Friday, February 8
Seattle, Wash.
10:00 a.m. MT
Air Force Academy
at
Husky Classic
Photo by: Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos
Air Force Women Shine at Husky Classic
2/8/2019 6:09:00 PM | Track and Field
An Academy record at 3000 meters and three of the six-fastest 5000-meter times highlighted the day.
SEATTLE – The all-time standings of the women's distance events received a major re-write today (Feb. 8), as five Air Force runners competed at the prestigious Husky Classic in Seattle. Jaci Smith broke the Academy record in the 3000-meter run, while the trio of Maria Mettler, Teri Brady and Lindsey Blanks accounted for three of the six-fastest 5000-meter times in program history.
Smith recorded her second Academy record in as many meets of her senior season this afternoon, as she posted a personal-best time of 9:14.90 to take nearly four seconds off of the previous standard that had stood for three years. Smith, who improved her own time by nearly 29 seconds to also reset the program's Senior Class Record, finished 18th out of 73 runners in full four-section event at Dempsey Indoor.
Juniors Brady and Blanks kicked off the day in the 5000-meter run, as their section of the race started at 9:40 a.m. (PT) – a time more than eight hours earlier than originally scheduled as meet organizers were forced to condense the two-day meet into just seven hours because of the winter storm that is projected to hit Washington later tonight.
Despite the scheduling changes, Brady posted a time of 16:38.03 – a personal improvement of more than one minute and the third-fastest time in program history – to finish third in that 20-runner section. Blanks deleted 55 seconds from her previous best time, as she crossed the finish line in 16:40.42 to place fifth in that section and debut in the same placement on the program's all-time standings. Mettler took over the No. 3 spot five hours later, as the sophomore clocked a time of 16:14.92 in her indoor debut at 5000 meters to finish second out of the 22 runners in her section.
Overall, Mettler finished 19th out of 63 runners in the full 5000-meter field, while Brady and Blanks placed 29th and 33rd, respectively. The trio, along with Smith, who set the Academy standard in the season-opener back in December, now account for four of the six-fastest 5000-meter marks in program history.
Senior Jacob Bilvado, the only member of the men's team to compete at Dempsey Indoor this year, clocked a time of 13:59.88 in his first 5000-meter event of the season to finish third in his section and 18th in the overall field of 70.
Three Academy milers will take to the track at the Iowa State Classic tomorrow (Feb. 9) afternoon, while the rest of the squad continues competition at the Texas Tech Shootout and Mountain Lion Open.
Smith recorded her second Academy record in as many meets of her senior season this afternoon, as she posted a personal-best time of 9:14.90 to take nearly four seconds off of the previous standard that had stood for three years. Smith, who improved her own time by nearly 29 seconds to also reset the program's Senior Class Record, finished 18th out of 73 runners in full four-section event at Dempsey Indoor.
Juniors Brady and Blanks kicked off the day in the 5000-meter run, as their section of the race started at 9:40 a.m. (PT) – a time more than eight hours earlier than originally scheduled as meet organizers were forced to condense the two-day meet into just seven hours because of the winter storm that is projected to hit Washington later tonight.
Despite the scheduling changes, Brady posted a time of 16:38.03 – a personal improvement of more than one minute and the third-fastest time in program history – to finish third in that 20-runner section. Blanks deleted 55 seconds from her previous best time, as she crossed the finish line in 16:40.42 to place fifth in that section and debut in the same placement on the program's all-time standings. Mettler took over the No. 3 spot five hours later, as the sophomore clocked a time of 16:14.92 in her indoor debut at 5000 meters to finish second out of the 22 runners in her section.
Overall, Mettler finished 19th out of 63 runners in the full 5000-meter field, while Brady and Blanks placed 29th and 33rd, respectively. The trio, along with Smith, who set the Academy standard in the season-opener back in December, now account for four of the six-fastest 5000-meter marks in program history.
Senior Jacob Bilvado, the only member of the men's team to compete at Dempsey Indoor this year, clocked a time of 13:59.88 in his first 5000-meter event of the season to finish third in his section and 18th in the overall field of 70.
Three Academy milers will take to the track at the Iowa State Classic tomorrow (Feb. 9) afternoon, while the rest of the squad continues competition at the Texas Tech Shootout and Mountain Lion Open.
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