Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Cale Simmons Takes Over NCAA Lead with Academy Pole Vault Record

Courtesy USATF

The junior cleared an Academy-record 18'1¼
Feb. 11, 2012

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Behind by an Academy-record clearance of 18'1¼", Air Force junior Cale Simmons (Rocklin HS, CA)became the NCAA leader in the pole vault during the track and field team's second day of competition at the Air Force Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 11.

Simmons' clearance, which was over a foot higher than the rest of the field, is the best clearance in the NCAA to date this season. It is also the third-highest vault in the U.S. for 2012 and the third-best clearance in Mountain West history.

His mark, which vaulted the junior from sixth to first on the program's all-time list, broke Nick Frawley's 2009 record of 18'1".

Senior Paige Blackburn improved her career-best mark in the shot put to 49'7¾", easily winning the 31-member event by nearly four feet. That mark, which bettered her own distance by over five inches, is the second-best throw in Academy history.

Sophomore Lance Wolfsmith (Morgan Hill, Calif./Ann Sobrato)
won the mile with a personal-best time of 4:23.80 and paced the Falcons to four of the top six spots in that race. Freshman Elliot Myers (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza)placed second in a career-best 4:27.94, while sophomore Gavin Owens and freshman Riley Coates used career-best times to place fourth (4:28.68) and sixth (4:32.65), respectively.

Air Force also earned a first-place finish from senior Nick White, who posted a time of 1:53.47 to win the 800-meter run. Freshman Ronnie Elly also finished within the top eight of that race, as he clocked 1:57.97 to place seventh.

Senior Kimber Shealy was the top collegiate finisher in the pole vault - and finished second overall - with a season-best matching clearance of 13'1½". She was one of two Falcons to place within the top five, as fellow senior Tawny Lambuth (Auburn, Calif./Placer)cleared 11'9¾" to take fifth.

Junior Jen Bremser finished second in the mile with a career-best time of 5:20.12, while freshman Alex Jones-Hardy clocked the sixth-fastest 60-meter dash time in program history (7.74) to finish sixth. The women's 4x440-yard relay team of sophomore Kassie Gurnell, junior Bethany Gross, senior Rachel Thomas and sophomore Heather Shepard clocked a combined time of 3:58.51 to finish fifth. Sophomore Rebecca Esselstein clocked a career-best 800-meter time of 2:23.30 to finish seventh in that event, while junior Lesly Torres earned the same placement in the high jump with a clearance of 5'5".

Back on the men's side, Air Force earned an additional pair of top-eight finishes in the pole vault, as sophomore Cort Rogers and freshman Joey Uhle placed fourth and fifth, respectively, with matching heights of 16'4¾" (ties are broken based on attempts).

Senior Manny Smith finished third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.34. Classmate Bryce Bergman clocked a career-best 8.14 in the 60-meter hurdles to take fourth, while junior Michael Tibbs finished eighth in that event with a personal-best 8.38. Air Force earned three top-eight finishes in the 200-meter dash, behind junior Anthony Delgado (sixth, 21.93), freshman Jake Spuller (21.96) and sophomore Michael Craig (eighth, 22.19). The relay squad Smith, Spuller, Craig and Delgado finished fourth in the 4x440-yard race with a time of 3:23.50, while senior Sean Herbison tossed a 52'8" in the shot put to finish sixth.

The Falcons return to action next Friday (Feb. 17), when they travel to Laramie, Wyo., for the annual Robert Shine Invitational.

2011-12 Air Force Track and Field Roster
Coaches



MenLast Name
NAME eligibility
YEAR EVENT(S) HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
artz ted
Ted Artz 5
JR 800m, 1500m Indian Harbor Beach, Fla./Satellite
bailey dan
Dan Bailey 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Cream Ridge, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy
barkemeyer jared
Jared Barkemeyer 7
SR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Los Lunas, N.M./Belen
bell matt
Matt Bell 5
JR 5000m, 10000m Denver, Colo./George Washington
bergman bryce
Bryce Bergman 7
SR 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles New Bremen, Ohio/New Bremen
beski elliott
Elliott Beski 3
SO Pole Vault Greenwood Village, Colo./Mullen
bieber dan
Dan Bieber 3
SO 400m Cherokee, Iowa/Washington
birdsell brendon
Brendon Birdsell 5
JR Discus, Hammer Tustin, Calif./Beckman
bragg isaiah
Isaiah Bragg 3
SO 5000m, 10000m Springfield, Ohio/Emmanuel Christian Academy
bratka nate
Nate Bratka 3
SO Discus, Shot Put, Hammer, Javelin West Liberty, Ohio/West Liberty-Salem
caldwell matt
Matt Caldwell 3
SO 800m, 1500m Centennial, Colo./Smoky Hill
chambers james
James Chambers 5
JR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Wichita Falls, Texas/Rider
christenson zack
Zack Christenson 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Safety Harbor, Fla./Countryside
coates riley
Riley Coates 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Rapid City, S.D./Stevens
cole james
James Cole 7
SR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman
coleman drew
Drew Coleman 5
JR 100m, 200m Cedar Park, Texas/Vista Ridge
cooper chase
Chase Cooper 5
JR Pole Vault Centennial, Colo./Smoky Hill
cox shane
Shane Cox 5
JR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Fremont, Neb./Fremont
craig michael
Michael Craig 3
SO 200m, 400m Orrville, Ohio/Orrville
delgado anthony
Anthony Delgado 5
JR 400m, 200m Austin, Texas/Liberal Arts and Science Academy
drenckhahn jeremy
Jeremy Drenckhahn 5
JR 5000m, 10000m Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata
drye rob
Rob Drye 7
SR Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Las Vegas, Nev./Shadow Ridge
duvall edmond
Edmond Duvall 1
FR 110m Hurdles Marvin, N.C./Marvin Ridge
edwards cameron
Cameron Edwards 5
JR 800m, 1500m Park City, Utah/Park City
eifert carl
Carl Eifert 3
SO 3000m Steeplechase, 5000m Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh
elly ronnie
Ronnie Elly 1
FR 800m, 1500m Stafford, Va./Mountain View
fooster jalen
Jalen Fooster 3
SO Hammer, Discus, Shot Put Marietta, Ga./Marietta
ford brian
Brian Ford 5
JR Discus, Shot Put, Hammer Alamosa, Colo./Alamosa
fugal carson
Carson Fugal 3
SO 5000m, 10000m Park City, Utah/Park City
gagliano sam
Sam Gagliano 1
FR 110m Hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump Waxahachie, Texas/Waxahachie
gartrell kyle
Kyle Gartrell 1
FR Triple Jump Yakima, Wash./Riverside Christian
hackert brad
Brad Hackert 3
SO Decathlon Thomaston, Conn./Thomaston
hawkins jake
Jake Hawkins 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy
herbison sean
Sean Herbison 7
SR Shot Put, Discus, Hammer West Saint Paul, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran
jordan tyler
Tyler Jordan 3
SO High Jump Ramona, Calif./Mountain Valley Academy
kearney blue
Blue Kearney 1
FR Long Jump, Triple Jump Lakewood, Wash./Lakes
kent william
William Kent 3
SO Hammer, Discus, Shot Put Marietta, Ga./George Walton Comp
latu siotame
Siotame Latu 1
FR 400m Eugene, Ore./South Eugene
lauritzen mikey
Mikey Lauritzen 3
SO Javelin Camas, Wash./Camas
lindsay alex
Alex Lindsay 3
SO 800m, 1500m Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams
lutton max
Max Lutton 7
SR 400m, 200m Puyallup, Wash./Franklin Pierce
macandrew james
James MacAndrew 5
JR 100m, 200m Mansfield, Texas/Pantego Christian Academy
manchester justin
Justin Manchester 5
JR 400m Hurdles Panama City, Fla./Bay
mcdowell evan
Evan McDowell 1
FR High Jump, Decathlon Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville
mitchell bryce
Bryce Mitchell 1
FR 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola
myers elliot
Elliot Myers 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza
o'hair sam
Sam O'Hair 5
JR 1500m, 5000m Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin
owens gage
Gage Owens 5
JR 800m, 1500m McAllister, Mont./Ennis
owens gavin
Gavin Owens 3
SO 3000m Steeplechase, 5000m McAllister, Mont./Ennis
pelletier seth
Seth Pelletier 5
JR 1500m, 5000m Wells, Maine/Home School
perkins charlie
Charlie Perkins 3
SO 1500m, 5000m Alameda, Calif./Alameda
perkins zach
Zach Perkins 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Alameda, Calif./Alameda
ptacek david
David Ptacek 3
SO 400m Allegan, Mich./Hamilton
quallio andrew
Andrew Quallio 5
JR 1500m, 5000m Jacksonville, Fla./Zama American (Japan)
rex kobi
Kobi Rex 1
FR High Jump, Decathlon Colorado Springs, Colo./Lewis Palmer
riggs casey
Casey Riggs 1
FR 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Loveland, Colo./Loveland
rogers cort
Cort Rogers 3
SO Pole Vault Whitefish, Mont./Whitefish
schwochow kyle
Kyle Schwochow 7
SR Shot Put, Discus Brookville, Ohio/Brookville
simmons cale
Cale Simmons 5
JR Pole Vault Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin
simmons rob
Rob Simmons 5
JR Pole Vault Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin
smith manny
Manny Smith 7
SR 400m, 200m Alpharetta, Ga./Milton
smith travis
Travis Smith 5
JR High Jump Clovis, Calif./Buchanan
spuller jake
Jake Spuller 1
FR 200m, 400m Dexter, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central
strickland dontae
Dontae Strickland 5
JR 100m, 200m, Long Jump Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs South
tibbs michael
Michael Tibbs 5
JR Decathlon, Pole Vault Rogers, Ark./Rogers
udensi uzor
Uzor Udensi 5
JR 200m, 400m San Antonio, Texas/Central Catholic
uhle joey
Joey Uhle 1
FR Pole Vault Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty
urista tim
Tim Urista 3
SO Javelin Rosebury, Ore./Douglas
walmsley jim
Jim Walmsley 7
SR 1500m, 5000m Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon
white nick
Nick White 7
SR 800m, 1500m Peyton, Colo./Falcon
wolfsmith lance
Lance Wolfsmith 3
SO 5000m, 3000m Steeplechase Morgan Hill, Calif./Ann Sobrato
wood zach
Zach Wood 5
JR High Jump Bowen, Ill./Southeastern
zubey alex
Alex Zubey 7
SR 1500m, 800m Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua Area Senior


Women Last Name
NAME eligibility
YEAR EVENT(S) HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
ahloo jackie
Jackie Ahloo 3
SO Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Stockton, Calif./St. Mary's
barton jess
Jess Barton 7
SR Pole Vault Wrightstown, Wis./Franklin
bauman becca
Becca Bauman 3
SO Discus, Shot Put, Hammer Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls
blackburn paige
Paige Blackburn 7
SR Javelin, Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Soldotna, Alaska/Soldotna
blain amanda
Amanda Blain 3
SO 5000m Spearfish, S.D./Mankato East (Minn.)
bonner wren
Wren Bonner 1
FR Pole Vault, 110m Hurdles, Long Jump Laguna Park, Texas/Whitney
bremser jen
Jen Bremser 5
JR 3000m Steeplechase Colorado Springs, Colo./Sand Creek
carroll katie
Katie Carroll 7
SR 1500m, 800m San Antonio, Texas/Winston Churchill
carson erica
Erica Carson 1
FR 400m, 200m San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan
christ ashley
Ashley Christ 3
SO Javelin Throw Peoria, Ill./Peoria Christian
connick heather
Heather Connick 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke
cotharn emily
Emily Cotharn 7
SR 400m Hurdles Cory, Colo./Cedaredge
dong adrianna
Adrianna Dong 3
SO 800m, 1500m Phoenix, Ariz./North Canyon
drolshagen taylor
Taylor Drolshagen 1
FR 1500m, 5000m Muskego, Wis./Muskego
eichenberger annette
Annette Eichenberger 3
SO 800m, 1500m West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago Community
esselstein rebecca
Rebecca Esselstein 1
FR 800m, 1500m Dayton, Ohio/Archbishop Alter
fain auriele
Auriele Fain 7
SR 800m, 1500m Billings, Mont./Billings Senior
ferguson michelle
Michelle Ferguson 1
FR 800m, 1500m Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North
freeman nichole
Nichole Freeman 1
FR Javelin Mandeville, La./Mandeville
french phaelen
Phaelen French 7
SR Heptathlon Austin, Colo./Delta
fuerst melissa
Melissa Fuerst 5
JR 800m, 1500m Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs
gebauer rachel
Rachel Gebauer 7
SR Shot Put, Hammer Ossineke, Mich./Alpena
gross bethany
Bethany Gross 5
JR 400m, Long Jump Alexandria, S.D./Hanson
gross carley
Carley Gross 3
SO 5000m Tustin, Calif./Foothill
gurnell kassie
Kassie Gurnell 3
SO Triple Jump, Heptathlon Pearland, Texas/Westbury Christian
hagan christine
Christine Hagan 1
FR 800m, 1500m Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park
hart jamie
Jamie Hart 3
SO High Jump, Heptathlon Westminster, Colo./Stanley Lake
hazen emily
Emily Hazen 1
FR 5000m Richland, Wash./Richland
herald rachel
Rachel Herald 3
SO High Jump Rockford, Mich./Rockford
jones-hardy alexis
Alexis Jones-Hardy 1
FR Long Jump, 100m Hurdles Lilburn, Ga./Parkview
kanetzky kate
Kate Kanetzky 5
JR 5000m, 10000m Buda, Texas/Jack C. Hays
lambuth tawny
Tawny Lambuth 7
SR Pole Vault, 100m Auburn, Calif./Placer
loya teresa
Teresa Loya 3
SO Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Santa Maria, Calif./St. Joseph
malone morgan
Morgan Malone 1
FR 100m, 200m San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan
mayne tasha
Tasha Mayne 3
SO 800m, 1500m Pflugerville, Texas/Hendrickson
mcnamara kadie
Kadie McNamara 1
FR Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista
mellado bizzy
Bizzy Mellado 5
JR Pole Vault South Barrington, Ill./William Fremd
moorkamp katy
Katy Moorkamp 5
JR Discus, Hammer, Shot Put Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette
mosby morgan
Morgan Mosby 5
JR 800m, 400m Evergreen, Colo./Mullen
piccone alana
Alana Piccone 3
SO Javelin Roseville, Calif./St. Francis
ramsier alexa
Alexa Ramsier 7
SR 5000m Dallas, Texas/Plano West Senior
rogers regan
Regan Rogers 3
SO High Jump Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro Area
rossillon marie
Marie Rossillon 1
FR 400m Hurdles Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado
saari stephaney
Stephaney Saari 3
SO 800m, 1500m San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan
schepper sierra
Sierra Schepper 1
FR 100m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles Rapid City, S.D./Stevens
shealy kimber
Kimber Shealy 7
SR Pole Vault Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain
shepard heather
Heather Shepard 3
SO 400m Flower Mound, Texas/Happy Hill Academy
shirley paige
Paige Shirley 3
SO Pole Vault Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal
smith kim
Kim Smith 3
SO Javelin Kirtland, N.M./Kirtland Central
stoddard jordyn
Jordyn Stoddard 7
SR Triple Jump Aliso Viejo, Calif./Aliso Niguel
sykes rachel
Rachel Sykes 1
FR 5000m Mt. Airy, Md./South Carroll
tabb danielle
Danielle Tabb 1
FR Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Spanaway, Wash./Bethel
thomas rachel
Rachel Thomas 7
SR 400m Hurdles Colorado Springs, Colo./Falcon
torres lesly
Lesly Torres 5
JR High Jump, Heptathlon Los Lunas, N.M./Los Lunas
westfall libby
Libby Westfall 3
SO Pole Vault Colorado Springs, Colo./Pine Creek


COACHING STAFF


Ralph Lindeman - Head Coach | Combined Events
Scott Irving - Associate Head Coach | Throws
Juli Benson - Assistant Coach | Middle Distance, Distance
Allen Johnson - Assistant Coach | Sprints, Hurdles
Scott Steffan - Assistant Coach | Pole Vault
Bob Graf - Volunteer Coach | High Jump
Greg Hull - Volunteer Coach | Pole Vault
Jenny Simpson - Volunteer Coach | Distances
Mark Stanforth - Volunteer Coach | Distances
Ron White - Volunteer Coach | Sprints
Lt Kelly Heinbaugh - Director of Track and Field Operations
========================================================================
Keith Conning: I attended the United States Air Force Academy from 1960-1961. I ran cross country and track. It was very difficult running at altitude for someone from San Francisco. Then I transferred to California.

No comments: