Air Force Academy

April 15, 2008

The Air Force track and field team splits up again this week for a three competitions. The multi-event athletes will participate in the California Invitational Decathlon/Heptathlon in Azusa, Calif. (April 16-17). The rest of the squad will travel to Louisville, Ky., for the Lenny Lyles/Clark Wood Invitational on Friday-Saturday (April 18-19).

CALIFORNIA INVITATIONAL DECATHLON/HEPTATHLON INFO
Junior Skylar Morgan and freshman Noah Palicia will compete in the "A" field of the California Invitational Decathlon, while freshman Philip Rancourt will take part in the "B" field. On the women's side, sophomore Danielle McCarty and freshman Katherine Higdon will compete in the California Invitational Heptathlon.

LOUISVILLE CLASSIC INFO
The quad-meet will feature Air Force, East Tennessee State, Indiana State and Louisville. Action begins on Friday, April 18, with the men's and women's javelin throws. The rest of the events take place on Saturday, April 18, beginning with the men's hammer throw at 8 a.m.

SOPHOMORES NOT SATISFIED
Two sophomores rewrote their own Academy records at the Colorado Invitational on April 12. Melissa Beerse cleared 13'1½" to easily win the pole vault competition by nearly two feet. The NCAA regional qualifying mark topped her previous Academy record of 12'9½" that she set as a freshman. The mark was also a new stadium record for Potts Field by over a foot (12'1¼" set in 2006). Sara Neubauer improved her program-best distance to win the shot put with a NCAA regional qualifying mark of 50'4½". That mark is also a Sophomore Class record, improving a record that she set during the indoor record. Neubauer was also the top collegiate athlete in the discus, posting a toss of 151'11" to finish second overall to WCAP athlete and current volunteer coach 2Lt Olivia Korte (167'9").

OTHER WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
Dan Castle crossed the finish line of the 1500-meter run in 3:45.40. That NCAA regional qualifying time in the fifth-best in Academy history...Michael Kemp upped his career-best mark by 15 feet to toss a NCAA regional qualifying mark of 171'6" in the discus throw - the 10th-best mark in program history...Kevin Hawkins clocked a NCAA regional qualifying time of 1:49.74 in the 800-meter run...Josh van Wyngaarden improved his 3000-meter steeplechase by over 13 seconds to move into fifth on the program's all-time list...Dan Paladino improved his Sophomore Class record (194'3") in the hammer throw. The second-best distance in Academy history is a NCAA regional qualifying mark.

WHAT'S ON DECK
Air Force has another busy week lined up, with the Drake Relays (23-26), the Robison Invitational (April 26) and the Jack Christiansen Invitational (April 26).