Photo by: Bill Evans
Falcons Ready to Run at MW Championships
10/31/2019 11:48:00 AM | Cross Country
The conference meet begins at 10:00 a.m. (MT) on Friday, Nov. 1.
The postseason begins for the Air Force cross country program on Friday, Nov. 1, as the team travels to Logan, Utah, for the 2019 Mountain West Championships. The Falcons' lineup, which includes the 14th-ranked women and a men's squad that is receiving votes in the latest national poll, will face their conference counterparts on the Steve and Donna Reeder Cross Country Course.
MEET INFORMATION
The Mountain West Cross Country Championships will be held on the campus of Utah State University for the first time. The men will kick off the championship meet with an 8K race at 10:00 a.m. (MT), while the women will follow with a 6K race 45 minutes later. Live results will be available via Record Timing, while FloTrack will broadcast the meet through their FloPro subscription service (direct links can be found on the team's schedule page at GoAirForceFalcons.com).
THE STARTING LINE
Air Force has 19 runners entered for the Mountain West Championships – Hunter Boyer, Colin Dwyer, Sam Gilman, Ryan Johnson, Scott Johnson, Will Kitzhaber, Alec Schrank, Konrad Steck, Patrick Sullivan and Justin Weber for the men and Teri Brady, Lindsey Blanks, Sarah Deresky, Maddie Edwards, Mikayla Gallagher, Jenna Kill, Maria Mettler, Mahala Norris and Swathi Samuel for the women.
WEATHER WATCH
Logan is forecasted to be sunny, with a high of 44 on Friday.
A LOOK AT THE LEAGUE
The Mountain West Championships will feature nine men's teams and all 11 women's programs. The men's field includes two nationally-ranked teams (No. 18 Boise State, No. 22 Utah State), one that is receiving votes in the coaches poll (Air Force) and squads from Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State, Wyoming and first-year program Nevada. The women's field features three top-15 teams (No. 11 New Mexico, No. 13 Boise State, No. 14 Air Force) and teams from Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State and Wyoming.
CONFERENCE HISTORY
Five schools have captured men's team titles at the Mountain West Cross Country Championships, with former conference opponent BYU leading the way with nine (99-00-01-02-04-05-06-07-08). New Mexico (09-10-11-12-13-14), Air Force (03-15), Boise State (16-18) and Colorado State (17) have also collected MW titles. On the women's side, New Mexico (11 straight: 08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18) and BYU (eight straight: 99-00-01-02-03-04-05-06) have combined for 18 of the last 19 team championships, with Colorado State claiming the remaining title in 2007.
AIR FORCE HISTORY, PART I
Highlighted by two team titles and 10 runner-up finishes, the men have placed within the top three of the Mountain West 19 times in the last 20 years. The women, who captured runner-up honor for the first time in program history at the 2016 meet, have finished third seven times and placed within the top half of the field 15 times in 20 years.
AIR FORCE HISTORY, PART II
Since the Mountain West was formed in 1999, Air Force has seen 37 combine for 63 all-conference awards, including one individual champion and 27 first-team selections. Isaiah Bragg became the program's first MW champion in 2013, while Ben Payne is the program's only four-time all-MW honoree. On the women's side, 12 women have combined for 17 all-MW honors, with Hannah Everson (three), Jaci Smith (three) and Melissa Fuerst (two) earning all-conference distinction multiple times. With third-place finishes, Everson (2015) and Carina Gillespie (2016) have accounted for the women's best individual placements.
AIR FORCE HISTORY, PART III
In addition to their success in the Mountain West, the men also captured three team titles and two individual championships, as members of the Western Athletic Conference. The men won the WAC team titles in 1991, 1994 and 1996, while Chris Nelson (1990, 1991) and Eric Mack (1995) claimed individual championships.
WOMEN VAULT TO 14TH IN USTFCCCA RANKINGS
Following its impressive performance at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, the women vaulted to No. 14 in the Oct. 22 edition of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Coaches' Poll. The Falcons jumped up seven spots to No. 15 in the latest national USTFCCCA rankings – the highest NCAA DI placement by a women's team in Academy history.
MEN CONTINUE TO BE IN THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION
The men continue to receive votes in the USTFCCCA poll, collecting 12 points in the last poll (Oct. 22) to sit just four spots outside of the top-30. Air Force has received a mention in the national conversation during the last 22 polls, dating back to the 2017 season.
THE NEXT COURSE
Air Force returns to Utah on Friday, Nov. 15, when it heads to Salt Lake City for the 2018 NCAA Mountain Regional.
MEET INFORMATION
The Mountain West Cross Country Championships will be held on the campus of Utah State University for the first time. The men will kick off the championship meet with an 8K race at 10:00 a.m. (MT), while the women will follow with a 6K race 45 minutes later. Live results will be available via Record Timing, while FloTrack will broadcast the meet through their FloPro subscription service (direct links can be found on the team's schedule page at GoAirForceFalcons.com).
THE STARTING LINE
Air Force has 19 runners entered for the Mountain West Championships – Hunter Boyer, Colin Dwyer, Sam Gilman, Ryan Johnson, Scott Johnson, Will Kitzhaber, Alec Schrank, Konrad Steck, Patrick Sullivan and Justin Weber for the men and Teri Brady, Lindsey Blanks, Sarah Deresky, Maddie Edwards, Mikayla Gallagher, Jenna Kill, Maria Mettler, Mahala Norris and Swathi Samuel for the women.
WEATHER WATCH
Logan is forecasted to be sunny, with a high of 44 on Friday.
A LOOK AT THE LEAGUE
The Mountain West Championships will feature nine men's teams and all 11 women's programs. The men's field includes two nationally-ranked teams (No. 18 Boise State, No. 22 Utah State), one that is receiving votes in the coaches poll (Air Force) and squads from Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State, Wyoming and first-year program Nevada. The women's field features three top-15 teams (No. 11 New Mexico, No. 13 Boise State, No. 14 Air Force) and teams from Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State and Wyoming.
CONFERENCE HISTORY
Five schools have captured men's team titles at the Mountain West Cross Country Championships, with former conference opponent BYU leading the way with nine (99-00-01-02-04-05-06-07-08). New Mexico (09-10-11-12-13-14), Air Force (03-15), Boise State (16-18) and Colorado State (17) have also collected MW titles. On the women's side, New Mexico (11 straight: 08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18) and BYU (eight straight: 99-00-01-02-03-04-05-06) have combined for 18 of the last 19 team championships, with Colorado State claiming the remaining title in 2007.
AIR FORCE HISTORY, PART I
Highlighted by two team titles and 10 runner-up finishes, the men have placed within the top three of the Mountain West 19 times in the last 20 years. The women, who captured runner-up honor for the first time in program history at the 2016 meet, have finished third seven times and placed within the top half of the field 15 times in 20 years.
AIR FORCE HISTORY, PART II
Since the Mountain West was formed in 1999, Air Force has seen 37 combine for 63 all-conference awards, including one individual champion and 27 first-team selections. Isaiah Bragg became the program's first MW champion in 2013, while Ben Payne is the program's only four-time all-MW honoree. On the women's side, 12 women have combined for 17 all-MW honors, with Hannah Everson (three), Jaci Smith (three) and Melissa Fuerst (two) earning all-conference distinction multiple times. With third-place finishes, Everson (2015) and Carina Gillespie (2016) have accounted for the women's best individual placements.
AIR FORCE HISTORY, PART III
In addition to their success in the Mountain West, the men also captured three team titles and two individual championships, as members of the Western Athletic Conference. The men won the WAC team titles in 1991, 1994 and 1996, while Chris Nelson (1990, 1991) and Eric Mack (1995) claimed individual championships.
WOMEN VAULT TO 14TH IN USTFCCCA RANKINGS
Following its impressive performance at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, the women vaulted to No. 14 in the Oct. 22 edition of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Coaches' Poll. The Falcons jumped up seven spots to No. 15 in the latest national USTFCCCA rankings – the highest NCAA DI placement by a women's team in Academy history.
MEN CONTINUE TO BE IN THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION
The men continue to receive votes in the USTFCCCA poll, collecting 12 points in the last poll (Oct. 22) to sit just four spots outside of the top-30. Air Force has received a mention in the national conversation during the last 22 polls, dating back to the 2017 season.
THE NEXT COURSE
Air Force returns to Utah on Friday, Nov. 15, when it heads to Salt Lake City for the 2018 NCAA Mountain Regional.
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