdles behind a time of 8.45.

Air Force returns to action next weekend, when it travels to Albuquerque, N.M., for the 2015 Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Championships. The three-day event, which will be held at the ABQ Convention Center, begins on Thursday, Feb. 26, and continues through Saturday, Feb. 28.

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