Sean Maison, a senior at Air Force Academy and the reigning Mountain West Conference champion along with a two-time NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships qualifier, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss the Falcons competing Oct. 13 at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational presented by Under Armour at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison. Maison has contributed to Air Force capturing three consecutive Mountain West Conference men's team titles as well as back-to-back top-five finishes at Nuttycombe, including fourth last season. He reflects on the Falcons securing a sixth-place finish in the 8-kilometer race Sept. 23 at the Virginia Invitational, with Luke Combs and Maison both placing in the top 20 overall, and how valuable it was for Air Force to get a preview of the Panorama Farms course that will play host Nov. 18 to the Division 1 championship meet in Earlysville. Maison also shares his first visit to the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in 2018 as a student-athlete at Wheaton Warrenville South High in Illinois and being able to watch the NCAA cross country final, and how it provided inspiration for him to compete during his collegiate career in Madison. He reflects on the experiences the Falcons have had the past two years at Nuttycombe and the lessons learned in preparation for competing Oct. 13 against another elite national field. Maison highlights how significant the leadership of Combs has been for Air Force this season, along with the guidance and mentorship of coaches Ryan Cole and Laura Bowerman. He also examines the improvement and development of Eli Bennett, Ryan Child, Jett Knight and Jason Renze, along with the contributions of Zach Ayers and Max Sannes, in an effort for Air Force to add to its conference championship legacy and return to the Division 1 final. Maison speaks about the motivation for the Falcons to build on last year's seventh-place finish at the NCAA championship meet at Oklahoma State in Stillwater and how Air Force is well prepared for any challenges and all competitors in Wisconsin, along with the postseason.

WATCH LIVE WEBCAST OCTOBER 13 OF NUTTYCOMBE WISCONSIN INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY UNDER ARMOUR ON RUNNERSPACE+PLUS