Falcons Shine on Final Day of UNM Team Open

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Backed by a pair of Air Force Top 10 marks, members of the track and field team closed out the New Mexico Team Open this afternoon (Feb. 1) by making six improvements to the program's record book.

One day after resetting her program standard in the 200-meter dash, Taylor Rioux clocked a season-best 400-meter time of 55.10 to finish within the top half of the "invitational" section (seventh) and set a new Air Force Senior Class Record after taking 0.07 seconds off the mark Michelle Roca had held since 2022. Rioux wasn't done updating the record book this weekend, as she returned to the track to lead off the 4x400-meter relay that accounted for the fifth-fastest time in program history. Along with freshman Ella Pears and the sophomore duo of Clara Teigland and Allison Fernstrom, the quarter became just the sixth Air Force relay to run a sub-3:50, as they clocked a 3:48.27 to win their heat and finish seventh in a field that included the nation's top-ranked team.

Freshman Ryan McFadden had an impressive morning on the infield of the Albuquerque Convention Center, as she sprinted to the eighth-fastest 60-meter time in Air Force history (7.76) during a fourth-place finish in the "open" section of the 60-meter dash.

AIR FORCE TOP 10 MARKS

No. 5 – Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (3:48.27)

No. 8 – Ryan McFadden, Women's 60-Meter Dash (7.76)

From the field, sophomore Alex Brooks recorded a career-best clearance of 3.86 meters (12'8") to take outright control of No. 13 in the women's pole vault standings and place fourth in the "A" event, while classmate Paige Birch posted a personal-best distance of 12.28 meters (40'3½") in the shot put to move up to No. 22 on the event's all-time standings.

On the men's side, freshman Asher Jenkins debuted at No. 22 on the all-time rankings of the 60-meter dash after clocking a career-best 6.86 to finish first out of 32 sprinters in the "open" section. Senior Javin Bostic, competing in the "invitational" round, collected a fifth-place finish (6.69) after posting a fourth-place time of 6.68 during qualifying. Fellow senior Darek Hackett also competed in a prelim and final on Saturday, placing seventh in the final (7.93) and finishing just 0.01 off his PR in qualifying (7.84) of the 50-meter hurdles. Junior Texas Tanner rounded out the day with a third-place throw of 18.91 meters (62'0½") in the shot put.

Air Force will head to Lincoln, Neb., next weekend (Feb. 7-8) to compete at the Husker Invitational.

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Players Mentioned

Paige Birch

Javin Bostic

Alex Brooks

Allison Fernstrom

Darek Hackett

Asher Jenkins

Ryan McFadden

Ella Pears

Taylor Rioux

Texas Tanner

Clara Teigland

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