Thursday, January 21
USAFA
12:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Air Force Invitational
Photo by: Sarah Goldblum
Track & Field Set to Host Air Force Invitational
1/19/2021 4:56:00 PM | Track and Field
The Falcons will welcome 13 teams to the Cadet Field House on Jan. 21-23.
The track and field team returns to action this week to host the 31st-annual Air Force Invitational. The multi-event athletes open the three-day home meet with the heptathlon and pentathlon on Thursday, Jan. 21, while the rest of the squad takes to the Cadet Field House Indoor Track on Friday (Jan. 22) and Saturday (Jan. 23).
MEET INFORMATION
The annual Invitational, which will be held at the Academy's Cadet Field House for the 31st-straight year, features a strong lineup of collegiate teams from Air Force, BYU, California, Colorado, Colorado Christian, Colorado State, Nevada, Northern Colorado, Southern Utah, Stephen F Austin, UCCS, UNLV, Weber State and Wyoming. A full schedule of events is listed below. Live results and a live video feed will be available via GoAirForceFalcons.com (a direct link is available on the team's schedule page and will update once the first results are entered), while in-meet updates and highlights will be posted on the team's official Twitter page (@af_tfxc).
NOTICE FOR SPECTATORS
Due to COVID restrictions at the Academy, spectators will be not be allowed for Air Force track and field meets.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Women will compete first in all running events. THURSDAY – 12:00 p.m.: Men's Heptathlon, Day 1 (60-Meter Dash, Long Jump, Shot Put, High Jump); 12:15 p.m.: Women's Pentathlon (60-Meter Hurdles, High Jump, Shot Put, Long Jump, 800-Meter Run); FRIDAY – 9:00 a.m.: Men's Heptathlon, Day 2 (60-Meter Hurdles, Pole Vault, 1000-Meter Run); 9:00 a.m.: Women's Weight Throw; 10:00 a.m.: Men's High Jump; 12:30 p.m.: Men's Weight Throw; 1:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Hurdles (qualifying); 1:00 p.m.: Women's Pole Vault; 1:30: Women's Long Jump; 1:40 p.m.: 60-Meter Dash (qualifying); 2:40 p.m.: 60-Meter Hurdles (semifinals – women only); 3:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Dash (qualifying); 3:30 p.m.: 400-Meter Dash (qualifying); 4:00 p.m.: Men's Long Jump; 4:30 p.m.: 200-Meter Dash (qualifying); SATURDAY – 9:00 a.m.: Men's Shot Put; 10:00 a.m.: Women's High Jump; 11:30 p.m.: Women's Shot Put; 12:00 p.m.: Mile Run; 1:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Hurdles; 1:30 p.m.: 400-Meter Dash; 1:30 p.m.: Women's Triple Jump; 2:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Dash; 2:20 p.m.: 800-Meter Run; 2:30 p.m.: Men's Pole Vault; 3:00 p.m.: Men's Triple Jump; 3:20 p.m.: 200-Meter Dash; 3:50 p.m.: 3000-Meter Run; 4:35 p.m.: Mile Relay
FUN FACT
Air Force boasts four sets of siblings on its 2020-21 roster – Ryan and Scott Johnson, AJ and Aric Kedge, Scott and Sean Maison, and Erika and Kristina Willis.
WHAT. A. START.
Katie Thompson had quite the debut for the Falcons during the Air Force Holiday Intrasquad in December, as she broke the program's 35-year-old standard on her first attempt – and proceeded to improve that mark two more times during her four-jump series. After surpassing Cathy Roberts' previous 1985 mark by nearly an inch in her collegiate debut (18'11¾"), Thompson added a distance of 19'1¼" before finishing the day with a career-best clearance of 19'2¾". The freshman wasn't done impacting the Academy standings either, as she also accounted for the eighth-fastest hurdles time in program history with an 8.92 performance.
INDOORS, OUTDOORS ... DOESN'T MATTER
The long jump was one of two Academy records to fall during the Falcons' opening weekend of the 2020-21 season, as Maria Mettler crushed Air Force's 10,000-meter record with a winning performance of 32:09.37 at The Sound Running Track Meet in California. Competing in the first 10K of her career, Mettler knocked 18.78 seconds from the previous Academy standard and deleted 37.88 seconds off the program's four-year-old Senior Class Record. With that time, Mettler secured a place in that event at the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials.
DID YOU KNOW?
At one point in 2020, the Academy was responsible for the two fastest 10,000-meter times in the United States. Maria Mettler's time of 32:09.37 at The Track Meet bettered the previous national lead of 32:10.31 that former Falcon Jaci Smith clocked at the Big City Invitational in October.
HOME SWEET HOME
A total of 15 Falcons hail from the state of Colorado, including six from the Colorado Springs/Monument area – Braeden Holcombe, Drew Lester, Maria Mettler, Aaliyah Ricketts, Erika Willis and Kristina Willis. The squad's Centennial State roster also includes individuals from Aurora (Jackson Connelly, Caitlin McDonnell), Brighton (Cameron Harris), Highlands Ranch (Luke Arkell), Littleton (Connor Ohlson), Longmont (Ben Bi), Parker (Ryan Johnson, Scott Johnson) and Sterling (Jace Pittman).
LOOK WHO'S BACK
Air Force's roster includes one indoor All-American (Maria Mettler: 5000-meter run in 2020), four Mountain West Indoor champions (Zachary Dicken: 400-meter dash in 2019; Mitch Lipe: pole vault in 2020; Maria Mettler: 3000-meter run in 2020, 5000-meter run in 2019; Wyatt Murphy: heptathlon in 2020) and two members of winning 4x400-meter relays (Dicken in 2018 and 2019, Luke Zuluaga in 2019). The squad's indoor lineup also includes two Academy record holders – Aubrey Ridgeway (200-meter dash), Mahala Norris (mile run) – and members of three record-setting relay teams – men's 4x400-meter relay (Dicken), women's 4x400-meter relay (Ridgeway), women's distance medley relay (Norris).
COMING UP
The Falcons head out on the road next weekend, when they travel to Lubbock for the annual Texas Tech Invitational on Jan. 29-30.
MEET INFORMATION
The annual Invitational, which will be held at the Academy's Cadet Field House for the 31st-straight year, features a strong lineup of collegiate teams from Air Force, BYU, California, Colorado, Colorado Christian, Colorado State, Nevada, Northern Colorado, Southern Utah, Stephen F Austin, UCCS, UNLV, Weber State and Wyoming. A full schedule of events is listed below. Live results and a live video feed will be available via GoAirForceFalcons.com (a direct link is available on the team's schedule page and will update once the first results are entered), while in-meet updates and highlights will be posted on the team's official Twitter page (@af_tfxc).
NOTICE FOR SPECTATORS
Due to COVID restrictions at the Academy, spectators will be not be allowed for Air Force track and field meets.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Women will compete first in all running events. THURSDAY – 12:00 p.m.: Men's Heptathlon, Day 1 (60-Meter Dash, Long Jump, Shot Put, High Jump); 12:15 p.m.: Women's Pentathlon (60-Meter Hurdles, High Jump, Shot Put, Long Jump, 800-Meter Run); FRIDAY – 9:00 a.m.: Men's Heptathlon, Day 2 (60-Meter Hurdles, Pole Vault, 1000-Meter Run); 9:00 a.m.: Women's Weight Throw; 10:00 a.m.: Men's High Jump; 12:30 p.m.: Men's Weight Throw; 1:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Hurdles (qualifying); 1:00 p.m.: Women's Pole Vault; 1:30: Women's Long Jump; 1:40 p.m.: 60-Meter Dash (qualifying); 2:40 p.m.: 60-Meter Hurdles (semifinals – women only); 3:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Dash (qualifying); 3:30 p.m.: 400-Meter Dash (qualifying); 4:00 p.m.: Men's Long Jump; 4:30 p.m.: 200-Meter Dash (qualifying); SATURDAY – 9:00 a.m.: Men's Shot Put; 10:00 a.m.: Women's High Jump; 11:30 p.m.: Women's Shot Put; 12:00 p.m.: Mile Run; 1:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Hurdles; 1:30 p.m.: 400-Meter Dash; 1:30 p.m.: Women's Triple Jump; 2:00 p.m.: 60-Meter Dash; 2:20 p.m.: 800-Meter Run; 2:30 p.m.: Men's Pole Vault; 3:00 p.m.: Men's Triple Jump; 3:20 p.m.: 200-Meter Dash; 3:50 p.m.: 3000-Meter Run; 4:35 p.m.: Mile Relay
FUN FACT
Air Force boasts four sets of siblings on its 2020-21 roster – Ryan and Scott Johnson, AJ and Aric Kedge, Scott and Sean Maison, and Erika and Kristina Willis.
WHAT. A. START.
Katie Thompson had quite the debut for the Falcons during the Air Force Holiday Intrasquad in December, as she broke the program's 35-year-old standard on her first attempt – and proceeded to improve that mark two more times during her four-jump series. After surpassing Cathy Roberts' previous 1985 mark by nearly an inch in her collegiate debut (18'11¾"), Thompson added a distance of 19'1¼" before finishing the day with a career-best clearance of 19'2¾". The freshman wasn't done impacting the Academy standings either, as she also accounted for the eighth-fastest hurdles time in program history with an 8.92 performance.
INDOORS, OUTDOORS ... DOESN'T MATTER
The long jump was one of two Academy records to fall during the Falcons' opening weekend of the 2020-21 season, as Maria Mettler crushed Air Force's 10,000-meter record with a winning performance of 32:09.37 at The Sound Running Track Meet in California. Competing in the first 10K of her career, Mettler knocked 18.78 seconds from the previous Academy standard and deleted 37.88 seconds off the program's four-year-old Senior Class Record. With that time, Mettler secured a place in that event at the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials.
DID YOU KNOW?
At one point in 2020, the Academy was responsible for the two fastest 10,000-meter times in the United States. Maria Mettler's time of 32:09.37 at The Track Meet bettered the previous national lead of 32:10.31 that former Falcon Jaci Smith clocked at the Big City Invitational in October.
HOME SWEET HOME
A total of 15 Falcons hail from the state of Colorado, including six from the Colorado Springs/Monument area – Braeden Holcombe, Drew Lester, Maria Mettler, Aaliyah Ricketts, Erika Willis and Kristina Willis. The squad's Centennial State roster also includes individuals from Aurora (Jackson Connelly, Caitlin McDonnell), Brighton (Cameron Harris), Highlands Ranch (Luke Arkell), Littleton (Connor Ohlson), Longmont (Ben Bi), Parker (Ryan Johnson, Scott Johnson) and Sterling (Jace Pittman).
LOOK WHO'S BACK
Air Force's roster includes one indoor All-American (Maria Mettler: 5000-meter run in 2020), four Mountain West Indoor champions (Zachary Dicken: 400-meter dash in 2019; Mitch Lipe: pole vault in 2020; Maria Mettler: 3000-meter run in 2020, 5000-meter run in 2019; Wyatt Murphy: heptathlon in 2020) and two members of winning 4x400-meter relays (Dicken in 2018 and 2019, Luke Zuluaga in 2019). The squad's indoor lineup also includes two Academy record holders – Aubrey Ridgeway (200-meter dash), Mahala Norris (mile run) – and members of three record-setting relay teams – men's 4x400-meter relay (Dicken), women's 4x400-meter relay (Ridgeway), women's distance medley relay (Norris).
COMING UP
The Falcons head out on the road next weekend, when they travel to Lubbock for the annual Texas Tech Invitational on Jan. 29-30.
Players Mentioned
100m / 200m
/ Track and Field
1500m / 5000m
/ Track and Field
100m / 200m
/ Track and Field
400m
/ Track and Field
110m Hurdles / 400m Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Long Jump / Decathlon
/ Track and Field
1500m / 5000m
/ Track and Field
1500m
/ Track and Field
800m
/ Track and Field
1500m
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
1500m / 5000m
/ Track and Field
1500m / 5000m
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
/ Track and Field
800m / 1500m
/ Track and Field
1500m / 800m
/ Track and Field
Discus / Hammer
/ Track and Field
Long Jump / Triple Jump
/ Track and Field
400m / 200m
/ Track and Field
5000m / 10,000m
/ Track and Field
Long Jump / 100m Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
400m / 200m
/ Track and FieldRyan Cole Interview - August 26th, 2025
Tuesday, August 26
Ryan Cole Interview March 11, 2025
Tuesday, March 11
Ryan Cole Interview May 20, 2024
Monday, May 20
Ryan Cole Interview - May 20, 2024
Monday, May 20
