Falcons Finish Fourth in Season-Opening Meet

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – A young Air Force men's gymnastics team kicked off the 2020 season with a fourth-place finish at the annual Rocky Mountain Open this evening (Jan. 11) at the Academy's Cadet West Gym. Junior Frankie Valentin had an impressive season opener for the Falcons, pacing the squad in five of the six events and earning a top-five collegiate finish in the all-around.

Valentin, competing in his first collegiate all-around, tallied a score of 78.550 to finish fourth amongst collegiate athletes – and sixth in the overall field that included members of the U.S. Olympic Training Center Team. The junior's best finish of the night came on the pommel horse, as he posted a career-best 13.600 to finish fifth in the full 35-gymnast field. Valentin also accounted for team-leading scores on the floor exercise (13.500, 15th), vault (13.750, 17th) and high bar (12.600, 15th), while he and classmate Brian Waschak posted matching team-high scores of 13.100 on the still rings (13th).

Waschak, competing in his first collegiate meet, rounded out the men's scoring leaders, as he registered a tally of 13.400 to tie for 10th on the parallel bars.

Sophomore Noah Everett joined Valentin and Waschak as a top-10 finisher in the individual event results, as he earned a 13.150 in his collegiate debut to tie for 10th on the pommel horse. Freshman Sam Metzler, another Academy gymnast competing in his field collegiate meet, placed within the top half of the field on the floor exercise (17th, 13.450), while junior Allen Shadan earned a top-half finish on the parallel bars (14th, 13.150).

Oklahoma, ranked second in the preseason coaches' poll, won its 20th Rocky Mountain Open title with a team score of 409.900, while fifth-ranked Nebraska finished second with a mark of 403.550. Sixth-ranked Minnesota combined for a mark of 391.250 to finish third, while the 13th-ranked Falcons (fourth, 381.900) and No. 17 Washington (fifth, 375.350) rounded out the collegiate standings.

Air Force heads out the road next weekend, when it heads to conference foe Cal for its first dual meet of the year. The two MPSF squads are scheduled to meet at 4:00 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, Jan. 18, in Berkeley.

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Players Mentioned

Noah Everett

Sam Metzler

Allen Shadan

Frankie Valentin

Brian Waschak

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