Pair Impacts Air Force’s Top 10 in Boston Opener

BOSTON - Air Force senior Luke Combs and junior Tiaree Towler had a strong start to the 2023-24 track and field season today (Dec. 2) in Boston, as the pair recorded Academy Top 10 times in the prestigious 5000-meter run event at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.

AIR FORCE TOP 10 MARKS

No. 2 – Luke Combs, 5000-Meter Run (13:32.08)

No. 7 – Tiaree Towler, 5000-Meter Run (16:35.89)

After missing his junior season with injury, Combs made a triumphant return to the track this evening, as he clocked a career-best time of 13:32.08 to account for the second-fastest time in program history. Competing in his first indoor 5000-meter race, the cross country All-American finished eighth in his heat and became just the second Falcon to run a sub 13:40 indoors. At the conclusion of the 10-heat event that featured more than 200 collegiate and professional runners, Combs' time was 20th among collegiate runners and 28th overall.

In the very next heat, classmate Eli Bennett used a strong finish to take down several runners on the final lap and place second in his 21-runner heat. The senior crossed the finish line in a season-opening time of 13:49.69 – the second-fastest indoor 5K of his career. Junior Jason Renze continued the men's impressive performances in Boston, as he added his name to the Falcons' extended rankings in the ninth heat. Clocking a fourth-place time of 14:10.76 in his first 5000-meter race, Renze debuted at No. 21 on the program's all-time standings.

On the women's side, Towler recorded the seventh-fastest 5000-meter time in Air Force history during her race around Boston's Track and Tennis Center. Deleting nearly 14 seconds from her previous best time, Towler crossed the finish line in 16:35.89 to place sixth in her heat and move up to No. 7 on the program's all-time standings.

In addition, a handful of sophomores made their indoor debut in the 5000-meter distance during the morning session of the opener. Jayden Nats clocked a time of 14:15.68 to finish fifth out of 50 runners in the two-heat unseeded section, while Brenton Maddox added a top-10 time (10th) after crossing the finish line in 14:19.46.

The rest of the Falcons' track and field team kick off the 2023-24 season next Friday (Dec. 8), when they host the Air Force Holiday Opener at the Cadet Field House. Action is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. (MT).

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