Track and Field Welcomes Class of 2023
8/15/2019 2:49:00 PM | Track and Field
The class includes five that were ranked among the nation's top-15 High School senior boys last year.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force track and field team welcomed 24 freshmen to its roster for the upcoming 2019-20 season, head coach Ralph Lindeman announced today (Aug 15), as the Academy's Class of 2023 completed their first full week of classes. The 17 men and seven women that make up the Falcons' newest class of athletes includes five that were ranked among the top-15 High School senior boys in the nation this past season, and athletes that won 10 individual event titles at the state championships.
MEN
Stevie Bilsbury | North Richland Hills, Texas | Birdville HS | Pole Vault – Vaulted 16'6" as a junior, which equaled the 15th-best clearance in the nation in 2019...won both the District and Area titles, leading up to the Texas UIL State Championships...finished fourth in the pole vault at the Texas Relays.
Sam Gilman | Hilton Head Island, S.C. | Hilton Head HS | Middle Distance – Ran the 10th-fastest mile by a high school senior in the United States last season, after clocking a 4:06.50 at the Music City Distance Carnival in Nashville (June 2019, converts to a 4:04.97 in the 1600-meter run)...also accounted for times of 1:54.27 (1:52.50 indoors) at 800 meters (2019) and 9:09.71 at 3200 meters (2018)...accounted for four state titles at the South Carolina State Championships (two at 1600 meters, one at 800 meters, one at 3200 meters).
Cameron Harris | Hudson, Colo. | Brighton Charter School | Hurdles – Clocked the eighth-fastest time by a high school senior in the United States last season, after posting a time of 13.77 at the Great Southwest Classic in Albuquerque (May 2019)...finished second in both the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles (37.98) at the Colorado High School State Championships...placed second in the 60-meter hurdles at the Air Force High School Open last February with a time of 7.95 at that meet...posted a best time of 7.81 –the seventh-fastest high school time in the nation during the 2019 indoor season – to finish second at New Balance Indoor Nationals...also ran a 10.72 for 100 meters during the outdoor season.
Jacob Wilkins | Mount Pleasant, S.C. | Bishop England HS | Hammer Throw – Graduated from high school in 2018, but waited a year before enrolling at USAFA...threw the hammer 194'7" in 2018, which was the 10th-farthest throw by a high school senior in 2018.
Zach Larrier | Elk Grove, Calif. | Monterey Trail HS | Sprints – Recruited by football...California CIF State Meet Champion in the 400-meter dash...recorded a season-best time of 46.49 during a runner-up finish at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational...that time ranked No. 3 in the U.S. among high school seniors...won the Arcadia Invitational in 2018 with a season-best time of 47.12...also a high school best times of 10.68 in the 100-meter dash and 21.30 in the 200-meter dash.
Luke Arkell | Highlands Ranch, Colo. | Lutheran HS | Sprints – Recorded personal-best times of 10.90 in the 100-meter dash and 22.01 in the 200-meter dash during the 2017 season...attended Northwestern Prep School in California last year in preparation for gaining an appointment to the Air Force Academy.
Aden Baughman | Sand Springs, Okla. | Charles Page HS | Middle Distance – Posted a personal-best time of 1:53.18 in the 800-meter run during the 2017 season...two-time Oklahoma 6A State High School Champion in that event.
Aiden Boyle | Pleasanton, Calif. | Amador Valley HS | Middle Distance – Recorded a career-best time of 1:53.96 in the 800-meter run in 2018...also ran 4:24.61 at 1600 meters in 2019...finished fourth in the 800-meter run at California's North Coast Section in each of the last two years.
Hayden Bullock | Bellbrook, Ohio | Bellbrook HS | Discus Throw – Tossed a career-best discus distance of 169'10" to finish sixth in the finals of the Ohio OHSAA State Championships.
Nicholas "Niko" Fraser | Rochester Hills, Mich. | Notre Dame Prep | Distance – Transfer from the University of Wisconsin-Madison...had prep-best times of 4:26.17 at 1600 meters and 9:23.32 at 3200 meters...finished seventh in the Michigan LP-2 State Championships.
Ryan Johnson | Parker, Colo. | Legend HS | Distance – Recorded a personal-best 3200-meter time of 9:21.96 at the Chandler Rotary Invitational in Arizona last March...finished ninth in that event at the Colorado 5A High School State Championships...also accounted for a 4:26.57 in the 1600-meter run (at altitude) at the League Championships...finished eighth at the Colorado High School State Cross Country Championships...older brother, Scott, is a junior on the Falcons' track and cross country teams.
Ben Leicht | North Salem, N.Y. | North Salem HS | Middle Distance – Clocked a career-best time of 4:21.83 in the 1600-meter run at the New York NYSPHSAA Championships this past June...ran a 4:23.85 during the indoor season...finished 20th at the 2018 NYSPHSAA Cross Country Championships last fall.
Scott Maison | Wheaton, Ill. | Wheaton-Warrenville South HS | Distance – Ran career-best times of 4:23.70 in the 1600-meter run and 9:27.96 in the 3200-meter run during the 2018 season...finished 13th at the Illinois High School State Cross Country Championships last fall...placed 24th at the Nike Cross Nationals/Midwest Regional last November.
Ethan Marshall | Overland Park, Kan. | St. Thomas Aquinas HS | Distance – Clocked a personal-best time of 4:20.15 to win the 1600-meter run at the 2019 Kansas 5A High School State Championships...also ran a 9:23.44 for 3200 meters...won the Kansas High School State Cross Country Championships last fall...finished 12th at the Nike Cross Nationals/Heartland Region and 32nd at the Footlocker Midwest Regional.
Jace Pittman | Sterling, Colo. | Sterling HS | Discus Throw – Posted a career-best throw of 170'7" to win the discus throw at the Colorado 3A State High School Championships.
Jonah Powell | Grove City, Pa. | Grove City HS | Middle Distance – Recorded a time of 4:15.38 to finish second in the indoor 1600-meter run at the Pennsylvania High School State Championships...also ran a 4:16.39 in the indoor mile (converted to 4:14.96 for 1600 meters) to place third at the PTFCA Championships...added a personal-best 800-meter time of 1:54.10.
Jaret Prete | Amherst, Ohio | Steele HS | Throws – Recorded prep-best marks of 179'4" in the hammer throw and 66'2" in the weight throw...distance in the weight ranked 24th nationally...also recorded a distance of 165'3" in the discus throw.
WOMEN
Catherine "Cat" Cavinder | Wheatfield, Ind. | Kankakee Valley HS | Middle Distance – Clocked a personal-best time of 2:14.07 to finish seventh in the 800-meter run at the 2018 Indiana High School State Championship meet.
Tiya Chamberlin | Golden, Colo. | Wheat Ridge HS | Distance – Finished fourth at the Colorado 4A High School State Cross Country Championships...clocked personal-best times of 5:13.47 in the 1600-meter run and 11:10.99 in the 3200-meter run (both run at "mile high" altitude)...used that 3200-meter time to finish seventh at the Colorado 4A State Championships this past spring.
Sophia Chiaramonte | Santa Ana, Calif. | Mater Dei HS | Horizontal Jumps – Recorded a career-best long jump distance of 18'7½" to win the Trinity League...also finished second in the CIF Southern Section Finals in that event...also high jumped 5'3" and triple jumped 36'1¼".
Madison "Maddie" Edwards | Missoula, Mont. | Big Sky HS | Middle Distance – Clocked career-best times of 2:17.77 in the 800-meter run and 5:06.53 in the 1600-meter run during the 2018 season...claimed two top-four finishes at the Montana High School State Championships that year (third at 800 meters, fourth at 1600 meters).
Ira Frazier | San Antonio, Texas | Claudia Taylor Johnson HS | Horizontal Jumps – Posted a personal-best time of 39'4½" to finish seventh in the triple jump at the 2017 Texas UIL State Championships...also leaped 5'4" in the high jump.
Aaliyah Ricketts | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Widefield HS | Horizontal Jumps – Recorded prep-best distances of 17'10" in the long jump and 36'10" in the triple jump...won the triple jump at the 2018 Colorado 4A High School State Championships.
Allyson Staffer | Harrisburg, Pa. | Central Dauphin HS | Javelin Throw – Recorded a career-best distance of 129'2" in the javelin throw during the 2017 season...finished seventh in that event at the 2018 Pennsylvania High School State Championships...also placed 14th at the New Balance High School Nationals.
MEN
Stevie Bilsbury | North Richland Hills, Texas | Birdville HS | Pole Vault – Vaulted 16'6" as a junior, which equaled the 15th-best clearance in the nation in 2019...won both the District and Area titles, leading up to the Texas UIL State Championships...finished fourth in the pole vault at the Texas Relays.
Sam Gilman | Hilton Head Island, S.C. | Hilton Head HS | Middle Distance – Ran the 10th-fastest mile by a high school senior in the United States last season, after clocking a 4:06.50 at the Music City Distance Carnival in Nashville (June 2019, converts to a 4:04.97 in the 1600-meter run)...also accounted for times of 1:54.27 (1:52.50 indoors) at 800 meters (2019) and 9:09.71 at 3200 meters (2018)...accounted for four state titles at the South Carolina State Championships (two at 1600 meters, one at 800 meters, one at 3200 meters).
Cameron Harris | Hudson, Colo. | Brighton Charter School | Hurdles – Clocked the eighth-fastest time by a high school senior in the United States last season, after posting a time of 13.77 at the Great Southwest Classic in Albuquerque (May 2019)...finished second in both the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles (37.98) at the Colorado High School State Championships...placed second in the 60-meter hurdles at the Air Force High School Open last February with a time of 7.95 at that meet...posted a best time of 7.81 –the seventh-fastest high school time in the nation during the 2019 indoor season – to finish second at New Balance Indoor Nationals...also ran a 10.72 for 100 meters during the outdoor season.
Jacob Wilkins | Mount Pleasant, S.C. | Bishop England HS | Hammer Throw – Graduated from high school in 2018, but waited a year before enrolling at USAFA...threw the hammer 194'7" in 2018, which was the 10th-farthest throw by a high school senior in 2018.
Zach Larrier | Elk Grove, Calif. | Monterey Trail HS | Sprints – Recruited by football...California CIF State Meet Champion in the 400-meter dash...recorded a season-best time of 46.49 during a runner-up finish at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational...that time ranked No. 3 in the U.S. among high school seniors...won the Arcadia Invitational in 2018 with a season-best time of 47.12...also a high school best times of 10.68 in the 100-meter dash and 21.30 in the 200-meter dash.
Luke Arkell | Highlands Ranch, Colo. | Lutheran HS | Sprints – Recorded personal-best times of 10.90 in the 100-meter dash and 22.01 in the 200-meter dash during the 2017 season...attended Northwestern Prep School in California last year in preparation for gaining an appointment to the Air Force Academy.
Aden Baughman | Sand Springs, Okla. | Charles Page HS | Middle Distance – Posted a personal-best time of 1:53.18 in the 800-meter run during the 2017 season...two-time Oklahoma 6A State High School Champion in that event.
Aiden Boyle | Pleasanton, Calif. | Amador Valley HS | Middle Distance – Recorded a career-best time of 1:53.96 in the 800-meter run in 2018...also ran 4:24.61 at 1600 meters in 2019...finished fourth in the 800-meter run at California's North Coast Section in each of the last two years.
Hayden Bullock | Bellbrook, Ohio | Bellbrook HS | Discus Throw – Tossed a career-best discus distance of 169'10" to finish sixth in the finals of the Ohio OHSAA State Championships.
Nicholas "Niko" Fraser | Rochester Hills, Mich. | Notre Dame Prep | Distance – Transfer from the University of Wisconsin-Madison...had prep-best times of 4:26.17 at 1600 meters and 9:23.32 at 3200 meters...finished seventh in the Michigan LP-2 State Championships.
Ryan Johnson | Parker, Colo. | Legend HS | Distance – Recorded a personal-best 3200-meter time of 9:21.96 at the Chandler Rotary Invitational in Arizona last March...finished ninth in that event at the Colorado 5A High School State Championships...also accounted for a 4:26.57 in the 1600-meter run (at altitude) at the League Championships...finished eighth at the Colorado High School State Cross Country Championships...older brother, Scott, is a junior on the Falcons' track and cross country teams.
Ben Leicht | North Salem, N.Y. | North Salem HS | Middle Distance – Clocked a career-best time of 4:21.83 in the 1600-meter run at the New York NYSPHSAA Championships this past June...ran a 4:23.85 during the indoor season...finished 20th at the 2018 NYSPHSAA Cross Country Championships last fall.
Scott Maison | Wheaton, Ill. | Wheaton-Warrenville South HS | Distance – Ran career-best times of 4:23.70 in the 1600-meter run and 9:27.96 in the 3200-meter run during the 2018 season...finished 13th at the Illinois High School State Cross Country Championships last fall...placed 24th at the Nike Cross Nationals/Midwest Regional last November.
Ethan Marshall | Overland Park, Kan. | St. Thomas Aquinas HS | Distance – Clocked a personal-best time of 4:20.15 to win the 1600-meter run at the 2019 Kansas 5A High School State Championships...also ran a 9:23.44 for 3200 meters...won the Kansas High School State Cross Country Championships last fall...finished 12th at the Nike Cross Nationals/Heartland Region and 32nd at the Footlocker Midwest Regional.
Jace Pittman | Sterling, Colo. | Sterling HS | Discus Throw – Posted a career-best throw of 170'7" to win the discus throw at the Colorado 3A State High School Championships.
Jonah Powell | Grove City, Pa. | Grove City HS | Middle Distance – Recorded a time of 4:15.38 to finish second in the indoor 1600-meter run at the Pennsylvania High School State Championships...also ran a 4:16.39 in the indoor mile (converted to 4:14.96 for 1600 meters) to place third at the PTFCA Championships...added a personal-best 800-meter time of 1:54.10.
Jaret Prete | Amherst, Ohio | Steele HS | Throws – Recorded prep-best marks of 179'4" in the hammer throw and 66'2" in the weight throw...distance in the weight ranked 24th nationally...also recorded a distance of 165'3" in the discus throw.
WOMEN
Catherine "Cat" Cavinder | Wheatfield, Ind. | Kankakee Valley HS | Middle Distance – Clocked a personal-best time of 2:14.07 to finish seventh in the 800-meter run at the 2018 Indiana High School State Championship meet.
Tiya Chamberlin | Golden, Colo. | Wheat Ridge HS | Distance – Finished fourth at the Colorado 4A High School State Cross Country Championships...clocked personal-best times of 5:13.47 in the 1600-meter run and 11:10.99 in the 3200-meter run (both run at "mile high" altitude)...used that 3200-meter time to finish seventh at the Colorado 4A State Championships this past spring.
Sophia Chiaramonte | Santa Ana, Calif. | Mater Dei HS | Horizontal Jumps – Recorded a career-best long jump distance of 18'7½" to win the Trinity League...also finished second in the CIF Southern Section Finals in that event...also high jumped 5'3" and triple jumped 36'1¼".
Madison "Maddie" Edwards | Missoula, Mont. | Big Sky HS | Middle Distance – Clocked career-best times of 2:17.77 in the 800-meter run and 5:06.53 in the 1600-meter run during the 2018 season...claimed two top-four finishes at the Montana High School State Championships that year (third at 800 meters, fourth at 1600 meters).
Ira Frazier | San Antonio, Texas | Claudia Taylor Johnson HS | Horizontal Jumps – Posted a personal-best time of 39'4½" to finish seventh in the triple jump at the 2017 Texas UIL State Championships...also leaped 5'4" in the high jump.
Aaliyah Ricketts | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Widefield HS | Horizontal Jumps – Recorded prep-best distances of 17'10" in the long jump and 36'10" in the triple jump...won the triple jump at the 2018 Colorado 4A High School State Championships.
Allyson Staffer | Harrisburg, Pa. | Central Dauphin HS | Javelin Throw – Recorded a career-best distance of 129'2" in the javelin throw during the 2017 season...finished seventh in that event at the 2018 Pennsylvania High School State Championships...also placed 14th at the New Balance High School Nationals.
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