Falcons Have Strong Start to Outdoor Season

PUEBLO, Colo. – Highlighted by 15 first-place finishes and 11 additions to the Academy Record Book, the Air Force track and field team had a strong start to the outdoor season this weekend at the Dr. Dan Caprioglio Early Bird Invitational in Pueblo.

AIR FORCE TOP-10 MARKS
No. 2 – Taylor Rioux, 200-Meter Dash (24.51)
No. 4 – Cooper Stroka, Hammer Throw (202'3")
No. 8 – Jacqui Spencer, 100-Meter Hurdles (14.59)
No. 9 – Javin Bostic, 100-Meter Dash (10.55)
No. 9 – Texas Tanner, Shot Put (55'7¾")

Sophomore Taylor Rioux headlined the Falcons' list of improvements to the program's all-time standings, as she raced to a winning, career-best time of 24.51 in the 200-meter dash – the second-fastest time in Academy history and a mark that broke the program's 10-year-old Sophomore Class Record. Rioux, who won the 16-runner event by one second, was joined in the event's top-four by freshman Jacqui Spencer, who clocked the 18th-fastest time with in Air Force history with an outdoor debut of 25.77. It was one of two strong performances for the freshman, who also debuted at No. 8 on the program's all-time standings in the 100-meter hurdles after clocking a winning 14.59 earlier in the day.

The men accounted for three Top 10 marks, highlighted by a winning 202'3" throw from sophomore Cooper Stroka. Recording the first 200-foot throw by a sophomore in Air Force history, Stroka easily won the meet by more than 20 feet, while crushing the Class Record by eight feet and debuting at No. 4 on the program's all-time standings. Classmate Javin Bostic clocked the ninth-fastest 100-meter time in program history (10.55) to win that event, while freshman Texas Tanner broke his own Freshman Class Record in the shot put (55'7¾") to finish second in the meet and debut at No. 9 on the Academy's all-time list.

Sophomore newcomer Mikaela Flores recorded the 20th-best javelin distance in Academy history with a 132'3" to win her first collegiate event. Flores led the Falcons to a pair of top-five finishes (classmate Nadja Wilson, fourth at 120'11") and a sweep of the event titles as fellow sophomore Keith Oswald won the men's javelin with a toss of 192'0". Junior Brandon Lindner won the long jump with the 19th-best leap in Air Force history (23'2¾"), while freshman India Jones placed third in the 1500-meter run (4:38.69) and used an altitude-adjusted time of 4:33.09 to debut at No. 21 on the all-time list.

Backed by Bostic's winning 10.55, Air Force placed three in the top-four of the 17-sprinter 100-meter event. Junior Jackson Connelly added a 10.86 to take second, while senior Jacob Trach finished fourth in 11.00. Connelly and Track also picked up top-four marks in the 200-meter dash, with Connelly posting a winning 21.33 and Trach finishing fourth in 21.99.

Senior Aaliyah Ricketts paced the women to three of the top-four marks in the long jump, as she used a winning leap of 17'8¾" to lead classmate Katie Van Havel (second, 17'0") and sophomore Jessie Boult (fourth, 16'5") in the standings, while junior Philip Hundl posted a time of 14.77 to win the 110-meter hurdles and pace a pair of junior decathletes to top-five finishes (Braeden Holcombe: fourth, 15.15; Brian Hubbard: fifth, 15.64).

Senior Jace Pittman (163'7") led Air Force to a 1-2 finish in the discus throw (Tanner, 155'4"), while junior Kasarah Hernandez (11'0¾") and Caiden Macktinger (15'7¾") led their teammates in an Air Force-centric pole vault competition. Sophomore Jalan Rivers cleared 6'8¼" to win the high jump, while junior Ava Gilliana recorded the 14th-best 800-meter time in program history (2:13.65a) to finish as the top collegiate in the 23-runner event (second overall).

Freshman Shayla Padilla earned runner-up honors in the women's high jump (5'2¼"), while freshman Ashton Higgerson (third, 4:00.29) and sophomore Jason Renze (fifth, 4:00.50) captured top-five marks in the 54-runner 1500-meter event.

Some Falcons return to the ThunderBowl at CSU Pueblo next weekend (March 24-25) for the Spank Blasing Invitational, while the rest of the team heads to San Diego for the Aztec Invitational.

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Players Mentioned

Javin Bostic

Jessie Boult

Jackson Connelly

Mikaela Flores

Ava Gilliana

Kasarah Hernandez

Ashton Higgerson

Braeden Holcombe

Brian Hubbard

Philip Hundl

India Jones

Brandon Lindner

Caiden Macktinger

Keith Oswald

Shayla Padilla

Jace Pittman

Jason Renze

Aaliyah Ricketts

Taylor Rioux

Jalan Rivers

Jacqui Spencer

Cooper Stroka

Texas Tanner

Jacob Trach

Katie Van Havel

Nadja Wilson

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