Saturday, February 29
Albuquerque, N.M.
9:30 am MT
Air Force Academy
at
MW Championships
Photo by: Justin Tafoya, NCAA Photos
Maria Mettler Wins Mountain West Title at 3000 Meters
2/29/2020 6:18:00 PM | Track and Field
The women finished sixth to match their best conference finish in program history.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Highlighted by a conference title from junior Maria Mettler, the Air Force women's track and field team matched its best conference finish in program history this afternoon, as the track and field team wrapped up competition at the 2020 Mountain West Indoor Championships in Albuquerque. The women picked up a pair of podium finishes on Saturday to finish sixth, while the men collected four top-three finishes and a runner-up placement in the team standings.
Mettler, who won the 5000-meter title at last year's meet, added the 3000-meter championship to her growing list of accolades this afternoon, during the final individual race of the weekend. Clocking a time of 9:26.04, the junior won the race by more than one second and accounted for the second-fastest time in Academy history (9:12.10) when that time was adjusted for altitude. With her title, Mettler became just the second 3000-meter champion for the women – and just the second Falcon to win titles in multiple events.
The junior was one of three Falcons to score in the 3000-meter run – and one of three to impact the Academy Record Book in that event. Junior Mahala Norris registered the fifth-fastest time in program history (9:34.50a, 9:49.00 actual) to finish fifth, while senior Teri Brady tallied the Academy's sixth-fastest time (9:37.57a, 9:52.15 actual) to finish sixth.
Norris had a stellar day on the track for the Falcons, as she kicked off Championship Saturday by crushing her own Academy record in the mile during a runner-up performance. The junior used a strong final lap to nearly take down the leader at the tape, clocking a raw time of 4:46.73 to finish second by just 0.08 seconds. When converted for altitude, Norris' time of 4:40.49a improved her own program standard by more than one second. Senior Swathi Samuel joined her teammate in the top eight of the mile, as she improved her career time by more than 10 seconds to finish eight (5:01.97 actual, 4:55.40 altitude).
Sophomore Ari Martinez picked up a sixth-place finish in the high jump (5'7¾"), while the 4x400-meter relay capped the weekend by clocking the second-fastest time in program history and earning the same scoring placement. Senior Kelsey Owens and the sophomore trio of Grace Proesch, Brid O'Connell and Michelle Roca combined for a time of 3:48.36 to win their heat and finish sixth in the overalls standings.
The women collected 43 points to finish sixth in the team standings, matching the best indoor finish and tying for the fifth-highest indoor point total in Academy history. UNLV claimed the 2020 conference title, tallying 161 points to easily distance itself from runner-up San Diego State (126.50). Colorado State finished third (108.50), while New Mexico (fourth, 70.50) and Boise State (fifth, 48) rounded out the top five. San Jose State (37) and Nevada (33.50) finished seventh and eighth, respectively, while Wyoming (ninth, 18), Utah State (10th, nine) and Fresno State (11th, eight) completed the 11-team conference field.
Backed by runner-up finishes from senior Terrell Bradford and the 4x400-meter relay, the men claimed four podium finishes on Championship Saturday. Bradford clocked a season-best time of 6.80 to finish second in the 60-meter dash, while the relay quartet of junior Zachary Dicken, classmate Luke Zuluaga, senior Michael Rhoads and sophomore Sean Geither combined for the seventh-fastest time in program history (3:11.97) to finish second by a narrow half-second margin.
The relay marked Dicken's second podium finish of the day, as the junior also picked up a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash. Clocking a seasonal-best mark of 47.33, the junior won his section of the timed final to finish third in the overall standings. Freshman Cameron Harris claimed a medal in his first conference meet, as he clocked a time of 8.21 – a mark just 0.01 off of his career-best – to finish third in the 60-meter hurdles.
In addition to his second-place finish in the 60-meter dash, Bradford also scored for Air Force in the 200-meter dash, as he posted a time of 21.53 to finish fourth. Sophomore LaShawn Taylor registered the ninth-farthest triple jump distance in Academy history to earn that same placement, as surpassed his previous career-best mark three times during the meet and finishing with a distance of 48'8¾".
The men accounted for multiple scoring finishes in the two longest races of the day, as Air Force placed three in the top eight of both the 3000-meter and mile events. Senior Patrick Sullivan earned the best finish of the distance lineup on Saturday, as he used a personal-best time of 8:24.22 (8:11.80a) to finish fourth in the 28-runner final. Sophomore Ryan Ioanidis and senior Justin Weber also posted career-best marks in the race, as they finished sixth (8:27.60/8:15.10a) and seventh (8:28.65/8:16.12a), respectively. In the mile, freshman Sam Gilman clocked a time of 4:14.41 (4:08.87a) to finish fifth, while junior Scott Johnson finished sixth in 4:15.41 (4:09.85a) and classmate Colin Dwyer took eighth in 4:16.92 (4:11.33a).
Prior to his leg of the 4x400-meter relay, Rhoads was involved in a major collision during the 800-meter run, as three runners got tangled on the first turn of the final lap. After tumbling off the track, the senior got to his feet and quickly caught up to the pack, picking off a few runners and collecting points for the Falcons with a fifth-place time of 1:54.90.
Air Force tallied 134.50 points to finish second in the conference standings, marking the fifth-straight year that they've finished within the top two at the indoor meet. Colorado State earned a narrow 14.5 victory over the Falcons to earn the conference title (149), while New Mexico finished third with 120 points. Utah State scored 95.50 points to finish fourth and the trio of Wyoming (fifth, 78), Boise State (sixth, 62) and San Jose State (seventh, 14) completed the men's conference field.
The indoor season comes to a close on March 13-14, as the top athletes in the nation return to Albuquerque for the 2020 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. A complete list of qualifiers will be announced next week.
Mettler, who won the 5000-meter title at last year's meet, added the 3000-meter championship to her growing list of accolades this afternoon, during the final individual race of the weekend. Clocking a time of 9:26.04, the junior won the race by more than one second and accounted for the second-fastest time in Academy history (9:12.10) when that time was adjusted for altitude. With her title, Mettler became just the second 3000-meter champion for the women – and just the second Falcon to win titles in multiple events.
The junior was one of three Falcons to score in the 3000-meter run – and one of three to impact the Academy Record Book in that event. Junior Mahala Norris registered the fifth-fastest time in program history (9:34.50a, 9:49.00 actual) to finish fifth, while senior Teri Brady tallied the Academy's sixth-fastest time (9:37.57a, 9:52.15 actual) to finish sixth.
Norris had a stellar day on the track for the Falcons, as she kicked off Championship Saturday by crushing her own Academy record in the mile during a runner-up performance. The junior used a strong final lap to nearly take down the leader at the tape, clocking a raw time of 4:46.73 to finish second by just 0.08 seconds. When converted for altitude, Norris' time of 4:40.49a improved her own program standard by more than one second. Senior Swathi Samuel joined her teammate in the top eight of the mile, as she improved her career time by more than 10 seconds to finish eight (5:01.97 actual, 4:55.40 altitude).
Sophomore Ari Martinez picked up a sixth-place finish in the high jump (5'7¾"), while the 4x400-meter relay capped the weekend by clocking the second-fastest time in program history and earning the same scoring placement. Senior Kelsey Owens and the sophomore trio of Grace Proesch, Brid O'Connell and Michelle Roca combined for a time of 3:48.36 to win their heat and finish sixth in the overalls standings.
The women collected 43 points to finish sixth in the team standings, matching the best indoor finish and tying for the fifth-highest indoor point total in Academy history. UNLV claimed the 2020 conference title, tallying 161 points to easily distance itself from runner-up San Diego State (126.50). Colorado State finished third (108.50), while New Mexico (fourth, 70.50) and Boise State (fifth, 48) rounded out the top five. San Jose State (37) and Nevada (33.50) finished seventh and eighth, respectively, while Wyoming (ninth, 18), Utah State (10th, nine) and Fresno State (11th, eight) completed the 11-team conference field.
Backed by runner-up finishes from senior Terrell Bradford and the 4x400-meter relay, the men claimed four podium finishes on Championship Saturday. Bradford clocked a season-best time of 6.80 to finish second in the 60-meter dash, while the relay quartet of junior Zachary Dicken, classmate Luke Zuluaga, senior Michael Rhoads and sophomore Sean Geither combined for the seventh-fastest time in program history (3:11.97) to finish second by a narrow half-second margin.
The relay marked Dicken's second podium finish of the day, as the junior also picked up a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash. Clocking a seasonal-best mark of 47.33, the junior won his section of the timed final to finish third in the overall standings. Freshman Cameron Harris claimed a medal in his first conference meet, as he clocked a time of 8.21 – a mark just 0.01 off of his career-best – to finish third in the 60-meter hurdles.
In addition to his second-place finish in the 60-meter dash, Bradford also scored for Air Force in the 200-meter dash, as he posted a time of 21.53 to finish fourth. Sophomore LaShawn Taylor registered the ninth-farthest triple jump distance in Academy history to earn that same placement, as surpassed his previous career-best mark three times during the meet and finishing with a distance of 48'8¾".
The men accounted for multiple scoring finishes in the two longest races of the day, as Air Force placed three in the top eight of both the 3000-meter and mile events. Senior Patrick Sullivan earned the best finish of the distance lineup on Saturday, as he used a personal-best time of 8:24.22 (8:11.80a) to finish fourth in the 28-runner final. Sophomore Ryan Ioanidis and senior Justin Weber also posted career-best marks in the race, as they finished sixth (8:27.60/8:15.10a) and seventh (8:28.65/8:16.12a), respectively. In the mile, freshman Sam Gilman clocked a time of 4:14.41 (4:08.87a) to finish fifth, while junior Scott Johnson finished sixth in 4:15.41 (4:09.85a) and classmate Colin Dwyer took eighth in 4:16.92 (4:11.33a).
Prior to his leg of the 4x400-meter relay, Rhoads was involved in a major collision during the 800-meter run, as three runners got tangled on the first turn of the final lap. After tumbling off the track, the senior got to his feet and quickly caught up to the pack, picking off a few runners and collecting points for the Falcons with a fifth-place time of 1:54.90.
Air Force tallied 134.50 points to finish second in the conference standings, marking the fifth-straight year that they've finished within the top two at the indoor meet. Colorado State earned a narrow 14.5 victory over the Falcons to earn the conference title (149), while New Mexico finished third with 120 points. Utah State scored 95.50 points to finish fourth and the trio of Wyoming (fifth, 78), Boise State (sixth, 62) and San Jose State (seventh, 14) completed the men's conference field.
The indoor season comes to a close on March 13-14, as the top athletes in the nation return to Albuquerque for the 2020 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. A complete list of qualifiers will be announced next week.
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