Air Force Trio Rewrites Women's Distance Record Book at ISU Classic

AMES, Iowa– The women's record book received a major update this evening (Feb. 14), as members of the Air Force distance squad opened competition at the Iowa State Classic in Ames. Junior Maria Mettler and sophomore Mikayla Gallagher impacted the top 10 of the Academy's 5000-meter standings, while senior Lindsey Blanks entered the all-time standings in the 3000-meter run.

Mettler had a strong run this evening at the Lied Recreation Center, as she posted a time of 15:49.58 to finish as the top collegiate in the Invitational field – and second overall in the full 19-runner event. The junior took 12 seconds off of her previous best time to become just the third Falcon to ever break the 16-minute mark in that distance during the indoor season. She also jumped up one spot into second on the Academy's all-time standings and took 10 seconds off of the program's two-year-old Junior Class Record.

Gallagher joined Mettler on the Academy's top-10 list for the 5000-meter run after clocking a time of 17:03.64 in her first indoor meet at the collegiate level. She was one of two Falcons to debut in the Air Force Record Book this evening, as Blanks debuted in eighth on the program's 3000-meter standings after clocking a career-best time of 9:43.79 in the night section. Blanks, who bettered her previous time by three seconds, finished second in her section – and second out of 33 runners in the full field.

Senior Teri Brady also competed in the Invitational section of the 5000-meter run, clocking a time of 16:48.07 – a mark just shy of her career best and own No. 4 Academy time – to finish 13th, while classmate Swathi Samuel placed within the top half of the overall field in the 3000-meter run (15th, 9:52.42).

On the men's side, senior Patrick Sullivan picked up a third-place finish in the 3000-meter run, while pacing a trio of Falcons into the top half of the final standings. Sullivan clocked a career-best time of 8:14.12 to finish third in the night section – and third in the full 49-runner event. Junior Hunter Boyer and senior Marshall Wheeler, who competed in earlier sections also recorded career-best times to finish within the top half of the full field. Boyer finished second in his section (10th overall) with a time of 8:18.61, while Wheeler improved his time of 8:24.28 to finish eighth in his section and 21st overall.

Fellow senior Justin Weber picked up a top-20 finish in the 61-runner field of the open 5000-meter event, as he cut a half-second off of his previous best time to finish 20th (14:19.39), and sophomore Ryan Ioanidis posted a 10-second PR to finish third in his section and 31st overall (14:27.43).

Four members of the Falcons' middle distance squad take to the Lied Recreation Center track tomorrow (Feb. 15), as they close out action at the Iowa State Classic with the 800-meter run and mile events.

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