Saturday, April 2
USAFA
TBA
Air Force Academy
vs
National Championships
Three Falcons Take Gold at NCBA Championships
4/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Boxing
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- Three members of the Air Force boxing team were crowned national champions during the final round of the National Collegiate Boxing Association championships on Saturday, April 2. Willie Lloyd (Columbia, S.C.), Darren Smith (Laurel, Md.) and Blake Baldi (Peoria, Ill.) all earned gold medals in their respective weight classes.
As a team, the Falcons finished second with 40 points -- just two points shy of tournament winner Navy (42 points). Army rounded out the trio of service academies with a third-place finish of 29 points. While the standing snaps the Falcons' streak of six straight team titles, Air Force continues its commanding streak of no finish lower than second...ever.
The Falcons opened the evening with the first gold in the first bout, as Lloyd picked up the 112-pound national title with a decision over the defending national champion, Moon Kim of UNLV.
Smith concluded his collegiate career in style with his first national title at 119-pounds, as he earned a hard-hitting decision over Will Geiger of Miami (Ohio).
Air Force picked up another gold medal in the 147-pound championship when Baldi decisioned Cal's Todd Gaylord -- last year's champion at 132-pounds.
Despite a hard-fought six minutes of boxing, junior Luis Pena (Laredo, Texas) dropped a close decision to Daniel Reese of UNLV in the 132-pound finals. The Falcons' final contender, senior Brock Predovich (Canon City, Colo.), fell in the 195-pound final when the referee stopped his contest with Kentucky's Chad Gilpin in the third round.
In addition to the three gold and two silver medals, the Falcons also earned four bronze medals from freshman Brian Navin (Boston, Mass.), senior Augustin Kamdem (Yaounde, Cameroon), senior Chris Collins (Grayson, Ky.) and sophomore Ian Tuznik (Niceville, Fla.).
In other NCBA action, Navy's Jeremy Biggs won the title at 125-pounds, while Nevada's Dave Schacter won the 132-pound title when the referee stopped his contest. Army's Matt Pride won at 156-lbs., while Greg Murrell of UNLV topped last year's champion to win the 165-pound decision.
Navy's Amir Shareef successfully defended his national title, winning a decision in the 175-pounds. Army's Wes Baer also repeated as a national champion in the heavyweight division.
The NCBA presented its annual Sportsman of the Year award to Will Geiger from Miami (Ohio), while Navy's Jeremy Biggs and Kentucky's Chad Gilpin shared the Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament award. The Academy and NCBA also recognized Air Force sophomore Colin LaFavor, who gave up his boxing season prior to the Wing Open to become a bone marrow donor.
COMPLETE RESULTS FROM NCBA FINALS
112-lbs.: Willie Lloyd (Air Force) dec. Moon Kim (UNLV)
119-lbs.: Darren Smith (Air Force) dec. Will Geiger (Miami-Ohio)
125-lbs.: Jeremy Biggs (Navy) dec. Jose Casas (Nevada)
132-lbs.: Dave Schacter (Nevada) rsc. Nick Tawil (Navy)
139-lbs.: Daniel Reese (UNLV) dec. Luis Pena (Air Force)
147-lbs.: Blake Baldi (Air Force) dec. Todd Gaylord (Cal)
156-lbs.: Matt Pride (Army) dec. Alejandro Loya (Navy)
165-lbs.: Greg Murrell (UNLV) dec. Ryan Healy (Nevada)
175-lbs.: Amir Shareef (Navy) dec. Ovidiu Iacob (Army)
185-lbs.: Chris Lonero (Navy) dec. Reggie Smith (Army)
195-lbs.: Chad Gilpin (Kentucky) rsc. Brock Predovich (Air Force)
Hywt.: Wes Baer (Army) dec. Luke Runion (Maryland)
As a team, the Falcons finished second with 40 points -- just two points shy of tournament winner Navy (42 points). Army rounded out the trio of service academies with a third-place finish of 29 points. While the standing snaps the Falcons' streak of six straight team titles, Air Force continues its commanding streak of no finish lower than second...ever.
The Falcons opened the evening with the first gold in the first bout, as Lloyd picked up the 112-pound national title with a decision over the defending national champion, Moon Kim of UNLV.
Smith concluded his collegiate career in style with his first national title at 119-pounds, as he earned a hard-hitting decision over Will Geiger of Miami (Ohio).
Air Force picked up another gold medal in the 147-pound championship when Baldi decisioned Cal's Todd Gaylord -- last year's champion at 132-pounds.
Despite a hard-fought six minutes of boxing, junior Luis Pena (Laredo, Texas) dropped a close decision to Daniel Reese of UNLV in the 132-pound finals. The Falcons' final contender, senior Brock Predovich (Canon City, Colo.), fell in the 195-pound final when the referee stopped his contest with Kentucky's Chad Gilpin in the third round.
In addition to the three gold and two silver medals, the Falcons also earned four bronze medals from freshman Brian Navin (Boston, Mass.), senior Augustin Kamdem (Yaounde, Cameroon), senior Chris Collins (Grayson, Ky.) and sophomore Ian Tuznik (Niceville, Fla.).
In other NCBA action, Navy's Jeremy Biggs won the title at 125-pounds, while Nevada's Dave Schacter won the 132-pound title when the referee stopped his contest. Army's Matt Pride won at 156-lbs., while Greg Murrell of UNLV topped last year's champion to win the 165-pound decision.
Navy's Amir Shareef successfully defended his national title, winning a decision in the 175-pounds. Army's Wes Baer also repeated as a national champion in the heavyweight division.
The NCBA presented its annual Sportsman of the Year award to Will Geiger from Miami (Ohio), while Navy's Jeremy Biggs and Kentucky's Chad Gilpin shared the Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament award. The Academy and NCBA also recognized Air Force sophomore Colin LaFavor, who gave up his boxing season prior to the Wing Open to become a bone marrow donor.
COMPLETE RESULTS FROM NCBA FINALS
112-lbs.: Willie Lloyd (Air Force) dec. Moon Kim (UNLV)
119-lbs.: Darren Smith (Air Force) dec. Will Geiger (Miami-Ohio)
125-lbs.: Jeremy Biggs (Navy) dec. Jose Casas (Nevada)
132-lbs.: Dave Schacter (Nevada) rsc. Nick Tawil (Navy)
139-lbs.: Daniel Reese (UNLV) dec. Luis Pena (Air Force)
147-lbs.: Blake Baldi (Air Force) dec. Todd Gaylord (Cal)
156-lbs.: Matt Pride (Army) dec. Alejandro Loya (Navy)
165-lbs.: Greg Murrell (UNLV) dec. Ryan Healy (Nevada)
175-lbs.: Amir Shareef (Navy) dec. Ovidiu Iacob (Army)
185-lbs.: Chris Lonero (Navy) dec. Reggie Smith (Army)
195-lbs.: Chad Gilpin (Kentucky) rsc. Brock Predovich (Air Force)
Hywt.: Wes Baer (Army) dec. Luke Runion (Maryland)
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