Air Force Set to Host USAG Collegiate Nationals
3/28/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Meet Notes 08: USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships 
After two weeks off from competition, the 11th-ranked Air Force men's gymnastics team returns to action – and the Academy – this weekend to open the championship portion of its season in defense of its USAG team title. The Falcons will host the 2018 USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships on Friday (March 30) and Saturday (March 31) at the Cadet West Gymnasium.
MEET INFORMATION
The 2018 USAG Collegiate Nationals will take place March 30-31 at Cadet West Gym and feature four varsity teams (Air Force, Navy, Springfield, William and Mary) and five club programs (Arizona State, NorCal United, SoCal United, Temple, Washington). The team and all-around finals will take place at 3:00 p.m. (MT) on Friday, while individual event championships will begin at 2:00 p.m. (MT) on Saturday. Tickets, which can be purchased at the entrance to the gym one hour before competition begins, are $10 for adults and $5 for youth aged 4-18, military with ID and groups of 10-or-more.
LOOKING AT THE FIELD
Navy currently leads the 10-team USAG field with a four-score average of 400.217, while Air Force (397.433), Army West Point (393.050), Arizona State (391.917) and William & Mary (391.867) rounded out top five. Springfield College is ranked sixth in the division with a 382.900 average, while four club teams (Washington: 369.567; SoCal United: 328.617; Temple: 205.567; NorCal United: n/a) complete the overall standings.
HISTORY 101
Air Force has won the last eight USAG team titles, while accounting for 25 individual champions and 81 USAG All-America certificates during that span. Since Air Force began competing at the USAG meet in 1994, it has totaled eight team championships, 41 individual titles and 186 USAG All-America awards. Current Falcons Fletcher Braunton, Jonathan Fornoff, Christian Kalustian and Eric Klein have combined for six USAG All-America awards
AIR FORCE IN THE RANKINGS
The Falcons, ranked 11th in the nation with a four-score average of 397.433, are ranked among the nation's top 10 on the pommel horse (eighth, 66.350), still rings (ninth, 67.467), vault (ninth, vault, 69.900) and parallel bars (10th, 65.667). Individually, Lukas Texeira is ranked sixth on the high bar with a four-score mark of 14.050, while Fletcher Braunton is ranked 10th on the still rings (14.083) and 13th on the pommel horse (13.950).
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Air Force remains at the Academy next week, when it hosts the 2018 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships. The Falcons will welcome top-ranked Oklahoma, No. 4 Stanford and No. 12 California to the Cadet West Gym on Saturday, April 7, for the annual conference meet.
Players Mentioned
