Falcons Set to Host Air Force Team Challenge
2/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Meet Notes 05: Air Force Team Challenge 
The track and field team returns to the Academy this week, when it welcomes Grand Canyon, Long Beach State and Stephen F. Austin to the Cadet Field House for the sixth-annual Air Force Team Challenge. The meet is slated to begin with the field events at 4:00 p.m., while the running events get underway at 5:00 p.m.
MEET INFORMATION
The Air Force Team Challenge will be held at the Academy's Cadet Field House. A complete order of events is listed below. Live results will be available via GoAirForceFalcons.com (a direct link will be published on Friday), while in-meet updates will be posted on the Falcons' official Twitter account (@af_trackfield).
WHO'S WHO
Air Force, Grand Canyon, Long Beach State and Stephen F. Austin combined for eight team titles at their respective conference championship meets in 2016 (six men's titles, two women's titles). Air Force swept the men's indoor and outdoor team titles at the Mountain West Championships, while Grand Canyon registered a double sweep at the Western Athletic Conference meet, as the men and women won both the indoor and outdoor team titles. Long Beach State's men won the Big West outdoor title, while the SFA men picked up the outdoor title at the Southland Conference Championships.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
4:00 p.m.: Women's Weight Throw, followed by Men's Weight Throw, Women's Shot Put, Men's Shot Put; 4:00 p.m.: Women's Pole Vault, followed by Men's Pole Vault; 4:00 p.m.: Men's Long Jump, followed by Men's Triple Jump; 4:00 p.m.: Women's Long Jump, followed by Women's Triple Jump; 4:00 p.m.: Women's High Jump, followed by Men's High Jump; 5:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Hurdles (qualifying), followed by 60-Meter Dash (qualifying), Mile Run, 60-Meter Hurdles (finals), 400-Meter Dash, 60-Meter Dash (finals), 800-Meter Run, 200-Meter Dash, 3000-Meter Run, Mile Relay (women will compete first in all running events)
LOOKING AT THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE
Following their career-best performances at the Air Force Invitational, Shelley Spires and Kyle Pater are listed among the nation's top 10 in their respective events. Spires is ranked third in the NCAA high jump after posting a clearance of 6'1½" and Pater is listed sixth in the pole vault after recording a height of 18'0½". In addition, two others are ranked in the nation's top 25. Backed by her career-best clearance of 13'5¼" at the Air Force Holiday Open, Kathryn Tomczak is listed 19th in the pole vault, while Jamiel Trimble is listed 20th in the 400-meter dash following his debut of 47.08 at the New Mexico Invitational.
NOT TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT...
Shelley Spires was named the Mountain West Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week on Jan. 31 – marking the fourth time in as many weeks that the junior has nabbed the league's weekly honor. Spires won the award after capturing her fourth high jump title of the year at the New Mexico Team Invitational. The junior recorded a clearance of 5'10¾" to better the field of 12 by two inches. With that winning clearance, Spires holds the top four jumps in the conference this season.
WHAT'S ON DECK
Air Force will split up next weekend for three meets. Part of the squad will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 10-11, while members of the distance team will head to Seattle, Wash., for the Husky Classic. The remainder of the roster will stay in Colorado and compete at the Adams State Qualifier on Feb. 11 in Alamosa.
