Air Force Earns Program-Best Six All-America Awards
6/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
June 13, 2016
NEW ORLEANS – Backed by three First-Team selections, six members of the Air Force track and field team received All-America honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association this afternoon (June 13), as the USTFCCCA announced its list of Division I All-Americans.
The six selections are the most in program history, doubling the previous high of three (2009, 1996).
Seniors Hannah Everson, Dylan Bell and Patrick Corona capped their stellar collegiate careers with First-Team All-America honors, following top-eight performances at last week's national championship meet. Everson, the top American finisher in the 10,000-meter run, finished third overall with an Academy-record time of 32:47.25, becoming the program's first-ever All-American in that event. Bell, who garnered second-team honors last year in the pole vault, finished sixth this year with a clearance of 17'10½" to earn his first First-Team award – the program's first First-Teamer since 2012. Corona, who was a second-team selection at 3000 meters during the indoor season, broke his own Academy record in the 5000-meter run (13:31.66) to finish eighth and earn his first First-Team award. Corona is the first runner since 1996 to earn outdoor All-America honors in the 5000-meter run – and the third overall.
Junior Kyle Pater, classmate Matt Dorsey and sophomore Jamiel Trimble were all honored with Second-Team status. Pater claimed the first All-America award of his career – and the 10th by an Academy vaulter – when he finished 11th in the pole vault with a clearance of 17'4½". With a (then) career-best time of 3:42.16, Dorsey placed 10th in the semifinal round of the 1500-meter run to earn his first All-America accolade and mark the third time in four years that an Air Force runner has captured All-America honors in that event. Trimble also earned a 10th-place finish in the semifinal round, as he clocked a time of 13.75 to capture the program's first All-America accolade in the 110-meter hurdles.
Trimble also received Honorable Mention recognition in the 200-meter dash and as a member of the 4x100-meter relay with classmate Robbie Anderson, junior Zach Johnson and senior Gavin McHenry.
The USTFCCCA awarded more than 650 first- or second-team All-America honors from the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, while giving out another 300 Honorable Mention distinctions. Any athlete that claimed a scoring finish (a share of first through eighth) was awarded first-team status, while those placing ninth through 16th were named as second-team selections. Any athlete who participated in the championship meet, but did not finish within the top 16, were Honorable Mention.
Players Mentioned
