Friday, March 8
Birmingham, Ala.
4:30 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
at
NCAA Championships
Air Force Duo Set for NCAA Indoor Championships
3/6/2019 3:55:00 PM | Track and Field
Jaci Smith and Michael Rhoads open competition in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday, March 8.
The indoor season comes to a close this weekend, as two members of the Air Force track and field team travel to Birmingham, Ala., for the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. Junior Michael Rhoads (800-meter run) and senior Jaci Smith (3000-meter run, 5000-meter run) will represent the Academy at the two-day meet, which begins on Friday, March 8, at the Birmingham Crossplex.
MEET INFORMATION
The 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships will take place at the Birmingham Crossplex near downtown Birmingham on Friday (March 8) and Saturday (March 9). Two-day general admission tickets start at $25, while single day tickets are also available at varying prices. Visit bhamfasttrack.com for directions and additional admission information. Overall, the action gets underway at noon on Friday and 11:45 a.m. on Saturday (all times Central). Air Force competition times are listed in the Meet Information box. If you can't make it to the meet, ESPN3 will broadcast the competition both days and live stats will be available through FlashResults.com.
WHERE THEY RANK IN THE NCAA
Jaci Smith is ranked seventh in the NCAA standings of the 5000-meter run (15:28.07) and 12th in the 3000-meter run (9:01.12, adjusted for altitude), while Michael Rhoads is ranked 10th in the 800-meter run (1:47.22, adjusted for altitude).
MORE INFO ON OUR "SWEET 16" CONTENDERS
Michael Rhoads will be making his second-straight appearance in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Championships, while Jaci Smith will be making her first trip to the indoor championship meet after competing in the last three NCAA Cross Country Championships and at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Rhoads earned second-team All-America status in 2018 following a 15th-place finish in the 800-meter run, while Smith claimed All-America honors in cross country and in the 10,000-meter distance (first-team status).
HISTORY 101
The Falcons have combined for 29 All-America accolades at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships. Paul Gensic, Cale Simmons, Shelley Spires, Justin Tyner, Joey Uhle and Doug Withers are the program's most decorated indoor All-Americans, with two individual honors apiece. Tyner, who was the top American finisher in the 5000-meter run at the 2010 championships, also captured All-America honors as a member of the distance medley relay that competed at the 2011 meet. The women also hold 23 All-America selections from the NCAA Division II level, with Callie Calhoun and Jill Wood earning national titles.
LOOKING AT THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE
Backed by two top-10 runners, Air Force finished the conference championship season with four athletes listed among the top 25 of the national standings. Jaci Smith (seventh in the 5000-meter run, 15:28.07) and Michael Rhoads (10th in the 800-meter run, 1:47.22 adjusted for altitude) lead their respective squads, while Smith also holds a No. 12 placement in the 3000-meter run (9:01.12a). In addition, Sedacy Walden finished the year ranked 14th at 500 meters (1:03.28) and Kathryn Tomczak rounded out the group with a No. 21 ranking in the pole vault (14'0").
UNOFFICIALLY SPEAKING...
Air Force had five groups listed among the top-25 of the final USTFCCCA Event Group Rankings (measured by totaling the team's top-four individual performances in each event during the regular season). The women's 5000-meter group and pole vault squad were ranked sixth and 12th, respectively, while the men's pole vault and heptathlon squads both held No. 13 placements and the men's 400-meter lineup ranked 22nd.
WHAT'S ON DECK
With the indoor season concluding this weekend in Alabama, Air Force will turn its attention outdoors. The Falcons open the second half of the 2019 campaign on March 15-16, when they travel to Boulder, Colo., for the annual Jerry Quiller Classic.
MEET INFORMATION
The 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships will take place at the Birmingham Crossplex near downtown Birmingham on Friday (March 8) and Saturday (March 9). Two-day general admission tickets start at $25, while single day tickets are also available at varying prices. Visit bhamfasttrack.com for directions and additional admission information. Overall, the action gets underway at noon on Friday and 11:45 a.m. on Saturday (all times Central). Air Force competition times are listed in the Meet Information box. If you can't make it to the meet, ESPN3 will broadcast the competition both days and live stats will be available through FlashResults.com.
WHERE THEY RANK IN THE NCAA
Jaci Smith is ranked seventh in the NCAA standings of the 5000-meter run (15:28.07) and 12th in the 3000-meter run (9:01.12, adjusted for altitude), while Michael Rhoads is ranked 10th in the 800-meter run (1:47.22, adjusted for altitude).
MORE INFO ON OUR "SWEET 16" CONTENDERS
Michael Rhoads will be making his second-straight appearance in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Championships, while Jaci Smith will be making her first trip to the indoor championship meet after competing in the last three NCAA Cross Country Championships and at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Rhoads earned second-team All-America status in 2018 following a 15th-place finish in the 800-meter run, while Smith claimed All-America honors in cross country and in the 10,000-meter distance (first-team status).
HISTORY 101
The Falcons have combined for 29 All-America accolades at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships. Paul Gensic, Cale Simmons, Shelley Spires, Justin Tyner, Joey Uhle and Doug Withers are the program's most decorated indoor All-Americans, with two individual honors apiece. Tyner, who was the top American finisher in the 5000-meter run at the 2010 championships, also captured All-America honors as a member of the distance medley relay that competed at the 2011 meet. The women also hold 23 All-America selections from the NCAA Division II level, with Callie Calhoun and Jill Wood earning national titles.
LOOKING AT THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE
Backed by two top-10 runners, Air Force finished the conference championship season with four athletes listed among the top 25 of the national standings. Jaci Smith (seventh in the 5000-meter run, 15:28.07) and Michael Rhoads (10th in the 800-meter run, 1:47.22 adjusted for altitude) lead their respective squads, while Smith also holds a No. 12 placement in the 3000-meter run (9:01.12a). In addition, Sedacy Walden finished the year ranked 14th at 500 meters (1:03.28) and Kathryn Tomczak rounded out the group with a No. 21 ranking in the pole vault (14'0").
UNOFFICIALLY SPEAKING...
Air Force had five groups listed among the top-25 of the final USTFCCCA Event Group Rankings (measured by totaling the team's top-four individual performances in each event during the regular season). The women's 5000-meter group and pole vault squad were ranked sixth and 12th, respectively, while the men's pole vault and heptathlon squads both held No. 13 placements and the men's 400-meter lineup ranked 22nd.
WHAT'S ON DECK
With the indoor season concluding this weekend in Alabama, Air Force will turn its attention outdoors. The Falcons open the second half of the 2019 campaign on March 15-16, when they travel to Boulder, Colo., for the annual Jerry Quiller Classic.
Players Mentioned
800m
/ Track and Field
5000m / 10,000m
/ Track and Field
High Jump
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
400m / 200m
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