Cooper Stroka

Photo by: Grace Bradley, NCAA Photos

Photo by: Justin Pacheco

Class:
Sophomore
Events:
Throws
Hometown:
Goshen, N.Y.
Height:
6-0
High School:
Don Bosco Prep
Squadron:
37 Skyraiders

AIR FORCE HIGHLIGHTS

NCAA Qualifier, Hammer Throw (2024)

JUNIOR YEAR | 2023-24: NCAA Qualifier in the hammer throw…broke the program’s Junior Class Record three times, finishing with a career-best throw of 210’3” at the Air Force Twilight Open…that is the fourth-best throw in Academy history…initially broke the 13-year-old class standard with a (then) best throw of 210’0” at the Colorado Invitational…improved distance to 210’1” during a runner-up finish at the Drake Relays, before recording the 210’3” the following week…scored for Air Force at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships (fourth, 203’8”)…recorded the fifth-best weight throw in Air Force history during the indoor season…posted a career-best distance of 63’7” during a fifth-place finish at the MW Indoor Championships…first surpassed the 60-foot mark with a 60’2½” throw at the Ralph Lindeman Classic.

SOPHOMORE YEAR | 2022-23: Debuted at No. 4 on the Academy’s all-time hammer throw standings during a season-opening 202’3” performance at the Dan Caprioglio Early Bird Invitational…won the meet by more than 20 feet…became the first Air Force sophomore to surpass 200 feet in that event, adding eight feet to the program’s Sophomore Class Record…named Mountain West Field Athlete of the Week following that meet…also won the Tom Benich Invitational with a toss of 197’11”…earned all-conference honors after fishing third at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships (192’11”)…competed in the weight throw during seven indoor meets…debuted at No. 23 on the program’s all-time standings with a throw of 56’3¾” at the Air Force Collegiate Open.

FRESHMAN YEAR | 2021-22: Competed in the weight throw during five meets…did not compete during the outdoor season.

HIGH SCHOOL: Don Bosco Prep…all-county honoree…finished second in the hammer throw at the 2021 National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) Meet of Champions…ranked among the top 15 throwers in the weight throw (11th, 67’7¼”) and hammer throw (13th, 199’8”) as a senior…registered a career-best hammer throw of 201’11” as a junior.

PERSONAL: Full name is Cooper Michael Stroka…son of Michael and Kerri Stroka…mother was a member of the crew team at Boston University…has three siblings (one older, two younger)…majoring in history…future plans include becoming a pilot…currently serving as an Operations NCOIC…hobbies include barbecuing, fishing, golfing and driving…can drive stick…completed Operation Air Force over the summer (“I hung out the side of a pave hawk”)…member of Cadet Squadron 37.