Saturday, April 8
Greeley, CO
9:00 am MT
Air Force Academy
at
Tom Benich Invitational
Photo by: Ross LaDue
Texas Tanner Leads Falcons at Tom Benich Invitational
4/8/2023 7:25:00 PM | Track and Field
GREELEY, Colo. – Highlighted by an Air Force Freshman Class Record and a pair of Top 10 all-time marks from first-year Falcon thrower Texas Tanner, the track and field team wrapped up a full day of competition at the Tom Benich Invitational this afternoon (April 8) in Greeley. Overall, the Falcons combined for eight first-place finishes and 10 improvements to the Academy's all-time standings.
AIR FORCE TOP-10 MARKS
No. 5 – Texas Tanner, Shot Put (56'7½")
No. 9 – Texas Tanner, Hammer Throw (194'1")
Tanner had a stellar day from the two throwing circles on the UNC campus. He opened the day with a third-place throw of 194'1" in the hammer – an 18-foot improvement that debuted the freshman at No. 9 on the program's all-time standings and added more than four feet to a Class Record that Dan Paladino had held since 2007. In his very next event, Tanner recorded an outdoor-best shot put distance of 56'7½" to finish second in the meet and move from 10th to fifth on the program's all-time standings.
Overall, the Falcons went 1-2-3-4-5 in the hammer throw. Sophomore Cooper Stroka won the 10-thrower event with a toss of 197'11", while senior Jaret Prete (195'5") and Tanner (194'1") rounded out the top three. Junior Gerrit Tamminga, who closed the meet with a career-best discus distance of 167'11" (No. 17 all-time), recorded a hammer throw of 190'9" to finish fourth in the day's first event and senior Jace Pittman recorded a career-best toss of 182'0" to debut at No. 24 on the Academy's all-time standings.
The Falcons saw two athletes collect Air Force Top 25 marks during first-place performances at Nottingham Field on Saturday. In her first-ever 400-meter race, junior Ava Gilliana clocked a 57.99 to easily win the event and debut in a tie for No. 20 on the program's all-time standings, while sophomore Collin Schulz recorded a personal-best high jump clearance of 6'8¾" to collect the first-place finish and move up one spot into a tie for No. 21 on the Academy's all-time list.
Freshmen swept the 1500-meter titles, as Ricky Fetterolf and Ashton Higgerson finished first in their respective events – and led classmates to multiple top-three finishes in both. Fetterolf (career-best 4:52.04) and Grace Dailey (4:52.78) went 1-2 in the women's race, while career-best performances from Higgerson (4:00.02) and Ethan Ashley (4:02.36) guided Air Force to a 1-3 finish in the men's race.
Junior Caiden Macktinger matched his season-best clearance of 16'0¾" to win the pole vault and pace the Falcons to three of the top-four spots in that event, as sophomore Ben Charlebois, in his first meet of the outdoor season, cleared 15'7" to finish second, and junior decathlete Brian Hubbard posted a career-best height of 14'1¼" to finish fourth.
Freshman Jacqui Spencer and junior Alexxis Brown rounded out the Falcons' individual event titles in the 100-meter hurdles (wind-aided 14.79) and hammer throw (career-best 125'3"), respectively.
Junior Kasarah Hernandez and freshman Nathalia Veal recorded matching career-best pole vault clearances of 11'3¾" to move into a tie for 23rd on the program's all-time standings, while freshman Ashley Johnson debuted in that same placement on the Academy's 100-meter standings after clocking a personal-best time of 12.74. The trio all finished within the top five of the two 11-competitor fields, as Hernandez and Johnson finished fourth in their respective events and Veal finished fifth based on attempts. On the men's side, senior Jacob Trach debuted in a tie for 24th on the 100-meter standings after clocking a career-best, runner-up time of 10.70.
Spencer added a runner-up time of 62.71 in the 400-meter hurdles, while Trach also earned a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash (wind-aided 21.86). Backed by season-best performances, junior John Colizzi collected third-place finishes in both the long jump (22'1¾") and triple jump (44'8"), while the Falcons claimed top-four marks in the javelin from junior Mikaela Flores (third, 117'7") and sophomore Nadja Wilson (fourth, 112'3"). Senior Stephanie Gregersen (fourth in the 800-meter run, season-best 2:17.35), junior Katie Thompson (fourth in the long jump, season-best 17'11½"), classmate Brian Hubbard (fourth in the 100-meter dash, personal-best 10.93), junior Amanda Fraga (fifth in the 400-meter dash, career-best 1:00.33) and fellow junior Braeden Holcombe (fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, career-best 14.69) also accounted for top-five finishes during the meet.
After a quick weekend in Colorado, the Falcons head back to California next week (April 13-15) for a pair of national competitions – the Bryan Clay Invitational (Azusa) and the Beach Invitational (Long Beach).
AIR FORCE TOP-10 MARKS
No. 5 – Texas Tanner, Shot Put (56'7½")
No. 9 – Texas Tanner, Hammer Throw (194'1")
Tanner had a stellar day from the two throwing circles on the UNC campus. He opened the day with a third-place throw of 194'1" in the hammer – an 18-foot improvement that debuted the freshman at No. 9 on the program's all-time standings and added more than four feet to a Class Record that Dan Paladino had held since 2007. In his very next event, Tanner recorded an outdoor-best shot put distance of 56'7½" to finish second in the meet and move from 10th to fifth on the program's all-time standings.
Overall, the Falcons went 1-2-3-4-5 in the hammer throw. Sophomore Cooper Stroka won the 10-thrower event with a toss of 197'11", while senior Jaret Prete (195'5") and Tanner (194'1") rounded out the top three. Junior Gerrit Tamminga, who closed the meet with a career-best discus distance of 167'11" (No. 17 all-time), recorded a hammer throw of 190'9" to finish fourth in the day's first event and senior Jace Pittman recorded a career-best toss of 182'0" to debut at No. 24 on the Academy's all-time standings.
The Falcons saw two athletes collect Air Force Top 25 marks during first-place performances at Nottingham Field on Saturday. In her first-ever 400-meter race, junior Ava Gilliana clocked a 57.99 to easily win the event and debut in a tie for No. 20 on the program's all-time standings, while sophomore Collin Schulz recorded a personal-best high jump clearance of 6'8¾" to collect the first-place finish and move up one spot into a tie for No. 21 on the Academy's all-time list.
Freshmen swept the 1500-meter titles, as Ricky Fetterolf and Ashton Higgerson finished first in their respective events – and led classmates to multiple top-three finishes in both. Fetterolf (career-best 4:52.04) and Grace Dailey (4:52.78) went 1-2 in the women's race, while career-best performances from Higgerson (4:00.02) and Ethan Ashley (4:02.36) guided Air Force to a 1-3 finish in the men's race.
Junior Caiden Macktinger matched his season-best clearance of 16'0¾" to win the pole vault and pace the Falcons to three of the top-four spots in that event, as sophomore Ben Charlebois, in his first meet of the outdoor season, cleared 15'7" to finish second, and junior decathlete Brian Hubbard posted a career-best height of 14'1¼" to finish fourth.
Freshman Jacqui Spencer and junior Alexxis Brown rounded out the Falcons' individual event titles in the 100-meter hurdles (wind-aided 14.79) and hammer throw (career-best 125'3"), respectively.
Junior Kasarah Hernandez and freshman Nathalia Veal recorded matching career-best pole vault clearances of 11'3¾" to move into a tie for 23rd on the program's all-time standings, while freshman Ashley Johnson debuted in that same placement on the Academy's 100-meter standings after clocking a personal-best time of 12.74. The trio all finished within the top five of the two 11-competitor fields, as Hernandez and Johnson finished fourth in their respective events and Veal finished fifth based on attempts. On the men's side, senior Jacob Trach debuted in a tie for 24th on the 100-meter standings after clocking a career-best, runner-up time of 10.70.
Spencer added a runner-up time of 62.71 in the 400-meter hurdles, while Trach also earned a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash (wind-aided 21.86). Backed by season-best performances, junior John Colizzi collected third-place finishes in both the long jump (22'1¾") and triple jump (44'8"), while the Falcons claimed top-four marks in the javelin from junior Mikaela Flores (third, 117'7") and sophomore Nadja Wilson (fourth, 112'3"). Senior Stephanie Gregersen (fourth in the 800-meter run, season-best 2:17.35), junior Katie Thompson (fourth in the long jump, season-best 17'11½"), classmate Brian Hubbard (fourth in the 100-meter dash, personal-best 10.93), junior Amanda Fraga (fifth in the 400-meter dash, career-best 1:00.33) and fellow junior Braeden Holcombe (fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, career-best 14.69) also accounted for top-five finishes during the meet.
After a quick weekend in Colorado, the Falcons head back to California next week (April 13-15) for a pair of national competitions – the Bryan Clay Invitational (Azusa) and the Beach Invitational (Long Beach).
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Long Jump, Triple Jump
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-Distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
High Jump
/ Track and FieldHurdles
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and FieldThrows
/ Track and Field
Long Jump, Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Javelin
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