Air Force Claims Program-Record 17 All-Conference Selections

Five Falcons earned multiple all-MW honors.


Matt Bell

Feb. 26, 2013




COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Air Force track and field team received a program-best 17 all-conference selections at the 2013 Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Championships, the league office announced. By finishing within the top three of their respective events, 14 individuals (15 events) and three relay teams earned all-MW distinction.

Senior Matt Bell paced the Falcons with a pair of individual all-MW distinctions, finishing second in both the 3000- and 5000-meter races.

Three Falcons earned one individual medal and claimed another as a part of the Falcons' all-conference 4x400-meter relay squad. Sophomore Jake Spuller and senior Uzor Udensi finished second and third, respectively, in the 200-meter dash, while junior Alex Lindsay was the runner-up in the 800-meter run. The trio also earned all-conference honors in the meet's final race, as they teamed up with junior David Ptacek for a runner-up finish in the 4x400-meter relay.

Ptacek also captured all-league accolades as a member of the distance medley relay, where he was joined by senior Ted Artz, junior Jake Hawkins and freshman Patrick Corona in a close, runner-up finish.

In addition to the 200-meter dash, Air Force claimed multiple all-MW selections in the 5000-meter run and pole vault. Junior Isaiah Bragg joined Bell as a medalist in the 5000-meter run, when he finished third overall. Sophomore Joey Uhle became the third Falcon in four years to win the Mountain West title in the pole vault, while senior Cale Simmons (Rocklin, CA/Rocklin) picked up his fifth all-conference nod following a third-place finish.





Also earning all-conference honors for Air Force was sophomore Zach Perkins (Alameda, CA/Alameda), who captured his first Mountain West title by easily winning the mile. Perkins became the Falcons' first mile champion since Brian Carpenter in 2002. Senior Zach Wood was the runner-up in the high jump, while sophomore Evan McDowell earned the same placement in the heptathlon. Senior Brian Ford rounded out the men's all-conference recipients with a third-place finish in the weight throw.

Backed by a program-record two individual all-conference selections, the women's team collected an Academy-best four all-league honors.

Senior Melissa Fuerst, senior Bethany Gross, senior Morgan Mosby and sophomore Rebecca Esselstein successfully defended the Falcons' conference title in the distance medley relay to pace the women with a gold medal.

Junior Annette Eichenberger and senior Jen Bremser picked up their first all-conference awards after placing second in the 800- and 3000-meter races, respectively. Eichenberger became the program's first top-three finisher in the indoor 800-meter run, while Bremser, who broke the program's 23-year-old program standard, was the first-ever medalist in the 3000-meter run.

Junior Kassie Gurnell captured all-conference honors in the triple jump for the second straight year, after finishing third with an Academy record-setting performance.

The 17 all-conference selections are the most by an Air Force team during an indoor championship meet, bettering the total of 16 that was set last year.

Courtesy Air Force

2012-13 Air Force Track and Field Roster
Coaches



MenLast Name
NAME eligibility
YR EVENT(S) HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
artz ted
Ted Artz 7
SR 800m, 1500m Indian Harbor Beach, Fla./Satellite
bapty sean
Sean Bapty 1
FR 5000m, 10000m Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva
bell devin
Devin Bell 1
FR 100m, 200m Houston, Texas/Cherokee Trail
bell dylan
Dylan Bell 1
FR Pole Vault Alvarado, Texas/Alvarado
bell matt
Matt Bell 7
SR 5000m, 10000m Denver, Colo./George Washington
beski elliott
Elliott Beski 5
JR Pole Vault Greenwood Village, Colo./Mullen
bieber dan
Dan Bieber 5
JR 400m Cherokee, Iowa/Washington
birdsell brendon
Brendon Birdsell 7
SR Hammer, Discus Tustin, Calif./Beckman
boudreaux chris
Chris Boudreaux 1
FR Shot Put, Discus Mobile, Ala./St. Paul's
bragg isaiah
Isaiah Bragg 5
JR 5000m, 10000m Springfield, Ohio/Emmanuel Christian Academy
bratka nate
Nate Bratka 5
JR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put West Liberty, Ohio/West Liberty-Salem
caddigan dan
Dan Caddigan 1
FR 5000m, 10000m Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice
caldwell matt
Matt Caldwell 5
JR 800m, 1500m Centennial, Colo./Smoky Hill
caswell grant
Grant Caswell 1
FR 800m, 1500m Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek
chambers james
James Chambers 7
SR Discus, Shot Put, Hammer Wichita Falls, Texas/Rider
christenson zack
Zack Christenson 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Safety Harbor, Fla./Countryside
coates riley
Riley Coates 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Rapid City, S.D./Stevens
cooper chase
Chase Cooper 7
SR Pole Vault Centennial, Colo./Smoky Hill
corona patrick
Patrick Corona 1
FR 800m, 1500m, 5000m Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield College Prep
cox shane
Shane Cox 7
SR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Fremont, Neb./Fremont
craig michael
Michael Craig 5
JR 200m, 400m Orrville, Ohio/Orrville
delgado anthony
Anthony Delgado 7
SR 400m, 200m Austin, Texas/Liberal Arts and Science Academy
drenckhahn jeremy
Jeremy Drenckhahn 7
SR 5000m, 10000m Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata
duvall edmond
Edmond Duvall 3
SO 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Marvin, N.C./Marvin Ridge
eifert carl
Carl Eifert 5
JR 3000m Steeplechase, 5000m Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh
fooster jalen
Jalen Fooster 5
JR Hammer, Shot Put Marietta, Ga./Marietta
ford brian
Brian Ford 7
SR Discus, Shot Put, Hammer Alamosa, Colo./Alamosa
fortney evan
Evan Fortney 1
FR 800m, 1500m Denver, Colo./Faith Christian Academy
gagliano sam
Sam Gagliano 3
SO 110m Hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump Waxahachie, Texas/Waxahachie
gartrell kyle
Kyle Gartrell 3
SO Triple Jump Yakima, Wash./Riverside Christian
griffin garrett
Garrett Griffin 1
FR Javelin Louisburg, Kan./Louisburg
hackert brad
Brad Hackert 5
JR Decathlon Thomaston, Conn./Thomaston
hamilton grant
Grant Hamilton 1
FR Discus, Shot Put, Hammer Idabel, Okla./Idabel
hawkins jake
Jake Hawkins 5
JR 1500m, 5000m Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy
hood andrew
Andrew Hood 1
FR 400m, 800m, 1500m Franklin, Mass./Franklin
kearney blue
Blue Kearney 3
SO Long Jump, Triple Jump Lakewood, Wash./Lakes
kent william
William Kent 5
JR Hammer Marietta, Ga./George Walton Comp
latu siotame
Siotame Latu 3
SO 400m Eugene, Ore./South Eugene
lazas jake
Jake Lazas 1
FR Decathlon Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood
lindsay alex
Alex Lindsay 5
JR 800m, 1500m Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams
macandrew james
James MacAndrew 7
SR 100m, 200m Mansfield, Texas/Pantego Christian Academy
mayhew nolan
Nolan Mayhew 1
FR 400m, 800m Colorado Springs, Colo./Cheyenne Mountain
mccool jordan
Jordan McCool 1
FR 400m, 400m Hurdles, 800m Anderson, Ind./Pendleton Heights
mcdowell evan
Evan McDowell 3
SO High Jump, Decathlon Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville
mchenry gavin
Gavin McHenry 1
FR 100m, 200m Parker, Colo./Chaparral
mihalik kevin
Kevin Mihalik 1
FR 1500m, 5000m San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo
mitchell bryce
Bryce Mitchell 3
SO 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola
myers elliot
Elliot Myers 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza
nielsen josh
Josh Nielsen 5
JR 400m, 200m Forest Lake, Minn./Home School
owens gage
Gage Owens 7
SR 800m, 1500m McAllister, Mont./Ennis
owens gavin
Gavin Owens 5
JR 1500m, 5000m McAllister, Mont./Ennis
peloquin casey
Casey Peloquin 1
FR 5000m, 3000m Steeplechase Gig Harbor, Wash./Gig Harbor
perkins charlie
Charlie Perkins 5
JR 1500m, 5000m Alameda, Calif./Alameda
perkins zach
Zach Perkins 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Alameda, Calif./Alameda
ptacek david
David Ptacek 5
JR 400m Allegan, Mich./Hamilton
quallio andrew
Andrew Quallio 7
SR 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m Jacksonville, Fla./Zama American (Japan)
rex kobi
Kobi Rex 3
SO High Jump Colorado Springs, Colo./Lewis Palmer
riggs casey
Casey Riggs 3
SO 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Loveland, Colo./Loveland
rishel paul
Paul Rishel 7
SR Javelin York, Pa./Central York
rogers cort
Cort Rogers 5
JR Pole Vault Whitefish, Mont./Whitefish
shellhouse daniel
Daniel Shellhouse 1
FR 5000m, 10,000m Kingswood, Texas/Kingswood
shoaf steel
Steel Shoaf 1
FR 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Alamogordo, N.M./Alamogordo
shoaf stone
Stone Shoaf 1
FR 800m, 1500m Alamogordo, N.M./Alamogordo
simmons cale
Cale Simmons 7
SR Pole Vault Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin
simmons rob
Rob Simmons 7
SR Pole Vault Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin
smith travis
Travis Smith 7
SR High Jump Clovis, Calif./Buchanan
spuller jake
Jake Spuller 3
SO 200m, 400m Dexter, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central
strickland dontae
Dontae Strickland 7
SR 100m, 200m, Long Jump Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs South
tibbs michael
Michael Tibbs 7
SR Decathlon, Pole Vault. Javelin Rogers, Ark./Rogers
udensi uzor
Uzor Udensi 7
SR 200m, 400m San Antonio, Texas/Central Catholic
uhle joey
Joey Uhle 3
SO Pole Vault Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty
urista tim
Tim Urista 5
JR Javelin Rosebury, Ore./Douglas
wilkin joe
Joe Wilkin 1
FR 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North
wolfsmith lance
Lance Wolfsmith 5
JR 5000m, 3000m Steeplechase Morgan Hill, Calif./Ann Sobrato
wood zach
Zach Wood 7
SR High Jump Bowen, Ill./Southeastern


Women Last Name
NAME eligibility
YR EVENT(S) HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
alston naomi
Naomi Alston 1
FR 400m, 200m Fayetteville, N.C./Douglas Byrd
bauman becca
Becca Bauman 5
JR Discus, Hammer Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls
bonner wren
Wren Bonner 3
SO Pole Vault, 100m Hurdles, Long Jump Whitney, Texas/Whitney
bremser jen
Jen Bremser 7
SR 3000m Steeplechase Colorado Springs, Colo./Sand Creek
carson erica
Erica Carson 3
SO 400m, 200m San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan
connick heather
Heather Connick 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke
dong adrianna
Adrianna Dong 5
JR 800m, 1500m Phoenix, Ariz./North Canyon
drolshagen taylor
Taylor Drolshagen 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Muskego, Wis./Muskego
eichenberger annette
Annette Eichenberger 5
JR 800m, 1500m West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago Community
esselstein rebecca
Rebecca Esselstein 3
SO 800m, 1500m Dayton, Ohio/Archbishop Alter
everson hannah
Hannah Everson 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty
freeman nikki
Nikki Freeman 3
SO Javelin Mandeville, La./Mandeville
french jacki
Jacki French 1
FR Javelin Malta, Mont./Malta
fuerst melissa
Melissa Fuerst 7
SR 800m, 1500m Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs
gross bethany
Bethany Gross 7
SR 400m, 200m, Long Jump Alexandria, S.D./Hanson
gurnell kassie
Kassie Gurnell 5
JR Triple Jump, 400m, Long Jump Pearland, Texas/Westbury Christian
herald rachel
Rachel Herald 5
JR High Jump Rockford, Mich./Rockford
holland katelyn
Katelyn Holland 1
FR Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Tomball, Texas/Concordia Lutheran
horn morgan
Morgan Horn 1
FR Pole Vault Waynesfield, Ohio/Waynesfield-Goshen
kanetzky kate
Kate Kanetzky 7
SR 5000m, 10000m Buda, Texas/Jack C. Hays
malone morgan
Morgan Malone 3
SO 100m, 200m San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan
mayne tasha
Tasha Mayne 5
JR 400m, 800m Pflugerville, Texas/Hendrickson
mellado bizzy
Bizzy Mellado 7
SR Pole Vault South Barrington, Ill./William Fremd
moorkamp katy
Katy Moorkamp 7
SR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette
mosby morgan
Morgan Mosby 7
SR 800m, 1500m Evergreen, Colo./Mullen
olesinski anna
Anna Olesinski 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Roswell, N.M./Roswell
piccone alana
Alana Piccone 5
JR Javelin Roseville, Calif./St. Francis
rogers regan
Regan Rogers 5
JR High Jump Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro Area
ross angelea
Angelea Ross 1
FR Long Jump, Triple Jump San Antonio, Texas/Trinity Christian Academy
rossillon marie
Marie Rossillon 3
SO 800m Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado
schepper sierra
Sierra Schepper 3
SO 400m Hurdles Rapid City, S.D./Stevens
shirley paige
Paige Shirley 5
JR Pole Vault Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal
smith kendra
Kendra Smith 3
SO Heptathlon, 100m Hurdles Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty
smith kim
Kim Smith 5
JR Javelin Kirtland, N.M./Kirtland Central
tabb danielle
Danielle Tabb 3
SO Shot Put, Hammer, Discus Spanaway, Wash./Bethel
torres lesly
Lesly Torres 7
SR High Jump, Heptathlon Los Lunas, N.M./Los Lunas
vann riley
Riley Vann 1
FR Pole Vault, 100m Hurdles Oswego, Ill./Oswego
wagemaker emily
Emily Wagemaker 1
FR 5000m, 1500m Topeka, Kan./Topeka
westfall libby
Libby Westfall 5
JR Pole Vault, 400m Hurdles Colorado Springs, Colo./Pine Creek


COACHING STAFF


Ralph Lindeman - Head Coach | Combined Events
Scott Irving - Associate Head Coach | Throws
Juli Benson - Assistant Coach | Middle Distances, Distances
Allen Johnson - Assistant Coach | Sprints, Hurdles
Scott Steffan - Assistant Coach | Pole Vault
Bob Graf - Volunteer Coach | High Jump
Mark Stanforth - Volunteer Coach | Distances
Ron White - Volunteer Coach | Sprints
Lt Kelly Heinbaugh - Director of Track and Field Operations







AF Athletics Track & Field