Wednesday, May 11
Clovis, CA
4:30 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
MW Championships
Air Force Set for Mountain West Championships
5/10/2022 4:37:00 PM | Track and Field
The four-day conference championships will be held in Clovis, Calif., on May 11-14.
Championship season begins for the Air Force track and field team this week, as it travels to Clovis, Calif., for the 2022 Mountain West Outdoor Championships. The four-day meet gets underway on Wednesday, May 11, and continues through Saturday, May 14, at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
MEET INFORMATION
The 2022 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held May 11-14 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif. (1560 N. Minnewawa Ave). Competition begins for the Falcons at 4:00 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday. A complete schedule of events can be found here. Admission is free on Wednesday, while tickets for Thursday, Friday and Saturday can be purchased on the "Tickets" tab at GoBulldogs.com. For fans unable to attend, the meet will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network – and MW app, while real-time results will be available through Record Timing and updates and highlights will be posted to Air Force's social media sites (#af_tfxc) throughout the week.
WHO'S WHO
The Mountain West Outdoor Championships will feature 11 women's teams (Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming) and the men's teams from Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State, Utah State and Wyoming.
A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON
The men have captured five of the last nine team titles at the outdoor championships (2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018). Individually, the Falcons have been at the top of the MW Outdoor medal podium 94 times, highlighted by a program-best eight conference titles at the 2015 meet. Jamiel Trimble is the Falcons' most decorated MW Outdoor champion, having won five individual titles and ran on three winning 4x100-meter relay teams. Highlighted by a program-best 27 top-three finishes in 2017, the Falcons have accounted for 303 all-conference selections. Air Force currently holds six of the conference's Championship Meet Records, including the 200-meter dash (Trimble, 20.33 in 2017), 1500-Meter Run (Sam Gilman, 3:40.44 in 2021), 5000-meter run (Mahala Norris, 15:39.13 in 2021), 3000-meter steeplechase (Norris, 9:44.10 in 2021), pole vault (Cale Simmons, 18'1¾" in 2012) and javelin throw (Dana Pounds, 195'8" in 2006).
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Six individuals – Sam Gilman (men's 5000-meter run, 13:33.26), Ryan Ioanidis (men's 10,000-meter run – 28:44.03), Jake Hall (men's high jump, 6'11"), Ari Martinez (women's high jump, 5'10"), Ethan Gardner (men's pole vault, 16'10¾") and Jaret Prete (men's hammer throw, 205'0") – concluded the regular season with conference-leading marks in their respective events, while Air Force also holds a MW-best time in the men's 4x100-meter relay (40.12). In all, the Falcons hold 35 top-marks in the conference standings.
AIR FORCE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Sam Gilman is ranked 27th in the NCAA at 5000 meters after clocking a 13:33.26 at the Mt SAC Relays, while Ari Martinez (43rd in the high jump, 5'10"), Ryan Ioanidis (44th in the 10,000-meter run, 28:44.03), Bryce Lentz (49th in the 3000-meter steeplechase, 8:49.11) and Wyatt Murphy (50th in the decathlon, 6990 points) are all ranked among the nation's Top 50.
SQUAD GOALS
Two Air Force teams are ranked among the nation's top 10 in the May 9 edition of the USTFCCCA #EventSquad rankings, as the 400-meter hurdles quartet of Darek Hackett, La'akea Aiu, Cameron Breier and Charles Whitcomb are seventh with a combined-best time of 3:31.75, and the high jump foursome of Jake Hall, Jalan Rivers, Collin Schulz and Philip Hundl are ranked eighth with a combined clearance of 27'0¼".
SENIOR SALUTE
The Falcons honored 33 members of their Senior Class at the conclusion of the Air Force Twilight Open on May 6. The Class of 2022 includes La'akea Aiu, Garrett Blenkush, Will Broadus, Ryan Brown, Calvin Ciganik, Charles Dimnwaobi, Mikayla Gallagher, Ethan Gardner, Sean Geither, Jake Hall, Ryan Ioanidis, AJ Kedge, Kristin Kerrigan, Jenna Kill, Will Kitzhaber, Ari Martinez, Wyatt Murphy, Brid O'Connell, Nick Oesterling, Jarod Pankau, Frankie Porambo, Grace Proesch, Michelle Roca, Frank Rossi, LaShawn Taylor, Adrianna Wilder, Erika Willis, Joseph Wittig and Matt Zacharias, as well as managers Chris Floyd, Vanya McKinney, Jacob Pitman and Dan Walker.
REMEMBERING COACH LINDEMAN
Head coach Ralph Lindeman passed away unexpectedly on March 6, 2022, during his 33rd season with the Falcons. From the moment he stepped onto the Academy track in 1989, Air Force benefitted from his leadership and love of coaching. He coached 10 conference championship teams during his distinguished tenure, while Lindeman-coached athletes accounted for eight NCAA titles, more than 200 conference championships and nearly 700 academic all-conference honors.
ON DECK
Air Force returns to action on May 25-28, when select members of the team head to Arkansas for the preliminary round of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The list of accepted entries for the meet, which will be held at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, will be announced at a later date.
MEET INFORMATION
The 2022 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held May 11-14 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif. (1560 N. Minnewawa Ave). Competition begins for the Falcons at 4:00 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday. A complete schedule of events can be found here. Admission is free on Wednesday, while tickets for Thursday, Friday and Saturday can be purchased on the "Tickets" tab at GoBulldogs.com. For fans unable to attend, the meet will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network – and MW app, while real-time results will be available through Record Timing and updates and highlights will be posted to Air Force's social media sites (#af_tfxc) throughout the week.
WHO'S WHO
The Mountain West Outdoor Championships will feature 11 women's teams (Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming) and the men's teams from Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State, Utah State and Wyoming.
A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON
The men have captured five of the last nine team titles at the outdoor championships (2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018). Individually, the Falcons have been at the top of the MW Outdoor medal podium 94 times, highlighted by a program-best eight conference titles at the 2015 meet. Jamiel Trimble is the Falcons' most decorated MW Outdoor champion, having won five individual titles and ran on three winning 4x100-meter relay teams. Highlighted by a program-best 27 top-three finishes in 2017, the Falcons have accounted for 303 all-conference selections. Air Force currently holds six of the conference's Championship Meet Records, including the 200-meter dash (Trimble, 20.33 in 2017), 1500-Meter Run (Sam Gilman, 3:40.44 in 2021), 5000-meter run (Mahala Norris, 15:39.13 in 2021), 3000-meter steeplechase (Norris, 9:44.10 in 2021), pole vault (Cale Simmons, 18'1¾" in 2012) and javelin throw (Dana Pounds, 195'8" in 2006).
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Six individuals – Sam Gilman (men's 5000-meter run, 13:33.26), Ryan Ioanidis (men's 10,000-meter run – 28:44.03), Jake Hall (men's high jump, 6'11"), Ari Martinez (women's high jump, 5'10"), Ethan Gardner (men's pole vault, 16'10¾") and Jaret Prete (men's hammer throw, 205'0") – concluded the regular season with conference-leading marks in their respective events, while Air Force also holds a MW-best time in the men's 4x100-meter relay (40.12). In all, the Falcons hold 35 top-marks in the conference standings.
AIR FORCE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Sam Gilman is ranked 27th in the NCAA at 5000 meters after clocking a 13:33.26 at the Mt SAC Relays, while Ari Martinez (43rd in the high jump, 5'10"), Ryan Ioanidis (44th in the 10,000-meter run, 28:44.03), Bryce Lentz (49th in the 3000-meter steeplechase, 8:49.11) and Wyatt Murphy (50th in the decathlon, 6990 points) are all ranked among the nation's Top 50.
SQUAD GOALS
Two Air Force teams are ranked among the nation's top 10 in the May 9 edition of the USTFCCCA #EventSquad rankings, as the 400-meter hurdles quartet of Darek Hackett, La'akea Aiu, Cameron Breier and Charles Whitcomb are seventh with a combined-best time of 3:31.75, and the high jump foursome of Jake Hall, Jalan Rivers, Collin Schulz and Philip Hundl are ranked eighth with a combined clearance of 27'0¼".
SENIOR SALUTE
The Falcons honored 33 members of their Senior Class at the conclusion of the Air Force Twilight Open on May 6. The Class of 2022 includes La'akea Aiu, Garrett Blenkush, Will Broadus, Ryan Brown, Calvin Ciganik, Charles Dimnwaobi, Mikayla Gallagher, Ethan Gardner, Sean Geither, Jake Hall, Ryan Ioanidis, AJ Kedge, Kristin Kerrigan, Jenna Kill, Will Kitzhaber, Ari Martinez, Wyatt Murphy, Brid O'Connell, Nick Oesterling, Jarod Pankau, Frankie Porambo, Grace Proesch, Michelle Roca, Frank Rossi, LaShawn Taylor, Adrianna Wilder, Erika Willis, Joseph Wittig and Matt Zacharias, as well as managers Chris Floyd, Vanya McKinney, Jacob Pitman and Dan Walker.
REMEMBERING COACH LINDEMAN
Head coach Ralph Lindeman passed away unexpectedly on March 6, 2022, during his 33rd season with the Falcons. From the moment he stepped onto the Academy track in 1989, Air Force benefitted from his leadership and love of coaching. He coached 10 conference championship teams during his distinguished tenure, while Lindeman-coached athletes accounted for eight NCAA titles, more than 200 conference championships and nearly 700 academic all-conference honors.
ON DECK
Air Force returns to action on May 25-28, when select members of the team head to Arkansas for the preliminary round of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The list of accepted entries for the meet, which will be held at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, will be announced at a later date.
Players Mentioned
110m Hurdles / 400m Hurdles
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800m
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400m / 400m Hurdles
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Pole Vault
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Pole Vault
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100m / 200m
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5000m / 10,000m
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Pole Vault
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400m / 200m
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1500m / 800m
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110m Hurdles / 400m Hurdles
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High Jump
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110m Hurdles / High Jump
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1500m / 5000m
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3000m Steeplechase
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Javelin
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800m / 1500m
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5000m / 10,000m
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1500m / 5000m
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High Jump
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Decathlon / 100m / Long Jump
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800m / 1500m
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800m / 400m
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Javelin
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Discus / Javelin
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Pole Vault
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Hammer / Discus / Shot Put
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200m / 400m
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High Jump
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400m Hurdles
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800m
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High Jump
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Triple Jump / Long Jump
/ Track and Field400m Hurdles / 110m Hurdles
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5000m
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
1500m / 5000m
/ Track and Field
3000m Steeplechase / 1500m
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