Photo by: Justin Tafoya, NCAA Photos
Falcons Tally Program-Record Haul of Awards
3/8/2021 5:36:00 PM | Cross Country
Air Force earned all three major MW awards, as well as eight all-conference honors.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Following an impressive day of running at last week's Mountain West Cross Country Championships, Air Force earned a program-record haul of accolades from the conference office.
Senior Mahala Norris became the first Air Force recipient of the Mountain West Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year award – after becoming the Academy's first-ever female cross country conference champion. Norris posted a time of 19:57.7 – the fourth-fastest championship 6K in Mountain West history – to better the 86-runner field that included two top-12 teams by nearly five seconds. Norris, who finished fourth last season, also captured all-conference honors for the second-straight year and became just the third Falcon to earn first-team (top-seven) status in multiple years.
By recording the highest placement by a true freshman on the Craig Ranch Regional course, Luke Combs earned the Mountain West's Freshman of the Year award. Combs, who clocked an 8K time of 23:51.5 to finished sixth in the 67-runner championship field, became the second member of the men's team to capture that award – joining sophomore Ryan Johnson, who earned the award last year.
Ryan Cole wrapped up the Falcons' list of major award winners, as he was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year for the third time in his seven years with the team. Cole, who previously earned the award in 2015 (men) and 2016 (women), claimed this year's honor after guiding the men to seven of the top 13 individual finishes and the team title.
The men, who captured their third Mountain West title by placing all five scoring runners in the top nine, boasted a program-best seven all-conference honorees. Sophomore Sam Gilman (second 23:39.2), Johnson (fifth, 23:49.8), Combs (sixth, 23:51.5) and senior Scott Johnson (seventh, 23:52.9) claimed first-team status by placing within the top seven, while sophomore Scott Maison (ninth, 24:56.7), junior Ryan Ioanidis (11th, 24:01.6) and classmate Will Kitzhaber (13th, 24:05.2) nabbed second-team honors by finishing eighth through 14th. It is the first all-conference honor for six of the seven men, as Kitzhaber claimed all-MW accolades for the second-straight year.
CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS
Mountain West Women's Athlete of the Year: Mahala Norris
Mountain West Men's Freshman of the Year: Luke Combs
Mountain West Men's Head Coach of the Year: Ryan Cole
All-Conference First Team: Mahala Norris, Sam Gilman, Ryan Johnson, Luke Combs, Scott Johnson
All-Conference Second Team: Scott Maison, Ryan Ioanidis, Will Kitzhaber
Senior Mahala Norris became the first Air Force recipient of the Mountain West Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year award – after becoming the Academy's first-ever female cross country conference champion. Norris posted a time of 19:57.7 – the fourth-fastest championship 6K in Mountain West history – to better the 86-runner field that included two top-12 teams by nearly five seconds. Norris, who finished fourth last season, also captured all-conference honors for the second-straight year and became just the third Falcon to earn first-team (top-seven) status in multiple years.
By recording the highest placement by a true freshman on the Craig Ranch Regional course, Luke Combs earned the Mountain West's Freshman of the Year award. Combs, who clocked an 8K time of 23:51.5 to finished sixth in the 67-runner championship field, became the second member of the men's team to capture that award – joining sophomore Ryan Johnson, who earned the award last year.
Ryan Cole wrapped up the Falcons' list of major award winners, as he was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year for the third time in his seven years with the team. Cole, who previously earned the award in 2015 (men) and 2016 (women), claimed this year's honor after guiding the men to seven of the top 13 individual finishes and the team title.
The men, who captured their third Mountain West title by placing all five scoring runners in the top nine, boasted a program-best seven all-conference honorees. Sophomore Sam Gilman (second 23:39.2), Johnson (fifth, 23:49.8), Combs (sixth, 23:51.5) and senior Scott Johnson (seventh, 23:52.9) claimed first-team status by placing within the top seven, while sophomore Scott Maison (ninth, 24:56.7), junior Ryan Ioanidis (11th, 24:01.6) and classmate Will Kitzhaber (13th, 24:05.2) nabbed second-team honors by finishing eighth through 14th. It is the first all-conference honor for six of the seven men, as Kitzhaber claimed all-MW accolades for the second-straight year.
CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS
Mountain West Women's Athlete of the Year: Mahala Norris
Mountain West Men's Freshman of the Year: Luke Combs
Mountain West Men's Head Coach of the Year: Ryan Cole
All-Conference First Team: Mahala Norris, Sam Gilman, Ryan Johnson, Luke Combs, Scott Johnson
All-Conference Second Team: Scott Maison, Ryan Ioanidis, Will Kitzhaber
Players Mentioned
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