Falcons Advance Two to NCAA Championships on Friday

May 26, 2017

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Air Force track and field team claimed two more bids into next month's NCAA Outdoor Championships on Friday, May 26, as junior Shelley Spires (high jump) and sophomore Sedacy Walden (400-meter dash) finished within the top 12 of their respective events on the second day of action at the West Preliminary Meet in Austin, Texas.

Spires earned her first bid to the NCAA Outdoor finals in the high jump after tying for first during today's competition. Spires, who passed on the first two bars, entered the competition at 5'8½" and easily cleared that bar on her first attempt. The junior also bettered the 5'10½" bar on her first try and, as one of just four jumpers with a perfect sheet on first-attempt clearances, easily advanced to the finals in Eugene, as preliminary competition stopped once the 12 finalists have been determined.

Walden, the reigning Mountain West champion at 400 meters, punched his ticket to Historic Hayward Field in that event, after posting a career-best time of 45.81. Walden, running in the first of three heats that would determine the final West lineup in Eugene, became just the second Air Force runner to break the 46-second mark and improved his No. 2 standing on the program's all-time list. Finishing fifth in the first quarterfinal heat, Walden had to wait for the remaining two heats to see if he would advance on time. At the conclusion of the final heat, Walden had the third-fastest qualifying time to finish 12th overall and earn his first trip to the final site of the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

In the only round of the 3000-meter steeplechase to be contested this weekend in Austin, junior Andrew Milliron posted a time of 9:12.54 to finish eighth in his heat and 22nd in the full 48-runner quarterfinal.

The Falcons also competed in two first-round events today, earning three bids into tomorrow's quarterfinal races. Junior Jamiel Trimble advanced in a pair of races, after earning an automatic qualifying finish in the 110-meter hurdles (13.92) and 200-meter dash (20.73). Trimble, who finished third in his opening-round heats to claim an "AQ" finish, was one of two Falcons to advance to the quarterfinals in the 110-meter hurdles, as sophomore Micah Fontaine registered the sixth-fastest time in Academy history -- 14.10 -- to qualify based on time. Fontaine deleted 0.08 seconds from his previous best time to finish fifth in his heat and 23rd in the overall first-round field.

Recent Academy graduate and new second lieutenant Zach Johnson also competed in the first-round of the 200-meter dash, clocking a time of 21.28 to finish eighth in his heat and 40th overall. Another group of newly-commissioned lieutenants closed out their impressive collegiate careers in the field this afternoon. Darby Maier registered a throw of 57'11¾" to place within the top half of the field in the shot put (20th), while Cydnee Reese finished 33rd in the discus throw following a toss of 162'5". Kyle Pater competed in the pole vault, but was unable to clear the opening bar.

The West Preliminary of the NCAA Outdoor Championships concludes tomorrow (May 27) at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. Air Force gets underway at 6:00 p.m. (CT).

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