Buffs Look Strong At Air Force Open

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — In the first meet of the 2016 calendar year, members of the University of Colorado track and field team looked sharp, collecting numerous top five finishes on Friday at the U.S. Air Force Academy Open.

Senior Brady Rutt and sophomore Mariah Walker led the Buffs with a pair of runner-up finishes in the throws. Rutt recorded a throw of 57-8.25 in the weight throw, which was just barely second to Colorado State's Tyler Schultz's mark of 59-3. Walker placed second in the shot put, launching a personal best mark of 48-11.75. The toss also put Walker third on CU's all-time performers list.

The jumps were another area where the Buffs saw success. Senior Abrianna Torres was third in the long jump and sophomore Michaela Wenning placed fifth. Torres finished the day with a jump of 18-11.25, while Wenning jumped 17-8.25, a personal best.

Freshman Duane McClurkin Jr. was third overall in the men's high jump, clearing 6-8.75, just two inches shy of the first place jumper, AFA's Taylor Smith (6-11.75). The women's team had two Buffs in the top five of the high jump. Sophomore Rajon O'Quinn and senior Kelsey English each finished with a 5-7 mark, but O'Quinn took fourth, while English came away with a fifth place finish after the tiebreaker.

Colorado's runners were also busy on the track. McClurkin Jr. ran his first 200 for the Buffs and placed third overall in 21.94 in front of sophomore Austin Mitsch (21.96), who placed fourth. In the 400, freshman Trenton Stringari recorded a fifth place finish in 51.11. The women were led in the sprints by sophomore Alexandria Peters, who took fourth in the 200 in 25.09.

Freshman Alexander Billing was the highest finishing Buff in the hurdles, clocking a fourth place finish in the 60-meter hurdles (8.29). On the women's side, Torres just missed the top five with a sixth place finish in 9.05.

The CU men's mile relay team took home top honors in the final event of the meet, finishing in 3:20.81. The women's mile relay was fourth overall, clocking in at 3:54.33.

The Buffs will be in action next Friday and Saturday, January 15-16, at the Pott Indoor Invitational at Balch Fieldhouse.

2016 AIR FORCE OPEN

Air Force Academy, Colo. (Cadet Field House)

Track Events (CU Athletes Only)

Women's 60-meter hurdles: (1. Janay DeLoach, Nike, 8.00) 6. Abrianna Torres, 9.05; 11. Maja Wichhart Donzo, 9.27; 18. Michaela Wenning, 9.74; 20. Rachel Sharpe, 9.88; 22. Lauren Sharpe, 10.14

Men's 60-meter hurdles: (1. Jamiel Trimble, AFA, 8.01) 4. Alexander Billing, 8.29; t12. Andrew Ghizzone, 8.67; 19. Nate Gravelding, 9.38; 25. Joseph Martinez, 10.07

Men's 400-meters: (1. Sedacy Walden AFA, 50.47) 5. Trenton Stringari, 51.11

Women's 60-meters: (1. Leah Fair, CSU, 7.41) 15. Mia Holland, 8.02

Men's 60-meters: (1. Josh DeLoach, CSU, 6.65) 8. Austin Mitsch, 7.01; 12. Duane McClurkin Jr., 7.06; 15. Jaysean Skrine, 7.08; 26. Alexander Billing, 7.31; 32. Andrew Ghizzone, 7.39; 37. Nate Gravelding, 7.60; 39. Joseph Martinez, 7.63

Women's 200-meters: (1. Natasha Gay, unattached, 24.24) 4. Alexandria Peters, 25.09; 10. Rajon O'Quinn, 25.70; 13. Gabrielle Scott, 26.23; 14. Maja Wichhart Donzo, 26.27; 15. Rachel Sharpe, 26.31; 16. Mia Holland, 26.37; 26. Abrianna Torres, 27.11; 28. Rachel Sharpe, 27.39; 31. Michaela Wenning, 28.00

Men's 200-meters: (1. Jamiel Trimble, AFA, 21.32) 3. Duane McClurkin Jr., 21.94; 4. Austin Mitsch, 21.96; 12. Darrin Haynes, 22.56; 15. Jaysean Skrine, 22.67; 19. Abdiel Agramonte Moreno, 22.94; 23. Isaiah Kaiser, 23.19

Women's mile relay: (1. CSU 'A', 3:51.57) 4. Colorado 'A', 3:57.67; 7. Colorado 'B', 4:10.16

Men's mile relay: 1. Colorado 'A', 3:20.81; 7. Colorado 'B', 3:33.89

Field Events (CU Athletes Only)

Women's weight throw: (1. Sara Olsen, Hastings, 57-11) 6. Sophie Hallam-Eames, 54-1.75/16.50; 7. Mariah Walker, 52-8/16.05; 10. Elisa Grandemange, 47-3/14.40; 20. Delaney Hall, 37-3.25/11.36

Men's weight throw: (1. Tyler Schultz, CSU, 59-3) 2. Brady Rutt, 57-8.25/17.58; 11. Grayson Webber, 46-6/14.17; 14. Matthew Denton, 42-2.25/12.86; 16. Austin Swanson, 30-2/9.19

Women's high jump: (1. Shelley Spires, AFA, 5-8.75) 4. Rajon O'Quinn, 5-7/1.70; 5. Kelsey English, 5-7/1.70; 12. Lauren Sharpe, 5-1/1.55

Men's high jump: (1. Taylor Smith, AFA, 6-10.75) 3. Duane McClurkin Jr., 6-8.75/2.05; 6. Mason Chronowski, 6-6.75/2.00

Women's long jump: (1. Janay DeLoach, Nike, 21-5.25) 3. Abrianna Torres, 18-11.25/5.77; 5. Michaela Wenning, 17-8.25/5.39; 13. Maja Wichhart Donzo, 16-8.75/5.10; 14. Rachel Sharpe, 16-8.75/5.10

Men's long jump: (1. Carlton Lavong, adidas Garden State TC, 25-4.75/7.74) 6. DeJour Plunkett-Elliott, 21-4.75/6.52; 15. Joseph Martinez, 18-9/5.71; 16. Nate Gravelding, 18-8.50/5.70

Women's shot put: (1. Aaliyah Pete, CSU, 50-11) 2. Mariah Walker, 48-11.75/14.93