2005 Women's Gymnastics Preview
12/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
The 2005 Air Force women's gymnastics season promises to be an exciting one, as the Falcons return seven gymnasts who were a part of last year's record-setting team. With the excitement of setting four team records and five individual marks, Air Force looks to blend the experience of the seven talented veterans with the fresh youth of five exceptional freshmen.
THE RETURNERS: Air Force returns its top scorer and Most Valuable Athlete from one year ago in Jessa Liegl. The senior co-captain from Lincoln, Neb., was the USA Gymnastics champion on the balance beam, while picking up USAG All-America honors in three events. After leading the team all year on four of the five events, Liegl will look to continue the success that led to all-conference first-team honors in every event last year.
Liegl will share captaincy of the team with classmate Diane Godar (Conroe, Texas). It will be the first time since 1998 that two gymnasts have shared the duties of captain.
The Falcons also return the program's lone junior, Lauren Robison (Garner, N.C.), who was another all-conference honoree last season and earned USAG All-America honors on the floor exercise.
Air Force will look to its younger classes to help fill the void left by the graduation of two USA Gymnastics All-American honorees in Erin Maguire (USAG Senior Gymnast of the Year) and Laura Frank, as well as all-conference honoree Rebecca Lewis.
Sophomores Shonna Iwaniec (Ligonier, Pa.) and Christine Powers (Hurst, Texas) both competed in a significant amount of meets last season for the Blue and Silver and will use that experience to add depth to the program.
After one year of collegiate athletics, classmates Charlotte Freedman (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Ronda Helart (Plano, Texas) will also be looked upon to provide stability to the Falcons.
THE NEWCOMERS: Head coach Lisa Woody added a quintet of stellar athletes to the mix, bringing a vibrant excitement to the rotation.
A pair of Texas all-arounders join the team in the form of Emi Kreiner (Houston) and Kelly Lewis (Plano), in addition to multi-event athletes Callae Canfield (Athens, Ga.), Katie Donnell (Santa Fe, N.M.) and Jill Ward (Centreville, Va.).
THE SCHEDULE: Air Force opens the season on Saturday, Jan. 22, hosting Woody's alma mater, Texas Woman's University. The Falcons will host Alaska twice the following weekend, beginning with a meet on Friday (Jan. 28) and concluding with a Sunday (Jan. 30) competition. Seattle Pacific and Centenary come to the Academy on Saturday, Feb. 5, to close out the Falcons season-opening homestand.
Following a dual meet competition at San Jose State on Friday, Feb. 11, the Falcons will compete in two multi-team invitational meets. Air Force will travel to the Arizona State Invitational on Feb. 18 and to the TWU Invitational on Feb. 26.
A tri-meet with Minnesota and Nebraska, in Liegl's hometown of Lincoln, on March 6 leads to the team's home finale against Penn on Thursday, March 10. The Falcons will travel up I-25 to Denver on March 12 to join the host Pioneers for a repeat performance against Penn. Air Force wraps up the regular season at Missouri on Sunday, March 20.
The Falcons will travel to Davis, Calif., for the 2005 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships on Friday, March 25, before heading to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the NCAA Regional competition. The 2005 USA Gymnastics championships will be held April 14-16 in Ithaca, N.Y.
THE VERDICT: With the proven experience of its three upperclassmen, as well as the promise of upcoming stars, the Falcons have the perfect combination experienced veterans and talented newcomers to make for an exciting winter season in the gymnastics arena.
THE RETURNERS: Air Force returns its top scorer and Most Valuable Athlete from one year ago in Jessa Liegl. The senior co-captain from Lincoln, Neb., was the USA Gymnastics champion on the balance beam, while picking up USAG All-America honors in three events. After leading the team all year on four of the five events, Liegl will look to continue the success that led to all-conference first-team honors in every event last year.
Liegl will share captaincy of the team with classmate Diane Godar (Conroe, Texas). It will be the first time since 1998 that two gymnasts have shared the duties of captain.
The Falcons also return the program's lone junior, Lauren Robison (Garner, N.C.), who was another all-conference honoree last season and earned USAG All-America honors on the floor exercise.
Air Force will look to its younger classes to help fill the void left by the graduation of two USA Gymnastics All-American honorees in Erin Maguire (USAG Senior Gymnast of the Year) and Laura Frank, as well as all-conference honoree Rebecca Lewis.
Sophomores Shonna Iwaniec (Ligonier, Pa.) and Christine Powers (Hurst, Texas) both competed in a significant amount of meets last season for the Blue and Silver and will use that experience to add depth to the program.
After one year of collegiate athletics, classmates Charlotte Freedman (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Ronda Helart (Plano, Texas) will also be looked upon to provide stability to the Falcons.
THE NEWCOMERS: Head coach Lisa Woody added a quintet of stellar athletes to the mix, bringing a vibrant excitement to the rotation.
A pair of Texas all-arounders join the team in the form of Emi Kreiner (Houston) and Kelly Lewis (Plano), in addition to multi-event athletes Callae Canfield (Athens, Ga.), Katie Donnell (Santa Fe, N.M.) and Jill Ward (Centreville, Va.).
THE SCHEDULE: Air Force opens the season on Saturday, Jan. 22, hosting Woody's alma mater, Texas Woman's University. The Falcons will host Alaska twice the following weekend, beginning with a meet on Friday (Jan. 28) and concluding with a Sunday (Jan. 30) competition. Seattle Pacific and Centenary come to the Academy on Saturday, Feb. 5, to close out the Falcons season-opening homestand.
Following a dual meet competition at San Jose State on Friday, Feb. 11, the Falcons will compete in two multi-team invitational meets. Air Force will travel to the Arizona State Invitational on Feb. 18 and to the TWU Invitational on Feb. 26.
A tri-meet with Minnesota and Nebraska, in Liegl's hometown of Lincoln, on March 6 leads to the team's home finale against Penn on Thursday, March 10. The Falcons will travel up I-25 to Denver on March 12 to join the host Pioneers for a repeat performance against Penn. Air Force wraps up the regular season at Missouri on Sunday, March 20.
The Falcons will travel to Davis, Calif., for the 2005 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships on Friday, March 25, before heading to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the NCAA Regional competition. The 2005 USA Gymnastics championships will be held April 14-16 in Ithaca, N.Y.
THE VERDICT: With the proven experience of its three upperclassmen, as well as the promise of upcoming stars, the Falcons have the perfect combination experienced veterans and talented newcomers to make for an exciting winter season in the gymnastics arena.
Joe Scott, Caleb Walker and Kam Sanders Post Game vs Wyoming
Wednesday, December 31
Air Force falls to Wyoming
Tuesday, December 30
Air Force vs. Bucknell - All Falcon Touchdowns
Monday, December 29
Stacy McIntyre and Player POST Nevada
Saturday, December 20
