COLORADO SPRINGS, CO- Track & Field headed south to Air Force and UCCS as they sent athletes to both the Air Force Holiday Opener and the UCCS Pre-Holiday Invite. Both the men and the women saw a number of strong performances as they close the 2023 schedule and look ahead to 2024 and the rest of the indoor season. 

Hannah George took part in the 60m at Air Force, impressing with a fourth place finish with a time of 7.91. Madeline Schmeling posted a time of 8.40 in the same event. George followed with another fourth place finish, running a time of 26.03 in the 200m. Tara Smoker followed with a time of 26.40 in the 200m while Schmeling and Hannah Zugich also took part in the event with times of 28.27 and 28.64 respectively. Smoker then blazed her way to a third place finish in the 400m, running the competitive race to a time of 58.02. Ashley Vil took part in the triple jump, claiming third with a mark of 11.59m. Elana Sutton closed at Air Force in the shot put, throwing a distance of 10.51m. 

Over at UCCS, Mikayla Jefferson took part in the 400m, posting a time of 1:09.24. Shannon King was excellent in the 3000m, winning the race handily with a time of 9:43.65 to set a new program record and put her at ninth in all of division two in the event. The Cougars excelled in the event, as Paige Tack, Beth Pierantoni and Kaylie Bookout claimed the third, fourth and fifth spots in the race respectively. George and Smoker took part in the 200m Saturday, posting times of 26.81 and 26.91. Tack and Benisa Ellis ran the mile, with times of 5:04.23 and 5:21.02. Vil also competed in the triple jump at UCCS, leaping to a mark of 11.39m. Sutton closed in the shot put, besting her time from the day before with a throw of 10.84m. 

The men got started at Air Force as Seth Nowlin took part in the 60m, posting a time of 7.30. Jonah Beard and Nowlin ran the 200m, running times of 23.09 and 23.22 respectively. Paul Gibas also competed in the 200, finishing with a time of 24.07. Gabe Ring was stellar in the 400m, claiming fourth with a run of 51.94. Jacob Marker ran a 53.27, while Beard ran a 54.56. 

At UCCS, Josh Pierantoni dominated in the 3000m to win the race with an excellent time of 7:57.69 to set a program record and put him second in D2. Alex Vance followed in third with a run of 8:23.21, while Kale Edmonds posted a time of 9:41.60. The Cougars had five runners compete in the mile, led by Tate Fletcher with a fifth place time of 4:33.55. Sam Schwarting, Ethan Wampler, Jonathan Holloway and Jacob Marker followed in the competitive event. Four more athletes ran the 200m, with Beard leading the pack with a time of 23.08. Nowlin, Ring and Mason Gansz followed with times of 23.85, 23.93 and 25.37 respectively. Pierantoni closed with another strong run, capping his weekend with a first place finish in the 5000m, showing he is one of the best distance runners in the RMAC with a time of 13:51.44 for another program record and 4th best time in DII.

Colorado Christian closed the year out and now look forward to 2024 when they will be back in Colorado Springs for the UCCS Invite January 18-19. 

*All times converted for track size and altitude