Meet the Air Force Coaches

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MEET THE AIR FORCE COACHES

WWW.GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM 7 HEAD COACH RALPH LINDEMAN

RALPH LINDEMAN

Head Coach | Combined Events 23rd Season Arizona State (1973) | Arizona State (1976)

Ralph Lindeman, a nine-time conference coach of the year, is beginning his 23rd sea- From there, he became an assistant track coach at Glendale High School in Glendale, son at the helm of the Air Force track and field team. Ariz., working under Ken France, a legend in the Arizona coaching ranks. He also served as the head coach for the cross country and track teams during his five-year tenure Lindeman is well-known throughout the international track and field community and at Glendale. holds many distinctions from his long involvement with both the Olympic sport and the Academy’s athletic program. From the very first day he stepped onto the track at Following a stint as the boys’ track and cross country coach at Westwood High School the Academy in 1989, the Falcons have benefited from Lindeman’s leadership and his in Mesa, Ariz., Lindeman moved up to the collegiate ranks, becoming an assistant track love of coaching. coach at Arizona State, coaching the field events for the men’s team. The 1982 Sun Devil team won Arizona State’s first-ever PAC-10 title in track and field. Over his tenure at the Academy, Lindeman has earned numerous coaching distinctions and honors. He is a nine-time conference Coach of the Year and the 2001 NCAA In 1982, Lindeman went to the University of Arizona as an assistant coach of the men’s Mountain Region Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year. He was most recently voted as the and women’s teams, overseeing the sprints, hurdles and jumps. Both the men’s and Mountain West Conference Men’s Coach of the Year during the 2011 indoor season, women’s teams placed in the top 10 at the 1984 NCAA Championships. marking the sixth time he has claimed an MWC award (indoor: 2011, 2008, 2004, 2001; outdoor: 2003, 2001). In addition to earning the 1995 WAC Indoor Coach of the Lindeman credits Len Miller at Arizona State University and Dave Murray at the Uni- Year and the 1991 WAC Cross Country Coach of the Year at Air Force, Lindeman was versity of Arizona for giving him his first opportunities at the university level and teach- named the 1989 Big West Coach of the Year while at Long Beach State. ing him about coaching collegiate athletes. For his 11 years coaching within the state of Arizona, Lindeman was inducted into the Arizona Track Coaches Association’s Hall He has guided the Air Force men’s program to 18 top-three finishes during Mountain of Fame as a member of the Class of 2009. West Conference indoor and outdoor seasons (24 total), including four runner-up positions. He has watched the women’s program break numerous Academy records and Lindeman left Arizona in 1984, when he was named the head coach at Long Beach become a significant force in the league. State University. During his five years there, he took the men’s and women’s track and field teams, as well as the cross country teams, to new heights in the Big West Confer- His work is not limited to the boundaries of the Academy. Lindeman served as an ence. He remained with the 49ers until his appointment at Air Force. assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Track & Field Team that participated in the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan. Previously, he was the jumps, pole vault and decathlon coach for the U.S. Men’s Track & Field Team at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. That team collected 19 medals - including two Gold and five Silver medals from Lindeman-coached athletes - for the squad’s highest medal count since the 1992 Games in Barcelona.

He also served as an advisor to the South Korean team at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and was a scheduling manager for the 1996 Games in Atlanta. In addition to his work with the Olympic Games, Lindeman has also served as the head men’s coach for the 2001 World University Games, the 1999 Pan American Games and the “North Team” at the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival.

As the chairman of the hurdle sub-committee for USATF’s Men’s Development Com- mittee from 1993-2000, he has coordinated video analysis of all hurdle races at USA Championships and Olympic Trials and managed a series of annual mini-camps for the elite U.S. male hurdlers at San Diego’s Olympic Training Center. Lindeman has also worked on the coaching staff for the United States men’s team at the 1992 World Junior Championships and the “West Team” at the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival.

Lindeman first became excited about track and field as a seventh grader at Phoenix Christian Grade School in Arizona, when his physical education teacher took his class to a collegiate track dual-meet featuring Arizona State and New Mexico. Later, the influences of his high school track coaches, according to Lindeman, “unknowingly in- spired me to pursue coaching.”

Lindeman’s coaching career began in 1973, when he was an assistant coach at Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix, Ariz., working with the football and track teams.

8 AIR FORCE TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE HEAD COACH RALPH LINDEMAN

Lindeman’s bio continued... COACHING AWARDS In 1989, Lindeman came to the Air Force Academy as the head coach of the men’s and women’s track and field team, as well as the head coach of the Falcons’ men’s cross country program. MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year ...... 2001, 2004, 2008, 2011 As the cross country mentor, he guided the Falcons to their first-ever conference championship title, when Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year ...... 2001, 2003 they claimed the 1991 Western Athletic Conference championship. Led by two-time WAC Champion, Chris Nelson, Lindeman’s 1991 team went on to place second at the regional meet and 14th at the NCAA Champi- NCAA Regional Men’s Coach of the Year ...... 2011 onships. The team’s second-place finish at the regional championships remains the best finish ever by an Air Force cross country team, while its placing at the national meet is the program’s second-best finish since 1967. WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Indoor Men’s Coach of the Year ...... 1995 Since Lindeman’s arrival at the Air Force Academy, the Falcons have accounted for 31 WAC champions and Cross Country Men’s Coach of the Year...... 1991 71 Mountain West Conference champions. In addition, the men have rewritten 40 Academy records, while the women have displaced 35. Lindeman-coached Air Force teams have produced two national champions, BIG WEST CONFERENCE including Callie Calhoun, who earned five titles during her career and Dana Pounds, who collected back-to- Men’s Coach of the Year (at Long Beach State) ...... 1989 back titles in the javelin. His teams have also garnered 44 All-America selections.

Lindeman has a simple coaching philosophy which is summed up in the USAFA core values - “Integrity first. COACHING DISTINCTIONS Service before self. Excellence in all we do”. Inducted into the Arizona Track Coaches Hall of Fame, as a member of the Class of 2009 He believes that his role as the head coach is to make sure that the program provides a framework in which the cadet-athletes can achieve excellence, not only athletically, but also academically and militarily. Served as an assistant coach on the 2004 U.S. Men’s Olympic Track and Field Team in Athens, Greece. In addition to his coaching duties, he has been a featured speaker at coaching clinics in 25 states and four countries, while writing articles that have been published in three journals and chapters of the textbooks Served as Meet Director for the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festi val “Hurdles: Theory and Technique” and the “USA Track and Field Coaching Manual” (1999 edition). held in Colorado Springs, Colo. Lindeman has been very active on various track and field committees, as well. He served as the first chairman Served on the NCAA Track and Field Rules Committ ee from of the Coaches’ Association Ethics Committee, and was elected as the chair of the USATF Coaches Advisory 1996-2000, including chairman of the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Committee in 2009, a position he still holds. He has also sat on the men’s hurdle development committee Championships. during four Olympic quadrennials, holding the chairman’s position from 1993-2000. In addition, he has served on the NCAA Track and Field Rules Committee, acting as the chairman for the 2000 outdoor championships Served as president of the U.S. Track Coaches Associati on (Div. and was the president of the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association (Division I Coaches) from 2000-03. I Coaches) from 2001-03. Lindeman sees his involvement with these organizations as a way to not only make a significant improvement Served as First Chairman of the U.S. Track Coaches Associa- to the sport of collegiate track and field, but to extend benefits to the development of the Air Force program. ti on’s Ethics Committ ee Lindeman graduated in 1973 from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He Elected as Chair of the USATF Coaches’ Advisory Committ ee went on to complete a master’s degree in exercise science from ASU in 1976.

He has been married for the past 40 years to his wife, Cindy, who has been a fixture as a teacher at Springs Community Church Preschool for many years. They have two children and six grandchildren. COACHING ASSIGNMENTS COACHING STAFF ...... USA MEN’S TEAM Their daughter, Jennifer, is a graduate of Arizona State, as is her husband, Brian Rowedder. Jennifer and 2007 World Championships ...... Osaka, Japan Brian have three children, Maddison, Brock and Landon. Their son, Brian, is a firefighter in Parker, Colo., and a former high school state champion in the pole vault. He is married to Heather Dunavint, and they have twin COACHING STAFF ...... USA MEN’S TEAM girls, Elsie and Mira, and a son, Brogan. 2004 Olympic Games ...... Athens, Greece

HEAD COACH ...... USA MEN’S TEAM 2001 World University Games ...... Beijing, China

HEAD COACH ...... USA MEN’S TEAM 1999 Pan American Games ...... Winnipeg, Canada

HEAD COACH ...... “NORTH” TEAM 1993 U.S. Olympic Festi val ...... San Antonio, Texas

COACHING STAFF ...... USA MEN’S TEAM 1992 World Junior Championships ...... Seoul, Korea

COACHING STAFF ...... “WEST” TEAM 1987 U.S. Olympic Festi val ...... North Carolina

WWW.GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM 9 HEAD COACH RALPH LINDEMAN

GETTING TO KNOW COACH LINDEMAN OFF THE TRACK

What is the “Lindeman Philosophy”? Hobbies ...... Playing golf “I don’t think my positi on is just coaching the men’s and women’s track teams. My Favorite Pasti me ...... Playing with his grandchildren, watching them play sports responsibility is to provide leadership for the enti re program - that means not only Last Book Read ...... Younger Next Year, Chris Crowley ensuring athleti c success, but success in the other mission elements as well. I’ve al- Book on His Nightstand Now ...... Checklist Manifesto, Atul Gawawnde ways thought of myself fi rst and foremost as a teacher, and that’s how I started out Favorite Vacati on Spot ...... Grand Lake, Colo. (near Rocky Mountain Nati onal Park) in this profession - teaching biology and coaching at the high school level. I’m now a What’s on his iPod ...... David Crowder Band, Casti ng Crowns, Matt hew West, The Fray teacher who spends up to three hours every day with the cadet-athletes I work with. Favorite Movie ...... Chariots of Fire I like to think I mentor those cadet-athletes in everything I teach from track and fi eld Favorite Foods ...... Salmon, Bison, anything with Green Chile Peppers technique and training to character development and leadership.” Favorite Restaurant ...... Colorado Mountain Brewery Person He’d Most Like to Meet ...... President Barack Obama Who do you look to as a mentor? If He Wasn’t Coaching, He’d Be ...... Pastor or Youth Minister “I get much of my inspirati on and moti vati on from my peers - like Scott Irving from Coaching Hero ...... the late Payton Jordan (longti me coach at Stanford) our own staff , or rivals like Ron Mann at Louisville, Rick McGuire at Missouri or John Favorite Track Meet ...... Drake Relays (Des Moines, Iowa) McNichols at Indiana State - I respect these guys and value their opinions. Also, my Favorite Track Stadium ...... Hayward Field, University of Oregon (Eugene, Ore.) wife, Cindy, is the most loving and thoughtf ul person I’ve ever been around. She chal- Favorite Professional Sports Team ...... Colorado Rockies lenges me to be the same - in fact, I guess I have to say that she is my “mentor” in additi on to being my best friend.”

What do you love about being a coach at the Academy? “I love the caliber of the young men and young women that I get to work with. They are well-rounded individuals who have higher prioriti es than athleti cs, but who are just as committ ed to excellence as any other highly successful competi tors.”

What do you expect from YOUR athletes? “I expect them to be committ ed to excellence, which means always striving to develop, progress and show improvement of their performances in their events over the course of the year and throughout their four years in our program.”

What is your vision for the program? “Our vision is to develop highly competi ti ve men’s and women’s track and ﬁ eld and cross country teams which annually contend for the conference ti tle, while insisti ng on a total commitment to academic and military goals, unwavering compliance with insti tuti onal and NCAA guidelines; and whose trademarks are an image of complete class and unquesti oned integrity.”

What do you look for when recruiti ng athletes? “The fi rst task is to identi fy high school juniors and seniors who can run fast, jump high and throw far. Then, we screen the candidates for their academic credenti als, character and citi zenship. Finally, our challenge is to sell the prospects on a service academy educati on and a career in the U.S. Air Force.” ABOVE: Lindeman was named the Mountain West Indoor Men’s Coach of the Year in 2011, What are your most memorable coaching experiences? after guiding the men’s team to a program-best second-place finish at the MWC Championships. “The most memorable experiences are of the teams that achieved way beyond their BELOW: Lindeman visited the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, while he was a member of the coaching staff for the U.S. Men’s Track and Field Team at the 2004 Olympic Games. potenti al. This would include the 2004 men’s team which went into the fi nal event of the Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships within three points of both eventual champion, BYU, and runner-up, Colorado State. Then, there was our 1995 men’s team which was the runner-up in the indoor conference championships - just three and half points behind BYU. At the ti me, that was the closest any team had come to BYU in six years - that was exciti ng! And I will never forget the 1991 cross country team that won the Air Force Academy’s fi rst-ever WAC Championship and then placed 14th in the NCAA Championships. I love scoring meets, parti cularly conference championship meets. They’re all memorable when I can look back and identi fy both individual and team successes.”

10 AIR FORCE TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH SCOTT IRVING

SCOTT IRVING

Associate Head Coach | Throws 13th Season Willamette (1973) | Northwestern (1977) | Oregon (1979)

Scott Irving is in his 14th season as the coach of the throwing events for the Air Force With Neubauer’s titles in the indoor shot put, weight throw, outdoor shot put and track and field team. He joined the Academy staff in 1999 as the coach of the field discus throw, Weber’s 2010 javelin championship, Korte’s 2007 crown in the discus events and was promoted to the associate head coach before the start of the 2008 throw, Pounds’ three titles in the javelin, Dominique Boivin’s 2003 discus title and season. His primary responsibilities include recruiting for field events and coaching the Ana-Maria Ortega’s 2001 title in the pole vault, Irving claims all 11 of Air Force’s female Falcons’ throwing program. Mountain West Conference champions.

In 13 seasons, Irving has developed the Academy throwers into one of the top throw- For his success, Irving has been honored as the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country ing programs, not only in the Mountain West Conference, but nationally as well, on Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I Mountain Region Women’s Outdoor As- both the NCAA and USATF championship scenes. Under Irving’s guidance, program re- sistant Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010. He is the first Air Force assistant coach cords have been rewritten countless times in every field event. In addition, the throw- to be honored in this capacity and third overall connected to the throws program, ers have continued to increase point production at the MWC Championships. In fact, joining Neubauer (Mountain Region Outdoor Female Field Athlete of the Year, 2010) the women’s throws team, which includes over two-thirds of the program’s all-MWC and Dana Pounds (Mountain Region Outdoor Female Field Athlete of the Year, 2006). selections, has scored over half of the team points at the conference championships every year since 2003. Irving brought impressive credentials to the Academy. Countless champions in four leagues, over 35 All-Americans, eight national champions, numerous national team The 2011 season saw several firsts take place for the Irving’s throwers, as James Cole members and two Olympians have developed under his tutelage. claimed the men’s first-ever All-America accolade in the discus throw and Rob Drye won the program’s first conference title in the hammer throw. Cole also became the He helped build two NCAA championship programs at Oregon (1977-83) and Florida first thrower to claim all-MWC status in the discus throw, while Drye set Academy (1983-89). Three records for Irving-coached athletes stand at Oregon, and Florida records in the weight throw and hammer throw. With the second-best discus mark in throwers earned five of the top seven places in the women’s discus throw at the 1989 Academy history, Cole was one of three juniors to move into second on the program’s SEC championships, including the champion and runner-up. all-time lists in 2011, joining Kyle Schwochow and Paige Blackburn, who each moved into second on the program’s all-time lists in their respective indoor shot put events. From 1989-93, Irving guided Illinois’ men’s team back to the conference title, as he built the strongest field events program in the Big Ten. At Illinois, he coached three The 2010 season accounted for five MWC titles, one All-America certificate and four Big Ten triple jump champions, including 1991 Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, GTE Academy records from Irving-coached athletes. Sara Neubauer, who won conference Academic All-American and NCAA outdoor All-American Aaron Mobarak. Another titles in the indoor shot put, weight throw, outdoor shot put and discus throw, earned Irving-coached athlete, JD Teach, was a five-time conference shot put champion and All-America status in the discus throw for the second straight year and set Academy NCAA All-American. records in the indoor and outdoor shot put, weight throw and hammer throw. Katie Weber won the javelin throw at the conference meet, as Air Force accounted for five of the six throwing titles at the combined conference championships. In addition, Neubauer won four event titles at the Military Championships, leading the women to their first-ever team championship at the all-service academy meet.

Under Irving’s direction, Neubauer became the Falcons’ first female athlete ever to earn multiple All-America honors at the Division I level, following top-eight finishes in the shot put and discus throw at the 2009 NCAA Championships. Neubauer, who scored for Air Force in all four throwing events at the MWC Outdoor Championships and earned all-conference accolades in the shot put and discus throw, set Academy records in the indoor and outdoor shot put, as well as the hammer throw (in just her first year throwing that apparatus).

Jocelyn Dooley was the Academy’s first female NCAA Division I regional qualifier in 2003. Since that time, Irving’s throwers have accounted for 28 of the 39 female quali- fiers to the NCAA Regional meet. And of the eight times Falcons have advanced to the national championship meet in all women’s sports at the Academy, Irving has coached seven (Pounds three times, Korte twice, Neubauer twice and Dooley).

Since the Falcons joined the Mountain West Conference in 2000, Irving has coached 20 MWC champions and 19 MWC runners-up during the indoor and outdoor seasons for the Falcons’ men’s and women’s track and field teams. In fact, Irving-coached athletes have won at least one conference javelin title during eight of the last 12 years and hold the women’s championship meet record.

WWW.GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM 11 ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH SCOTT IRVING

Irving’s bio continued... COACHING AWARDS Records by Irving’s javelin throwers still stand in five programs where he has coached (Atlantic Coast Confer- ence, Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference, Pac-10 Conference, Mountain West Conference). USTFCCCA Division I Mountain Region Outdoor Women’s Field Event Coach of the Year (2009) Irving has continued to coach Pounds after her collegiate career ended. Under Irving’s supervision, she won the national title at the 2007 USATF Championships, upsetting the defending champion and then-American USTFCCCA Division I Mountain Region Outdoor Women’s Field record holder. A member of Team USA and the Air Force World Class Athlete Program, Pounds placed second Event Coach of the Year (2010) at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and has competed at the World Championships and Pan-American Games.

He also coach Neubauer to a USTF Junior National title in the shot put following her freshman campaign. BY THE NUMBERS

Irving’s national coaching assignments include the 1985 World University Games, the 1987 Olympic Festival, One American collegiate record holder head coach for the 1989 junior tour, the 1990 Scandinavian Javelin Tour, and the “U.S. vs. Great Britain” Meet One World Championship team member in the summer of 1993. In 2009, Irving was selected as a featured speaker at the annual U.S. Track and Field Two USATF nati onal champions and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention, where he spoke on coaching javelin throw- Four MWC-meet record holders ers. In addition, Irving has written dozens of technical articles. Eleven Academy record-holders Three World Class Athlete Program parti cipants A recipient of two master’s degrees (Art History from Northwestern in 1977 and Physical Education from Two Olympic Trials qualiﬁ ers Oregon in 1979), the 1973 Willamette University graduate places the pursuit of academic excellence as an Two NCAA nati onal champions utmost priority. Eight NCAA All-Americans Nine NCAA nati onal qualiﬁ ers Irving’s throwers at Oregon annually dotted the dean’s list, while his throwers at Florida made the All-SEC Five Most Valuable Academy Athletes academic team 40 times. Since joining the Academy, his athletes have earned academic all-conference honors Nine MWC championship ti tles for men on over 55 occasions. Ten women’s MWC championship ti tles Eight MWC javelin champions in 12 years Phenomenally, during two of his four years at Illinois, he had athletes awarded the most prestigious accolade - Three MWC discus champions the Big Ten Medal of Honor for academic/athletic excellence. That tradition of academic excellence continues at the Academy, as eight Falcons have been named to the national USTFCCCA All-Academic Team and Brian Willis, a 2005 USAFA graduate, was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. COACHING HIGHLIGHTS

Irving was born in Portland, Ore., 40 miles from his hometown of Cascade Locks. He and his wife, Allyn, have The women’s throwing team won all four ti tles to pace Air been married 39 years and have two sons, Scott and Kevin. Force to its ﬁ rst-ever Military Championships

In 2009, Sara Neubauer became the program’s ﬁ rst-ever female double All-American at the Division I level

The women’s throwers have earned 18 of the team’s 29 individual all-conference selecti ons

In 2008, Dana Pounds, the runner-up at the U.S. Olympic Trials, was recognized as the top female athlete in the Air Force

The men’s throwers outscored all other conference throwing programs at the 2008 MWC championships

Air Force throwers accounted for two USTF ti tles at the 2007 championships - the only college program to accomplish feat

The women’s throwers outscored all other conference throwing programs at the 2007 MWC meet

The 2007 and 2010 women’s throwing teams were recognized by the Sportswomen of Colorado, Inc., for their outstanding achievement

Dana Pounds was recognized by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, as the state’s outstanding female college athlete

The throw team ﬁ nished 21st at the 2006 NCAA meet, beati ng out all other conference programs

James Cole became the program’s ﬁ rst male all-conference honoree in the discus throw, while earning honorable menti on All-America status in 2011.

12 AIR FORCE TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE ASSISTANT COACH JULI BENSON

JULI BENSON

Assistant Coach | Distances, Middle Distances Fourth Season James Madison (1992) | James Madison (1996)

Juli Benson is in her fourth season as an assistant coach for the Air Force track and field team. In addition to her duties coaching the Falcons’ middle distance and distance runners during the track and field season, Benson is the COACHING AWARDS head coach for the Academy’s cross country program, where she was named the Mountain West Conference Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2010. 2010 Mountain West Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year Since Benson’s arrival in 2009, members of the Falcons’ middle distance and distance teams have accounted for four All-America awards, six MWC conference titles, 14 all-conference selections and 10 Academy records. COACHING HIGHLIGHTS Last season, Benson helped cap off the remarkable collegiate career of Justin Tyner, who claimed two individual All-America certificates (indoor 3000-meter run, outdoor 3000-meter steeplechase) and ran the anchor leg of the In 2010, Justi n Tyner was the top American ﬁ nisher in program’s first-ever All-America distance medley relay team. Tyner, who claimed Mountain West Conference titles the 5000-meter run (third overall) at the NCAA Indoor (indoor 3000-meter run, indoor 5000-meter run, outdoor 5000-meter run) during his senior year, became the sec- Championships to claim All-America honors ond of Benson’s athletes to claim the MWC High Point Award after winning the two longest races of the indoor season (Sean Houseworth, 2009). Benson coaches several post-collegiate athletes, including Olympian Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, who won the She also coached Tyner to All-America status in 2010, as he was the top American finisher in the 3000-meter run 1500-meter ti tle at the 2011 IAAF World Championships at the NCAA Indoor Championships (finishing third overall). It was the first All-America honor by a distance runner for the Falcons since 1998. In 2010, Justi n Tyner set Academy records in the 1500-meter run and both the indoor and outdoor Benson, who was selected as the Mountain West Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year in the fall of 2010, 5000-meter races has revitalized the Falcons’ cross country program. The men finished second at the conference meet in 2011, while five Falcons (four men, one woman) collected all-conference honors. In 2010, the Benson-led men’s cross country Sean Houseworth earned the Academy’s Top Six Award team sent two athletes to the NCAA Cross Country Championships - the most since 2004 - while the women’s squad for Athleti c Excellence in 2009, while Justi n Tyner earned matched its best Mountain West Conference Championship finish in six years. the Top Six Award for Athleti c Achievement in 2011

Benson comes to the Academy following a three-year stint at George Mason University, where she served as the In 2010, Ally Romanko collected fi rst-place fi nishes in middle distance coach and recruiting coordinator for the men’s team. While with the Patriots, Benson was instru- both the 800- and 1500-meter events to help the Air mental in improving the placement of the men’s cross country team at the Colonial Athletic Association Champion- Force women win their fi rst-ever ti tle at the Military ships from ninth to second in just two seasons. Championships

Prior to her time at GMU, she spent five years as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s track and field team The men’s distance medley relay team set an Academy at Georgetown University. During her tenure with the Hoyas, over 20 athletes earned All-America status. In addition, record in 2011, while earning All-America status at the the distance program was consistently ranked among the nation’s top-10. NCAA Indoor Championships

One of her Georgetown runners, Chris Lukezic, won the USA Junior National Championship in the 1500-meter run Justi n Tyner claimed his fourth All-America certi ﬁ cate and finished fourth in that event at the 2004 Olympic Trials. She also guided Treniere Clement to a runner-up per- at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships (three indi- formance in the 1500-meter run at the 2004 NCAA Championships. vidual, one relay)

Benson began her coaching career as the head coach of the women’s cross country team at her alma mater, James Madison University, in 1993. During her four-year tenure, she helped lead the Dukes to their first-ever CAA Cham- BY THE NUMBERS pionship. In addition, she served as an assistant coach for the track and field team. Five Academy record-holders She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from James Madison in 1992. She also obtained a master’s One NCAA All-American (three citati ons) degree in sports administration and exercise science from JMU in 1996. A four-year letterwinner with the Dukes, Six MWC championship ti tles for men she was an NCAA All-American in the 1500-meter run during the 1992 season. In 2002, Benson was inducted into Twelve all-conference selecti ons the JMU Athletic Hall of Fame. Four USTFCCCA Scholar-Athletes Six Military Championship record-holders Benson, who spent seven years as a competitor for Asics Tiger Corporation (1993-94) and Reebok International One CoSIDA Academic All-American (1994-00), served as an assistant women’s coach for the 2007 U.S. World Championship Team that competed in Twenty-ﬁ ve MWC Academic All-Conference selecti ons Osaka, Japan, and as the junior women’s coach for the 2003 U.S. Cross Country Team that captured its highest finish Three World Class Athlete Program parti cipants ever at the World Cross Country Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland.

WWW.GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM 13 ASSISTANT COACH JULI BENSON

Benson’s bio continued...

Benson is currently the personal coach to Jenny Barringer Simpson, who claimed the gold medal in the 1500-meter run at the 2011 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She also continues to coach Academy graduates Tyner, Houseworth and Matt Williams, who are current members of the Air Force World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).

She has also served as a coach to Kevin Sullivan, who set new Canadian records in the indoor and outdoor 3000- meter events and finished 13th at the 2006 World Cross Country Championships, and Lukezic, who finished seventh at the 2006 World Indoor Championships and clocked the seventh-fastest 1500-meter time ever in a U.S. outdoor performance. In addition, Benson served as a consultant to Alan Webb, who was ranked No. 1 in the 1500 meters during that time.

She was elected to the U.S. Women’s Track and Field Coaches Association Advisory Board and as a representative for USATF Women’s High Performance (middle distance running).

An accomplished runner in her own right, Benson represented the United States in the 1500-meter run during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She is a two-time silver medalist in the 1500 at the World Student Games and a gold medalist in that event at the 1996 Atlanta Gran Prix. She also earned a bronze medal in the mile of the 1997 Gran Prix Final.

She was married in July 2009 to Robert Benson, the associate head football coach and defensive coordinator at The Colorado School of Mines. The couple resides in Highlands Ranch, Colo.

14 AIR FORCE TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE ASSISTANT COACH ALLEN JOHNSON

ALLEN JOHNSON

Assistant Coach | Sprints, Hurdles First Season

Allen Johnson, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles, joined the Air Force track and field coaching staff in November 2011, as to begin his first season as the coach of the Falcons’ sprinters and hurdlers. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

In addition to his Olympic gold, Johnson earned gold medals in the hurdles at seven IAAF World Championship 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist (110-meter hurdles) meets. He finished first in the 110-meter hurdles at the outdoor world championships in 1995 (Gothenburg), 1997 Four-ti me IAAF World Champion (110-meter hurdles) (Athens), 2001 (Edmonton) and 2003 (Paris), while placing first in the 60-meter hurdles at the indoor world cham- Three-ti me IAAF World Champion (60-meter hurdles) pionships in 1995 (Barcelona), 2003 (Birmingham) and 2004 (Budapest). In addition, Johnson finished second in Recipient of the Jesse Owens Award the 60-meter hurdles at the 2008 indoor championships in Valencia, Spain, third at the 110-meter hurdles at the USATF/Visa Humanitarian Award Winner 2005 championships in Helinski, Finland and fourth in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. 1992 NCAA Champion (55-meter hurdles)

Johnson, who was ranked as the top 110-meter hurdler in the world for four years by Track & Field News, spent 14 consecutive years listed among the world’s top 10, including 12 years ranked within the top five, while finishing a record 11 races in less than 13 seconds.

A native of Washington D.C., Johnson was the 1997 recipient of the prestigious Jesse Owens Award, which is the highest accolade given out by USA Track and Field (USATF). He also earned the USATF/Visa Humanitarian Award in 1999, after leading a successful fundraiser for a new track surface at his former high school.

As a collegiate athlete at the University of North Carolina, Johnson won the 1992 NCAA championship in the 55- meter hurdles with a meet-record time of 7.07. He was the national runner-up in the 55-meter hurdles (indoor) and 110-meter hurdles (outdoor) as a senior, while setting an ACC record in the long jump. Johnson, who still holds school records at North Carolina in the indoor long jump, outdoor long jump and 110-meter hurdles, also won four ACC titles, including three in the long jump (two indoor, one outdoor) and one in the 110-meter hurdles.

Johnson comes to the Academy after serving as a volunteer coach at the University of South Carolina under his former coach Curtis Frye.

WWW.GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM 15 ASSISTANT COACH SCOTT STEFFAN

SCOTT STEFFAN

Assistant Coach | Pole Vault Fifth Season New Mexico (1999)

Scott Steffan is in his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Air Force track and field team, where he serves as the event coach for the pole vault team. Since his arrival in 2008, six men and seven women have impacted the COACHING HIGHLIGHTS program’s top-10 indoor records, while four men and six women have moved up the Academy’s all-time outdoor list. In 2010, Nick Frawley became the program’s most-deco- In his first season with the Falcons, Steffan coached the pole vault program to a record-setting season. Nick Frawley rated All-American with four citati ons became the program’s 21st outdoor All-American, after placing second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He also won the Mountain West Conference title at the indoor championships, while claiming all-conference honors at In 2008, Melissa Beerse became the fi rst member of the the outdoor meet. On the women’s side, Melissa Beerse rewrote both the indoor and outdoor records and earned women’s team to clear the 13-foot bar all-conference honors during the indoor season, while three other Falcons made their mark on the women’s top-10 lists. In addition, both Frawley and Beerse participated in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Nick Frawley was the NCAA runner-up in 2008 and the third-place fi nisher in 2010 In 2009, the Steffan-coached pole vault team exceeded its success from his first season. Frawley picked up a pair of All-America certificates, tying for seventh at the NCAA Indoor Championships and placing seventh outright at the In 2009, Nick Frawley was voted as the Mountain Region NCAA Outdoor Championships. Frawley, who was named the USTFCCCA Division I Mountain Region Indoor Male Indoor Male Field Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA Field Athlete of the Year, set the Academy’s indoor pole vault mark at 18’1”. On the women’s side, a pair of Falcons’ earned all-conference accolades, as Rachel Simmons (indoor) and Kimber Shealy (outdoor) each finished third at The top seven women’s indoor pole vault marks have their respective championship meets. Shealy, who was named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team, moved into the come under his leadership, as well as the top fi ve out- top-three in the program’s all-time record book, including a tie for second (12’7½”) outdoors. door clearances

Steffan’s athletes continued to have unprecedented success in 2010, concluding with another All-America honor for Six men have impacted the men’s indoor top 10 during Frawley. Following a third-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Frawley became the Academy’s most- his tenure, while four have impacted the outdoor top 10 decorated Division I All-American, with four citations. The Falcons claimed the top two finishes at the indoor conference championship, as Frawley won his third career title and Chase Cooper placed second. The program’s top-10 list received a major revamp for the third straight year, as seven of the top heights in men’s and women’s history were BY THE NUMBERS accounted for. Shealy, who was named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team for the second straight year, became just the second member of the women’s team to clear the 13-foot bar during the indoor season. Three Academy record-holders One World Class Athlete Program parti cipant Despite the graduation of Frawley, Steffan’s vaulters didn’t miss a step in 2011. Cale Simmons concluded the out- One NCAA All-American (four citati ons) door campaign ranked seventh in the nation (17’7¾”) and fourth in the Academy record books. He also collected Three MWC championship ti tles for men all-conference honors at both the indoor and outdoor MWC Championships, while earning a pair of MWC Athlete of Twelve All-Conference selecti ons the Week awards. Rob Simmons, who also competed at the NCAA semifinals, debuted on the Academy’s top-10 lists One CoSIDA Academic All-District selecti ons in both the indoor and outdoor vaults. Highlighted by Shealy and Tawny Lambuth tying for the second-best outdoor Two USTFCCCA Scholar-Athletes clearance in program history (12’10”), members of the women’s team accounted for four of the top-seven indoor Nine MWC Academic All-Conference selecti ons marks and three of the top-five outdoor marks in Academy history. Two Military Championship record-holders

Steffan joined the Falcons’ program after spending seven years at the University of New Mexico, where he coached the pole vault and the men’s multi-event athletes. Under his watch, eight Lobos earned all-conference honors and three competed at the NCAA Championships. In addition, at least three vaulters qualified for the regional championships during each of his last four years. He coached former Lobo Robert Caldwell to All-America status, while leading Derek Mackel to the NCAA Midwest Regional record of 18’1”. In addition, Steffan also improved the Lobos’ decathlon and heptathlon teams. He guided UNM to two decathlon titles, as well as its first MWC heptathlon crown. In all, Steffan coached six all-conference honorees in the multi-events and two NCAA Championship participants.

Prior to joining the UNM staff, Steffan spent three years at Wichita State University. While there, he coached All- Americans in the pole vault, triple jump and heptathlon. His women’s pole vault team finished first, second and third at the Missouri Valley Conference championships during each of his three years.

He began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Virginia in 1991. During his six years at Virginia, he coached All-American athletes in the high jump, heptathlon, decathlon, 400-meter hurdles and long jump. He also guided 22 Atlantic Coast Conference champions.

An all-Western Athletic Conference decathlete for the Lobos, Steffan graduated from UNM in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in education. A native of Aztec, N.M., Steffan and his wife, Joanne, have two young sons - Jake and Trey.

16 AIR FORCE TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE VOLUNTEER COACHES

BOB MARK GRAF STANFORTH

Volunteer Coach Volunteer Coach High Jump Distances Seventh Season Second Season (17th overall)

Bob Graf is entering his seventh season as a volunteer coach for the Air Force track and Mark Stanforth returns to the Air Force track and field program for his second season field team, where he works primarily with the program’s high jumpers. as a volunteer coach. Stanforth, who retired in 2006 after serving 15 years as the head coach of the cross country and associate head coach of the track and field team, will The 2011 season proved to be a banner year for Graf and his jumpers. Four members assist the current Falcons’ middle distance and distance runners. of the women’s team debuted on the program’s top-10 list, highlighted by Regan Rogers’ Freshman Class Record of 5’8” – the second-best jump in Academy history. On The highlights for the men’s cross country program during Stanforth’s 15 years include the men’s side, Zach Wood used an outdoor clearance of 6’10¼” to become the first three top-16 NCAA finishes between 2000 and 2004, topped by an eighth-place finish jumper to impact the program’s all-time record book since 1998. in 2003. When the Falcons qualified for the NCAA Division I championship in 2000, it marked a unique coaching distinction for Stanforth - his teams had qualified for the na- Graf joined the Academy staff after spending six years as the assistant track coach at tional cross country championship in every collegiate division: NJCAA, NAIA, NCAA Di- the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Prior to his appointment at UCCS, Graf visions I, II and III. The Falcons won three conference championships, were conference spent 25 years coaching at the high school level, including 18 years at Wasson High runners-up six times and finished outside the top three only once in that 15 year span. School in Colorado Springs. He has also coached several athletes in the Army’s World Stanforth was selected by his peers as the conference coach of the year four times. Class Athlete program and at the 2008 Olympic Trials. Stanforth led the women’s cross country team during their transition from NCAA Divi- During his career, Graf coached a state championship boys’ team and a state cham- sion II to Division I. In his first four years, the Falcon women competed in Division II pion or place-finisher in 17 of 18 track events. He has been honored as the Coach of and qualified for the NCAA championships each year with program-high finishes of the Year four times, was named the Junior Achievement “Economics Teacher of the sixth place in both 1992 and 1995. In 1996, the Academy women’s programs moved Year” for the state of Colorado and the Colorado High School Coaches Association to Division I. In 1999, the Falcons started a string of five consecutive third-place MWC Teacher/Coach of the Year. Graf has also served as the president and executive secre- conference finishes, the only upper division finishes by any Falcon women’s program tary of the Colorado High School Coaches Association. in Division I.

In March 2012, Graf will be inducted into the Colorado High School Coaches Hall of Individually, athletes with whom Stanforth worked with earned All-America honors Fame. 10 times in track and field and six times in cross country. He coached 26 individual conference champions on the track and one in cross country. His teams also earned He is a retired master USA Track and Field official and spent 20 years as the head national all-academic honors nine times. starter for Air Force track meets. Graf has also served as the head starter at the Colo- rado state meet. He has worked at two Olympic Games and four Olympic Trials, as well Prior to coaching at the Academy, Stanforth coached one year at his alma mater, the as numerous national meets. He is also a member of the USA Track and Field Officials University of South Dakota/Springfield, seven years at Glendale (Ariz.) Community Association. He is also a member of the USA Track and Field Officials Association. College and five years at the University of California, San Diego, in addition to one year as a graduate assistant at Northern State (S.D.) University. Graf received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado and went on to obtain a master’s degree from Adams State College, where he worked as Stanforth and his wife, Pat, have two sons, Nicholas and Daniel. a graduate assistant for the cross country and track programs.

A retired activities director from the Woodland Park School District, Graf and his wife Suzie live at Blue Mountain Ranch, which is an activities and sports camp that was founded by Suzie’s parents in 1946. They have two sons, David and Tim.

WWW.GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM 17 VOLUNTEER COACH | SUPPORT STAFF

TRACK AND FIELD SUPPORT STAFF RON WHITE

Volunteer Coach Sprints, Hurdles 10th Season

BUCK BLACKWOOD KRISTEN CORNETT COL MARTIN FRANCE Strength Coach Athletic Trainer Officer Representative

In his 10th year as a volunteer coach with the Falcons, Ron White brings a diverse coaching background to the Air Force track and field program. White works with the Falcons’ sprinters and hurdlers, assisting in the development of 13 conference champions and 52 all-conference athletes.

Following his last tour in Vietnam, White returned to coaching in Weisbaden, Ger- many. His military coaching duties included two years as the head track coach for the USAFE team that placed third and second at the All-Air Force Championships. He also spent several years as the head track coach, assistant football coach and head of the Department of Athletics and Training at the USAFA Prep School.

After his retirement from the Air Force, White resumed his coaching career within the LT KELLY HEINBAUGH GREG HULL JEFF KIPP Colorado Public Schools System. He coached several of the best sprinters, hurdlers Director of Operations Volunteer Coach Strength Coach and middle distance runners in the state, including an undefeated two-time 110-meter high hurdles state champion and record holder.

White began coaching in the USATF Junior Olympics program and was able to coach even more state champions and finalists, which included male and female champions in both hurdle distances, sprinters in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes and middle distance runners in the 1600- and 3200-meters. He also coached a 4A record-setter in the 200-meter dash and a 4A record-setter in the 400-meter dash.

As a coach for the Junior Olympics, White has guided national champions in the 200- meter dash and 400-meter hurdles, a second-place finisher in the 200-meter dash and top-eight finishers in the 100-meter and 400-meter sprints, as well as several national top-six 400-meter and 1600-meter relay teams. VALERIE PERKIN JENNY SIMPSON JENNY STONE Media Relations Director Volunteer Coach Athletic Trainer White has also been a member of two Colorado state champion football staffs. As the coach of the linebackers and quarterbacks, he was fortunate to coach all-state team members in both positions. CADET MANAGERS White and his wife, Veronica, have been married for 55 years. They are blessed with five children (four daughters and one son) and nine grandchildren. NAME YR HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL) Nolan Bet Jr. Whitehall, Pa. (Allentown Central Catholic) Vincent Chen Jr. Walnut, Calif. (Walnut) Okezie Ezekannagha Sr. Montgomery, Ala. (Loveless) Robin Eckolm So. Annandale, Minn. (Annandale) John Farquhar So. Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart) Riley Feeney Jr. Chelsea, Mich. (Chelsea) Steven Freund Jr. Powder Springs, Ga. (McEachern) Zachary Funke Fr. Boise, Idaho (Bishop Kelly) Christina Napper So. Morao Valley, Calif. (Calvary Chapel Christian) Joshua Nielsen So. Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake) Clark Pain Fr. San Diego, Calif. (La Costa Canyon) Bianca Santos Fr. O’Fallon, Ill. (O’Fallon Township) Elizabeth Staab Fr. New Palastine, Ind. (New Palastine) Matt Waddel Fr. Eagle River, Alaska (O’Fallon Township)

18 AIR FORCE TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE