Falcons Sweep Athlete of the Week Awards
5/10/2022 3:02:00 PM | Track and Field
Grace Proesch, Ari Martinez and Taylor Rioux led Air Force to a sweep of the weekly MW honors.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Air Force swept the final weekly awards of the Mountain West Outdoor season this afternoon (May 10), as the conference office announced that senior Grace Proesch (Women's Track Athlete of the Week), senior Ari Martinez (Women's Field Athlete of the Week) and freshman Taylor Rioux (Women's Freshman of the Week) received the final honors of the 2022 campaign.
Proesch claimed her second award of the year – and the third of her career – following a stellar outing at the Air Force Twilight Open on May 6. The senior, competing in her final home meet at the Academy, accounted for the second-fastest 100-meter time (12.11) and third-fastest 200-meter time (24.63) in Air Force history. Currently ranked among the league's top 25 in both events, Proesch also reset the program's Senior Class Record that had stood since 2015.
Martinez cleared a career-best 5'10" in the high jump to take over the conference lead during a winning performance at the Twilight Open. The senior, who was named the league's top field athlete for the second time in her career, bettered her own career height twice in the meet, clearing 5'9¾" and 5'10" on her first attempt. That clearance is the second-highest mark in Academy history. In addition to leading the Mountain West, her clearance is tied for the 14th-best height in the nation.
Rioux captured her first weekly award from the conference office – and marked the 15th time this year Air Force has claimed a Freshman of the Week award – after recording the fourth-fastest 200-meter time in Academy history (24.64) at the Twilight Open. Rioux, who is ranked 23rd in the conference standings, also accounted for a new Air Force Freshman Class Record.
No men's awards were given this week due to a limited number of competing teams.
The Falcons travel to Clovis, Calif., this week for the 2022 Mountain West Outdoor Championships. The four-day meet will run from Wednesday, May 11, to Saturday, May 14, at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Proesch claimed her second award of the year – and the third of her career – following a stellar outing at the Air Force Twilight Open on May 6. The senior, competing in her final home meet at the Academy, accounted for the second-fastest 100-meter time (12.11) and third-fastest 200-meter time (24.63) in Air Force history. Currently ranked among the league's top 25 in both events, Proesch also reset the program's Senior Class Record that had stood since 2015.
Martinez cleared a career-best 5'10" in the high jump to take over the conference lead during a winning performance at the Twilight Open. The senior, who was named the league's top field athlete for the second time in her career, bettered her own career height twice in the meet, clearing 5'9¾" and 5'10" on her first attempt. That clearance is the second-highest mark in Academy history. In addition to leading the Mountain West, her clearance is tied for the 14th-best height in the nation.
Rioux captured her first weekly award from the conference office – and marked the 15th time this year Air Force has claimed a Freshman of the Week award – after recording the fourth-fastest 200-meter time in Academy history (24.64) at the Twilight Open. Rioux, who is ranked 23rd in the conference standings, also accounted for a new Air Force Freshman Class Record.
No men's awards were given this week due to a limited number of competing teams.
The Falcons travel to Clovis, Calif., this week for the 2022 Mountain West Outdoor Championships. The four-day meet will run from Wednesday, May 11, to Saturday, May 14, at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Players Mentioned
High Jump
/ Track and Field
200m / 400m
/ Track and Field
400m
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