Michael Rhoads Named MW Indoor Athlete of the Year
3/19/2019 9:51:00 AM | Track and Field
Rhoads is the first Falcon to garner the conference's indoor award - and the third overall.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Following a stellar indoor campaign that included All-American accolades, a conference title and an Academy record, Air Force junior Michael Rhoads (Sunnyvale, Calif.) was named the Mountain West Men's Indoor Track and Field Student-Athlete of the Year this morning (March 19).
One of only two male athletes in the Mountain West to qualify to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in any event this year, Rhoads became the first conference athlete to ever garner First-Team All-America honors in the 800-meter run after placing eighth in the finals with a time of 1:48.49.
Backed by an Academy- and Championship Record performance in late February, Rhoads claimed the Mountain West title – becoming the program's first champion in that event since 2014. The junior's raw time of 1:47.82 in the championship race was a new MW Championship Meet Record – and the second-fastest time in conference history – while his altitude-adjusted time of 1:47.22 broke the Academy's 35-year-old record and served as the 10th-fastest time in the nation this year.
Rhoads, who earned the MW Track Athlete of the Week award on Jan. 22, was undefeated in his signature event during the first two months of the indoor season, winning the Air Force Team Challenge (meet record), Texas Tech Shootout and both rounds of the conference championship meet.
The Mountain West Student-Athlete of the Year award recognizes the conference's outstanding male and female athletes in track and field. Student-athletes are nominated and selected by the head coaches at each member institution. Rhoads, the first Air Force athlete to earn the annual conference award during the indoor season, joins former Academy standouts Joey Uhle (2015) and Jamiel Trimble (2016), who captured the honor during the outdoor season.
One of only two male athletes in the Mountain West to qualify to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in any event this year, Rhoads became the first conference athlete to ever garner First-Team All-America honors in the 800-meter run after placing eighth in the finals with a time of 1:48.49.
Backed by an Academy- and Championship Record performance in late February, Rhoads claimed the Mountain West title – becoming the program's first champion in that event since 2014. The junior's raw time of 1:47.82 in the championship race was a new MW Championship Meet Record – and the second-fastest time in conference history – while his altitude-adjusted time of 1:47.22 broke the Academy's 35-year-old record and served as the 10th-fastest time in the nation this year.
Rhoads, who earned the MW Track Athlete of the Week award on Jan. 22, was undefeated in his signature event during the first two months of the indoor season, winning the Air Force Team Challenge (meet record), Texas Tech Shootout and both rounds of the conference championship meet.
The Mountain West Student-Athlete of the Year award recognizes the conference's outstanding male and female athletes in track and field. Student-athletes are nominated and selected by the head coaches at each member institution. Rhoads, the first Air Force athlete to earn the annual conference award during the indoor season, joins former Academy standouts Joey Uhle (2015) and Jamiel Trimble (2016), who captured the honor during the outdoor season.
Players Mentioned
800m
/ Track and Field
100m Hurdles | 200m
/ Track and FieldTuesday, May 12
Tuesday, April 21
Monday, March 09
Tuesday, March 03
