
Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Falcons Set for Greeno/Dirksen Invitational
9/16/2021 10:14:00 PM | Cross Country
Air Force will send 13 runners to the annual meet, which will be held in Lincoln, Neb. on Sept 18.
The Air Force cross country team, which includes a men's squad that is receiving votes in the latest national coaches' poll, will send 13 runners to Lincoln, Neb., this Saturday (Sept. 18) for the 31st-annual Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational.
MEET INFORMATION
The Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational, a meet co-hosted by Nebraska and Nebraska Wesleyan, will take place at Mahoney Golf Course (7900 Adams Street) in Lincoln. The event will begin with a women's 5K at 9:00 a.m. – one hour earlier than originally scheduled due to forecasted heat and humidity – and followed by the men's 8K at 9:45 a.m. (CT). Admission is $5 per person (children 12-and-under are free) and spectators must enter the course from the parking lot at Mahoney Park.
WHO'S WHO
Eight NCAA Division I teams – Air Force (men: RV), Creighton, Iowa, Nebraska, Northern Colorado, Omaha, South Dakota, Wichita State – will comprise the Red Division for team scoring at the Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational, while 15 non-DI teams will run in the Gold Division and complete the overall field.
HISTORY 101
Air Force has competed at the Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational 14 times since 1999 and captured the team title in eight of those appearances. After tying with Nebraska for the championship at their first meet, the men have won seven more titles outright (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2016), while Ben Payne (2003), Abe Wengel (2004) and Jim Walmsley (2010, 2011) have captured individual first-place finishes. On the women's side, Air Force captured the team title in 2012 to help Air Force to the team sweep that year.
MEN CONTINUE TO RECEIVE VOTES IN USTFCCCA COACHES POLL
The Air Force men received 12 votes in the latest USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll, which was released on Sept. 15, to sit at No. 37 in the overall standings. The Falcons have now received a mention in the last 33 cross country polls – a stretch that dates back to the start of the 2017 season.
PETERS NAMED MW FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Lindsey Peters was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week on Sept. 7, becoming the first recipient of the new weekly award from the conference office. The first-year runner easily won her collegiate debut at the Air Force Open, completing the three-mile course around Monument Valley Park in 17:13.2 – a time that separated herself from the rest of the field by 12.3 seconds and marked the third-fastest time in Meet history.
THE NEXT COURSE
Air Force heads to Springfield, Ore., next Thursday (Sept. 23) for the Bill Dellinger Invitational.
MEET INFORMATION
The Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational, a meet co-hosted by Nebraska and Nebraska Wesleyan, will take place at Mahoney Golf Course (7900 Adams Street) in Lincoln. The event will begin with a women's 5K at 9:00 a.m. – one hour earlier than originally scheduled due to forecasted heat and humidity – and followed by the men's 8K at 9:45 a.m. (CT). Admission is $5 per person (children 12-and-under are free) and spectators must enter the course from the parking lot at Mahoney Park.
WHO'S WHO
Eight NCAA Division I teams – Air Force (men: RV), Creighton, Iowa, Nebraska, Northern Colorado, Omaha, South Dakota, Wichita State – will comprise the Red Division for team scoring at the Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational, while 15 non-DI teams will run in the Gold Division and complete the overall field.
HISTORY 101
Air Force has competed at the Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational 14 times since 1999 and captured the team title in eight of those appearances. After tying with Nebraska for the championship at their first meet, the men have won seven more titles outright (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2016), while Ben Payne (2003), Abe Wengel (2004) and Jim Walmsley (2010, 2011) have captured individual first-place finishes. On the women's side, Air Force captured the team title in 2012 to help Air Force to the team sweep that year.
MEN CONTINUE TO RECEIVE VOTES IN USTFCCCA COACHES POLL
The Air Force men received 12 votes in the latest USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll, which was released on Sept. 15, to sit at No. 37 in the overall standings. The Falcons have now received a mention in the last 33 cross country polls – a stretch that dates back to the start of the 2017 season.
PETERS NAMED MW FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Lindsey Peters was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week on Sept. 7, becoming the first recipient of the new weekly award from the conference office. The first-year runner easily won her collegiate debut at the Air Force Open, completing the three-mile course around Monument Valley Park in 17:13.2 – a time that separated herself from the rest of the field by 12.3 seconds and marked the third-fastest time in Meet history.
THE NEXT COURSE
Air Force heads to Springfield, Ore., next Thursday (Sept. 23) for the Bill Dellinger Invitational.
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