Air Force Academy

June 2, 2011

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Air Force junior Paige Blackburn (Soldotna, Alaska) and sophomore Kate Kanetzky (Buda,Texas) were named to the 2010-11 Capital One Academic All-District VII Team for track and field and cross country, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Thursday, June 2.

It is the first such selection for Blackburn and Kanetzky, who were both named to the second team.

Blackburn, the Mountain West runner-up in the javelin throw, concluded her junior year with a 3.44 GPA in civil engineering. She led the Falcons in all six throwing events and ranked third in the conference in the shot put and javelin. A 2011 NCAA national semifinalist in the discus and javelin, Blackburn made several improvements on the Academy's all-time list, moving into second in the indoor shot put, third in the weight throw, outdoor shot put and discus throw and fifth in the hammer throw.

In her first year of eligibility for the academic all-district award, Kanetzky holds a 3.73 GPA in geospatial science. During the track season, she became just the second runner in 11 years to impact the Academy's top-five list in the 10,000-meter run, moving into fourth with a Sophomore Class record time. She also moved into ninth all-time on the outdoor 5000-meter run. During the cross country season, Kanetzky made her second appearance at the conference and regional meets, while earning academic all-conference honors for the second consecutive year.

This is the sixth straight year that at least one member of the Air Force track and field team has earned Academic All-District status and the second straight year that two members of the women's team have been recognized.