Falcons head to Western Athletic Conference Championships, Feb. 24-27
2/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- The Air Force men's swimming and diving teams will travel to Houston, Texas, for the Western Athletic Conference Championships, Feb. 24-27. Air Force will battle Grand Canyon, Cal State Bakersfield, North Dakota, Seattle University, Wyoming and UNLV. Last season, in the final race of the championship, UNLV won the final relay and edged Air Force by just 10 points for the team title. After finishing third in 2014 and second in 2015, the Falcons are looking for their first ever conference championship.
In the pre-championship coaches poll, Air Force was picked as the favorite with four first-place votes and 34 points overall. Grand Canyon was picked to finish second with 32 points and three first place votes.
The Falcons' depth in several events has been a key to the team's success and 15-1 dual meet record this season.
Air Force has the top two spots in the 200 free as Kevin Jackson is first and Dahle ranks second. The Falcons hold the top three spots in the 500 free as Jackson ranks first, Andrew Faciszewski is second and Garrett Glaudini is third. Air Force also has three of the top five spots in the 1000 free as Faciszewski is third, Collin Green is fourth and Glaudini is fifth. In the 1650 free, the Falcons have the top three, and four of top five spots, as Jackson is first, Glaudini is second, Faciszewski is third and Green is fifth.
Michael Barnosky, the school record holder and defending WAC Champion in both the 100 and 200 breast stroke events, is currently ranked first in the conference in both events. He is also third in the WAC in the 200 IM, an event he placed third in last season. Several other Falcons rank among the league leaders as Devon Davis is second the 100 back and eighth in the 200 back; senior team captain Sean Ledford is second in the 200 fly; Jordan Dahle ranks fifth in WAC in 50 free and seventh in 100 free.
In the relay events, the Falcons second in the conference to Grand Canyon (200 medley, 400 medley, 200 free, 400 free and 800 free).
In diving, senior Nathanael Zillweger ranks first in the WAC in 1-meter and 3-meter and is second to teammate A.J. Eckebrecht on the platform. Zillweger was named the WAC Diver of the Year last season as he won the 1-meter springboard and finished third on the three-meter and fifth on the platform.
To follow the WAC Championships, please visit www.wacsports.com.
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