Photo by: Tyler Schank, NCAA Photos
Ryan Cole Named MW Coach of the Year, 24 Falcons Named All-MW
5/17/2023 2:04:00 PM | Track and Field
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Air Force Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Ryan Cole and 24 all-conference athletes were recognized by the Mountain West this afternoon (May 17) as they officially announced their annual awards from last week's MW Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Cole captured his eighth MW Coach of the Year award (2015 men's cross country, 2016 women's cross country, 2020 men's cross country, 2021 men's cross country, 2022 men's outdoor track and field, 2022 men's cross country, 2023 men's indoor track and field) after guiding the men to victory at the conference meet. Under his watch, the Falcons accumulated the conference's highest team score in 17 years – a 237.50-point performance that also helped record the league's largest margin of victory (67) since 2009.
CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS
MW Men's Coach of the Year: Ryan Cole
The conference also recognized the individuals and relays that captured all-conference status at the championship meet after placing within the top three of their respective events. The men combined for 22 all-conference awards (20 individual, two relays) – a total that equaled the program record previously reached in 2013 and 2018, while the women captured a pair of podium finishes.
The men captured six gold medals following championship performances last weekend, as sophomore Javin Bostic (100-meter dash), junior Sean Maison (1500-meter run), senior Sam Gilman (5000-meter run), sophomore Darek Hackett (400-meter hurdles), sophomore Jalan Rivers (high jump), and senior Hayden Bullock (discus throw) all captured MW titles at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California.
Air Force accounted for multiple all-MW finishes in five events, including a 1-2-3 sweep in the 5000-meter run (Gilman, junior Eli Bennett, senior Scott Maison) and 1-2 finishes in both the 1500-meter run (Maison, Gilman) and 400-meter hurdles (Hackett, sophomore Cameron Breier). The Falcons also placed a pair of athletes in the top-three of the 110-meter hurdles (senior Cameron Harris, junior Philip Hundl) and javelin throw (sophomore Joe Nizich, sophomore Keith Oswald).
Bullock and the two javelin throwers helped Air Force made a trip to the podium in every throwing event (the first time since 2017 that feat has occurred), as Bullock added a runner-up finish in the shot put and sophomore Cooper Stroka placed third in the hammer throw.
Gilman and Bullock were two of eight Falcons to claim multiple all-conference accolades over the weekend. Junior Jackson Connelly and senior Zac Larrier ran on both all-MW relays, while Bostic and Harris ran on the runner-up 4x100-meter relay and Hackett and Hundl closed the meet on the third-place 4x400-meter relay. Air Force claimed runner-up finishes from senior Ryan Johnson (10,000-meter run), junior Caiden Macktinger (pole vault) and junior Braeden Holcombe (decathlon), while fellow junior Brandon Lindner rounded out the Falcons' list of all-conference honorees with a third-place finish in the triple jump.
MEN'S ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
Men's 100-Meter Dash: Javin Bostic (MW Champion)
Men's 1500-Meter Run: Sean Maison (MW Champion)
Men's 1500-Meter Run: Sam Gilman (second-place finish)
Men's 5000-Meter Run: Sam Gilman (MW Champion)
Men's 5000-Meter Run: Eli Bennett (second-place finish)
Men's 5000-Meter Run: Scott Maison (third-place finish)
Men's 10,000-Meter Run: Ryan Johnson (second-place finish)
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles: Cameron Harris (second-place finish)
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles: Philip Hundl (third-place finish)
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles: Darek Hackett (MW Champion)
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles: Cameron Breier (second-place finish)
Men's High Jump: Jalan Rivers (MW Champion)
Men's Pole Vault: Caiden Macktinger (second-place finish)
Men's Triple Jump: Brandon Lindner (third-place finish)
Men's Shot Put: Hayden Bullock (second-place finish)
Men's Discus Throw: Hayden Bullock (MW Champion)
Men's Hammer Throw: Cooper Stroka (third-place finish)
Men's Javelin Throw: Joe Nizich (second-place finish)
Men's Javelin Throw: Keith Oswald (third-place finish)
Men's Decathlon: Braeden Holcombe (second-place finish)
Men's 4x100-Meter Relay: Cameron Harris, Jackson Connelly, Javin Bostic, Zac Larrier (second-place finish)
Men's 4x400-Meter Relay: Zac Larrier, Darek Hackett, Jackson Connelly, Philip Hundl (third-place finish)
The women picked up a pair of all-conference honors on the track over the weekend, as freshman India Jones finished third in the 10,000-meter run at her first MW Outdoor meet and junior Rachel Crytser earned the same placement in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
WOMEN'S ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
Women's 3000-Meter Steeplechase: Rachel Crytser (third-place finish)
Women's 10,000-Meter Run: India Jones (third-place finish)
Cole captured his eighth MW Coach of the Year award (2015 men's cross country, 2016 women's cross country, 2020 men's cross country, 2021 men's cross country, 2022 men's outdoor track and field, 2022 men's cross country, 2023 men's indoor track and field) after guiding the men to victory at the conference meet. Under his watch, the Falcons accumulated the conference's highest team score in 17 years – a 237.50-point performance that also helped record the league's largest margin of victory (67) since 2009.
CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS
MW Men's Coach of the Year: Ryan Cole
The conference also recognized the individuals and relays that captured all-conference status at the championship meet after placing within the top three of their respective events. The men combined for 22 all-conference awards (20 individual, two relays) – a total that equaled the program record previously reached in 2013 and 2018, while the women captured a pair of podium finishes.
The men captured six gold medals following championship performances last weekend, as sophomore Javin Bostic (100-meter dash), junior Sean Maison (1500-meter run), senior Sam Gilman (5000-meter run), sophomore Darek Hackett (400-meter hurdles), sophomore Jalan Rivers (high jump), and senior Hayden Bullock (discus throw) all captured MW titles at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California.
Air Force accounted for multiple all-MW finishes in five events, including a 1-2-3 sweep in the 5000-meter run (Gilman, junior Eli Bennett, senior Scott Maison) and 1-2 finishes in both the 1500-meter run (Maison, Gilman) and 400-meter hurdles (Hackett, sophomore Cameron Breier). The Falcons also placed a pair of athletes in the top-three of the 110-meter hurdles (senior Cameron Harris, junior Philip Hundl) and javelin throw (sophomore Joe Nizich, sophomore Keith Oswald).
Bullock and the two javelin throwers helped Air Force made a trip to the podium in every throwing event (the first time since 2017 that feat has occurred), as Bullock added a runner-up finish in the shot put and sophomore Cooper Stroka placed third in the hammer throw.
Gilman and Bullock were two of eight Falcons to claim multiple all-conference accolades over the weekend. Junior Jackson Connelly and senior Zac Larrier ran on both all-MW relays, while Bostic and Harris ran on the runner-up 4x100-meter relay and Hackett and Hundl closed the meet on the third-place 4x400-meter relay. Air Force claimed runner-up finishes from senior Ryan Johnson (10,000-meter run), junior Caiden Macktinger (pole vault) and junior Braeden Holcombe (decathlon), while fellow junior Brandon Lindner rounded out the Falcons' list of all-conference honorees with a third-place finish in the triple jump.
MEN'S ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
Men's 100-Meter Dash: Javin Bostic (MW Champion)
Men's 1500-Meter Run: Sean Maison (MW Champion)
Men's 1500-Meter Run: Sam Gilman (second-place finish)
Men's 5000-Meter Run: Sam Gilman (MW Champion)
Men's 5000-Meter Run: Eli Bennett (second-place finish)
Men's 5000-Meter Run: Scott Maison (third-place finish)
Men's 10,000-Meter Run: Ryan Johnson (second-place finish)
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles: Cameron Harris (second-place finish)
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles: Philip Hundl (third-place finish)
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles: Darek Hackett (MW Champion)
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles: Cameron Breier (second-place finish)
Men's High Jump: Jalan Rivers (MW Champion)
Men's Pole Vault: Caiden Macktinger (second-place finish)
Men's Triple Jump: Brandon Lindner (third-place finish)
Men's Shot Put: Hayden Bullock (second-place finish)
Men's Discus Throw: Hayden Bullock (MW Champion)
Men's Hammer Throw: Cooper Stroka (third-place finish)
Men's Javelin Throw: Joe Nizich (second-place finish)
Men's Javelin Throw: Keith Oswald (third-place finish)
Men's Decathlon: Braeden Holcombe (second-place finish)
Men's 4x100-Meter Relay: Cameron Harris, Jackson Connelly, Javin Bostic, Zac Larrier (second-place finish)
Men's 4x400-Meter Relay: Zac Larrier, Darek Hackett, Jackson Connelly, Philip Hundl (third-place finish)
The women picked up a pair of all-conference honors on the track over the weekend, as freshman India Jones finished third in the 10,000-meter run at her first MW Outdoor meet and junior Rachel Crytser earned the same placement in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
WOMEN'S ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
Women's 3000-Meter Steeplechase: Rachel Crytser (third-place finish)
Women's 10,000-Meter Run: India Jones (third-place finish)
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
400m Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
/ Track and Field
Hurdles, High Jump
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Long Jump, Triple Jump
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
High Jump
/ Track and Field
Throws
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