Photo by: Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos
Cross Country Hands out Annual Awards
12/3/2018 4:24:00 PM | Cross Country
Mickey Davey and Jaci Smith captured MVP honors for their respective squads.
USAFA ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force seniors Mickey Davey and Jaci Smith captured MVP honors for the cross country team this past weekend, as the program handed out its annual end-of-the-season awards.
Davey, an all-conference and all-region honoree for the second-straight year, helped lead the Air Force men to their second consecutive team appearance at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, a runner-up finish at the Mountain West Championships and their first top-10 national ranking since 2003. Davey was the team's top finisher at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational (20th of 233), Pre-National Invitational (15th of 234), Mountain West Championships (fifth of 63) and NCAA Championships (69th of 255), while adding a top-10 finish as the team's No. 2 runner at the season-opening Wyoming Invitational (seventh of 81).
Smith capped a strong cross country campaign by finishing 27th at the NCAA Championships and becoming jus the second Air Force female to capture All-America honors at the Division I level. The senior, who was named the USTFCCCA National Runner of the Week after winning the season-opening Wyoming Invitational, earned all-conference and all-region honors for the third time in as many years. Smith, who collected three top-10 – and five top-20 – finishes on the year, was the Falcons' top finisher in all six of her meets this fall. By shattering the program's 6K standard (any altitude) with a 19:44.1 performance at the regional meet, Smith became the first Air Force runner (male or female) to advance to three-straight national championship meets since John Jones qualified to the 1968-70 championship meets.
Fellow seniors Trevor Siniscalchi, Erik McMillan and Nathan Thomas also collected end-of-the-season awards on the men's side, with Siniscalchi earning Most Improved, McMillan claiming Newcomer of the Year and Thomas receiving the AFXC Character Award.
Siniscalchi and Thomas, who both captured all-MW and all-region honors during the fall, helped the men to a team appearance at the NCAA Championships, a runner-up finish at the conference meet and their first top-10 national ranking since 2003. Siniscalchi was the team's top finisher at the Wyoming Invitational (sixth of 81), while Thomas clocked the program's second-fastest 10K (any altitude) to lead the men at the NCAA Mountain Regional (19th of 115). McMillan, who made his cross country debut in August after previously competing for the marathon club, was a member of the scoring lineup at the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational and the Tiger Open, earning a top-25 finish in the latter to help the Falcons to the team title.
On the women's side, sophomore Maria Mettler was named Most Improved, while freshman Jenna Kill was named Newcomer of the Year and junior Swathi Samuel was honored with the AFXC Character Award.
Mettler claimed all-conference and all-region honors after finishing 14th at the conference meet and 24th at the NCAA Mountain Regional. The sophomore, who added a top-five finish at the season-opening Wyoming Invitational (fourth of 60), was the team's No. 2 runner in all six of her races this season. Kill, a member of the conference and regional roster during her freshman season, finished third out of 130 runners at the Fort Hays State Tiger Open to lead the women to the team title, while Samuel, who returned to the squad's championship lineup this fall, was a member of the scoring lineup in five meets and served as the Falcons' No. 3 runner at the NCAA Mountain Regional (42nd of 135).
Davey, an all-conference and all-region honoree for the second-straight year, helped lead the Air Force men to their second consecutive team appearance at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, a runner-up finish at the Mountain West Championships and their first top-10 national ranking since 2003. Davey was the team's top finisher at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational (20th of 233), Pre-National Invitational (15th of 234), Mountain West Championships (fifth of 63) and NCAA Championships (69th of 255), while adding a top-10 finish as the team's No. 2 runner at the season-opening Wyoming Invitational (seventh of 81).
Smith capped a strong cross country campaign by finishing 27th at the NCAA Championships and becoming jus the second Air Force female to capture All-America honors at the Division I level. The senior, who was named the USTFCCCA National Runner of the Week after winning the season-opening Wyoming Invitational, earned all-conference and all-region honors for the third time in as many years. Smith, who collected three top-10 – and five top-20 – finishes on the year, was the Falcons' top finisher in all six of her meets this fall. By shattering the program's 6K standard (any altitude) with a 19:44.1 performance at the regional meet, Smith became the first Air Force runner (male or female) to advance to three-straight national championship meets since John Jones qualified to the 1968-70 championship meets.
Fellow seniors Trevor Siniscalchi, Erik McMillan and Nathan Thomas also collected end-of-the-season awards on the men's side, with Siniscalchi earning Most Improved, McMillan claiming Newcomer of the Year and Thomas receiving the AFXC Character Award.
Siniscalchi and Thomas, who both captured all-MW and all-region honors during the fall, helped the men to a team appearance at the NCAA Championships, a runner-up finish at the conference meet and their first top-10 national ranking since 2003. Siniscalchi was the team's top finisher at the Wyoming Invitational (sixth of 81), while Thomas clocked the program's second-fastest 10K (any altitude) to lead the men at the NCAA Mountain Regional (19th of 115). McMillan, who made his cross country debut in August after previously competing for the marathon club, was a member of the scoring lineup at the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational and the Tiger Open, earning a top-25 finish in the latter to help the Falcons to the team title.
On the women's side, sophomore Maria Mettler was named Most Improved, while freshman Jenna Kill was named Newcomer of the Year and junior Swathi Samuel was honored with the AFXC Character Award.
Mettler claimed all-conference and all-region honors after finishing 14th at the conference meet and 24th at the NCAA Mountain Regional. The sophomore, who added a top-five finish at the season-opening Wyoming Invitational (fourth of 60), was the team's No. 2 runner in all six of her races this season. Kill, a member of the conference and regional roster during her freshman season, finished third out of 130 runners at the Fort Hays State Tiger Open to lead the women to the team title, while Samuel, who returned to the squad's championship lineup this fall, was a member of the scoring lineup in five meets and served as the Falcons' No. 3 runner at the NCAA Mountain Regional (42nd of 135).
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