Falcons Kick Off Action at Air Force Invitational

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Backed by several new faces to the Falcons' combined event lineup, seven members of the track and field team kicked off the 2021 Air Force Invitational this afternoon (Jan. 21) at the Academy's Cadet Field House.

Freshman Katie Thompson led a trio of women in the program's first pentathlon since 2017, tallying 2839 points to finish eighth out of 17 competitors in her initial combined meet – and the only final of the day. The first-year Falcon picked up top-three marks in the 60-meter hurdles (9.09) and long jump (17'10¼"), while adding a distance of 29'7¼" in the shot put and debut marks in the high jump (4'9½") and 800-meter run (3:17.09).

Classmate Alexxis Brown combined for 2675 points to finish 10th, while junior Kendra Middleton, who competed primarily in the high jump during her first two seasons, placed 13th with 2308 points. Brown posted career-best marks in the 60-meter hurdles (9.33) and shot put (30'10½"), while adding a distance of 16'6" in the long jump and recording debut marks in the high jump (4'7") and 800-meter run (3:11.89). Middleton improved her personal-best marks in the 60-meter hurdles (11.09), shot put (24'11¼") and long jump (15'2¼"), while clearing 5'1" in the high jump and clocking a time of 3:10.56 in her 800-meter debut.

On the men's side, freshman Philip Hundl led a quartet of Falcons in the heptathlon, posting a score of 2617 to sit in seventh after the first four events. In addition to a clearance of 6'4¼" in the high jump, Hundl added debut marks of 7.29 in the 60-meter dash, 20'8½" in the long jump and 29'9½" in the shot put. Tyler Gurchiek, competing in just his second meet since last year's Air Force Invitational, is also in the top 10 after four events with 2538 points (10th). The senior tallied personal-best marks in the 60-meter dash (7.29), shot put (35'2½") and high jump (6'0¾"), while adding a distance of 19'2¾" in the long jump.

Freshmen Brian Hubbard and Braeden Holcombe are 13th (2491) and 15th (2153), respectively, after the opening day of competition. Hubbard kicked off the meet with a runner-up time in the 60-meter dash (7.16), before adding marks of 21'3¼" in the long jump (career best), 33'7¼" in the shot put and 5'3¼" in the high jump. Holcombe also accounted for a career-best mark in the long jump with a distance of 21'8¾" and added debut marks in the 60-meter dash (7.44) and high jump (6'2").

The men return to the Field House tomorrow (Jan. 22) morning to complete the heptathlon, while the women's weight throw kicks off the individual event competition at the same time (9:00 a.m. MT).

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