Maria Mettler

Photo by: Marty France

Photo by: Justin Tafoya, NCAA Photos

Class:
Sophomore
Height:
5-2
Hometown:
Colorado Springs, Colo.
High School:
Air Academy
Custom1:
17 Stalag 17

JUNIOR YEAR | 2019: All-American...all-region and all-conference selection...was the Falcons’ top finisher in all four races...became just the third Air Force female to garner Division I All-America honors after clocking a 6K time of 20:43.1 to finish 36th out of 254 runners at the NCAA Championships...led the Falcons to an eighth-place finish at the national meet...posted a career-best time of 20:08.1 to finish eighth out of 130 runners at the NCAA Mountain Regional and earn all-region honors for the second-straight year...captured first-team all-conference honors following a third-place performance at the Mountain West Championships (20:13.1)...the third-place finish is tied for the program’s best individual placement at the conference meet...missed the middle of the season with injury...opened the season with a first-place finish at the Air Force Open...clocked a three-mile time of 16:58.8 to win the race by nearly 14 seconds...earned the team’s Character and Leadership Award...academic all-conference selection.

SOPHOMORE YEAR | 2018: Competed in five meets, including both postseason competitions...earned all-region honors after finishing 24th at the NCAA Mountain Regional with a career-best 6K time of 20:43.5...all-conference honoree...nabbed second-team status following a 14th-place performance at the Mountain West Championships (21:20.6)...clocked a time of 21:07.7 to finish 43rd out of 243 runners at the Pre-National Invitational...earned a top-60 finish at the 230-runner Nuttycombe Invitational (20:50.4, 57th)...opened the season with a fourth-place finish at the Wyoming Invitational (5K time of 18:24.2).

FRESHMAN YEAR | 2017: Participated in two meets, including the conference championships...made collegiate debut at the Colorado State Invitational, clocking a 5K time of 18:31.6 to finish 22nd in the 90-runner event...posted a 6K time of 23:12.6 at the Mountain West Championships (60th).

MAJOR TRACK AND FIELD HIGHLIGHTS: Earned All-America honors in the 5000-meter run during the 2020 indoor season...two-time Mountain West Indoor champion (5000-meter run in 2019, 3000-meter run in 2020)...two-time NCAA qualifier...named MVP in 2020...clocked the second-fastest times in Academy history in the 3000-meter (9:12.10a) and 5000-meter (15:49.58) distances...both marks are Junior Class Records...ranked 12th in the nation at 5000 meters...also listed among the Academy’s all-time standings in the outdoor 5000-meter run (16:17.17, third), indoor mile (4:52.28a, sixth) and outdoor 1500-meter run (4:30.47, 10th)...ran on a pair of outdoor relays that impacted the top-five of the program’s record book...was the top collegiate finisher in the Invitational section of the 5000-meter run at the 2020 Iowa State Classic (second overall)...earned Mountain West Athlete of the Week honors following that meet.

HIGH SCHOOL: Air Academy High School...captured three state titles as a senior...finished first at the 2016 Colorado 4A Cross Country Championships...won state titles in the 800-meter and 3200-meter events at the 4A state track and field championships in 2017...also finished second in the 1600-meter run at that meet...named to the 2017 All-Colorado Girls Team for cross country and track...selected as the Pikes Peak Athletic Conference’s Female Cross Country Runner of the Year...also named “Peak Performer of the Year” for the Pikes Peak region by the Colorado Springs Gazette...earned top-six finishes at the Arcadia Invitational (sixth at 3200 meters) and Chandler Rotary Invitational (fifth at 1600 meters)...also played soccer...second-team all-league selection as a midfielder...member of the Nevada Olympic Development Program Team...earned first-team academic all-state honors all four years...Women’s Rotary Champion for Colorado Springs...received the Les Schwab Academic Team Championship Award...received the Principal’s Scholar Award in 2016...named to the Honor Roll.

PERSONAL: Daughter of Miles and Christy Mettler...mother ran track and cross country at South Dakota State University...has one older brother, Zachary, who is a member of the track and cross country teams at William Jessup University...also has one younger brother and one younger sister...majoring in behavioral science...future plans include working in intelligence or contracting...serving as Honor Officer...named to the Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s List...hobbies include reading, watching scary movies and eating ice cream...also loves running (a lot) and competing...favorite memories are those with the team...has memorized 50 numbers of pi...participated in a Cadet Summer Research Program over the summer...would like to add “I value my faith, friends, and family” and “I would not be here without the support of my family”...member of Cadet Squadron 03.