Track & Field Opens 2022-23 Season on Friday
MEET INFORMATION
The Air Force Holiday Open, which will kick off a busy indoor season at the Cadet Field House, is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. (a full schedule of events is below). Live results will be available via GoAirForceFalcons.com (a direct link is available on the team’s schedule page), while updates and highlights during the meet will be posted on the team’s official Twitter and Instagram accounts (@af_tfxc).
TIME SCHEDULE
1:00 p.m.: women’s weight throw, then men’s weight throw, women’s shot put, men’s shot put; 2:00 p.m.: Pole vault men, followed by pole vault women; 2:30 p.m.: women’s long jump, followed by women’s triple jump; 3:00 p.m.: Men’s long jump followed by men’s triple jump; 3:00 p.m.: women’s high jump, followed by men’s high jump; 4:55 p.m.: Men’s mile race, followed by 60-meter hurdles, 60-meter dash, 600-meter dash, 300-meter dash, mile relay (unless otherwise noted, women will compete first in all running events )
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
Seven Falcons – Eli Bennett, Sam Gilman, Hall Hamilton, Ryan Johnson, Bryce Lentz, Sean Maison, Ethan Marshall – will travel to Boston on Saturday (December 3) to open their indoor season in the 5000m at the prestigious Sharon Danville-Colyear season opener. The meet will be streamed on FloTrack, while live scores will be available via Lancer Timing (direct links to both are available on the team’s schedule page at GoAirForceFalcons.com).
HOME SWEET HOME
Nine Falcons hail from the state of Colorado, including two – Braden Holcombe and Aaliyah Ricketts – from the Colorado Springs/Monument area. The team’s Centennial State list also includes people from Aurora (Jackson Connelly), Brighton (cameron harris), Fruita (Jady Heil), Highlands Ranch (Jayden Nats), Parkers (Ryan Johnson), Penrose (Shayla Padilla) and Sterling (Jace Pittman).
LOOK WHO’S BACK
The Air Force’s 2022-23 roster includes an Indoor All-American (Sam Gilman: 5000-meter dash), four Mountain West indoor champions (Zac Larrier: 200-meter dash; Gilman: Mile Run; Collin Schulz: High jump; Jaret Prete: weight throw), three academy indoor record holders (Gilman: mile dash, 3000-meter dash, 5000-meter dash; Katie Thompson: long jump; Prete: weight throw) and half of the record-breaking medley relay (Luke combsGilman).
ON THE SIDELINES
Ryan Cole is in his freshman year as Air Force Director of Track & Field and Cross Country while Scott Stephen is in his first season as head coach of the track and field team. Cole, who won five MW Coach of the Year awards while overseeing the Falcons’ cross-country team, is in his ninth season with the program, while Steffan, who will coach the Air Force’s vertical jumpers and decathletes, is in his 16th season is academy coaching staff. The couple is accompanied by assistant coaches Laura Bowerman (middle distance, distance), David Hightower (sprints, relays), Dustin Imdieke (hurdles, horizontal jumps) and Kyle Lille (throws).
