Rachel Crytser

Photo by: Grace Bradley, NCAA Photos

Photo by: Justin Tafoya, NCAA Photos

Photo by: Grace Bradley, NCAA Photos

Photo by: Chris Floyd

Photo by: Austin Hutchings

Photo by: Bill Sabo, CSU Pueblo

Class:
Junior
Events:
Distance
Hometown:
Mechanicsville, Va.
Height:
5-5
High School:
Hanover
Squadron:
01 Mighty Mach One

AIR FORCE HIGHLIGHTS

NCAA Qualifier, 3000-Meter Steeplechase (2023)

JUNIOR YEAR | 2022-23: Earned the team’s Most Outstanding Competitor award…NCAA Qualifier in the 3000-meter steeplechase…earned all-conference honors in that event after finishing third at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships…clocked the third-fastest steeplechase in Air Force history (10:16.39) at the NCAA West Prelim…deleted nine seconds off her time during the season to improve that No. 3 standing in four-straight meets…first debuted in that spot with a 10:25.22 performance at Stanford…dropped time of 10:20.21 at the Bryan Clay Invitational, before clocking a 10:18.96 during bronze medal outing at the MW Championships…became just the third podium finisher for Air Force in the steeplechase at the conference meet…ran on the 4x1600-meter relay that produced the third-fastest time in program history (19:46.58) at the Drake Relays…also anchored the relay that clocked the Academy’s eighth-fastest time in the distance medley (11:44.35) at that meet…added a pair of Air Force top-five all-time marks during the indoor season…posted the fourth-fastest mile in program history during a 4:49.83 (adjusted for altitude) outing at the Colorado Invitational…recorded the Academy’s fifth-fastest time in the 3000-meter run (9:25.04) at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational.

SOPHOMORE YEAR | 2021-22: Competed in three different distances during the outdoor season…accounted for the seventh-fastest 3000-meter steeplechase in program history (10:50.66) during only race of the season in that event…made 5000-meter debut at the conference championships (17:32.64)…ran three 1500-meter events…posted a career-best 4:38.95 (adjusted for altitude) to finish third at the Air Force Twilight Open…did not race during the indoor season.

FRESHMAN YEAR | 2020-21: Registered the sixth-fastest 3000-meter steeplechase in Academy history (10:51.35) at the West Coast Relays…first debuted on the program’s Top 10 at the Colorado Invitational (11:22.15, adjusted for altitude)…anchored the 4x1600-meter relay that clocked the fifth-fastest time in program history (20:16.65) at the Drake Relays…ran the 1500-meter run during two outdoor meets, clocking a personal best 4:44.18a at the Spank Blasing Invitational…competed in the mile during four indoor meets…clocked a career-best time of 5:08.75a to place third at the Championships at the Peak meet…that was the second-fastest time on the team in 2021.

HIGH SCHOOL: Hanover High School...three-time all-metro cross country selection by the Richmond Times Dispatch...claimed first-team honors as a junior, after claiming second-team status as a freshman and sophomore...finished eighth at the Virginia 4A Cross Country Championships as a junior...picked up a fifth-place finish at the Footlocker South Regional...two-time state champion in the 1600-meter meter run...captured the outdoor title in 2018 and the indoor title in 2019...eight-time regional champion...claimed five regional titles in the 1600-meter run (2017 indoor, 2017 outdoor, 2018 outdoor, 2019 indoor, 2019 outdoor)...also claimed regional titles in the 3200-meter run (2017 outdoor), 1000-meter run (2018 indoor) and 800-meter run (2018 outdoor)...earned the school’s Outstanding Latin Student Award in 2018...received the 2019 West Point Leadership Award, which is annually awarded to one junior student in Hanover County...also earned the Richmond Times Dispatch Scholar-Athlete Scholarship.

PERSONAL: Full name is Rachel Pearl Crytser...daughter of Tim and Leslie Crytser...has one younger sister...majoring in civil engineering...future plans include becoming a pilot…currently serving as the Teal Rope for Group 1…named to the Superintendent’s List for excellence in military, academic and athletic performance...hobbies include cooking, rock climbing and wake surfing...proudest running moment came from setting her middle school’s pacer test record in seventh grade…worked the Academy’s Summer Seminar over the summer…also built a 60-foot bridge for the U.S. Forest Service in Meeker, Colorado...member of Cadet Squadron 02.