Men's Gymnastics Opens 2021 Season Saturday

The Air Force men's gymnastics team kicks off the 2021 season this weekend, when the 13th-ranked Falcons host Arizona State and second-ranked Oklahoma in a triangular meet at the Academy on Saturday, Jan. 16.

MEET INFORMATION
The season opening triangular – an abbreviated version of the annual Rocky Mountain Open that has been held at the Academy for the last 40 years – is scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. (MT), inside Cadet West Gym. The meet, which will be closed to the public, will be streamed live on the Air Force Falcons YouTube page. Direct links to video and live stats can be found on the team's schedule page at GoAirForceFalcons.com.

FAN ATTENDANCE
Due to Academy and local COVID restrictions, fan attendance at Air Force men's gymnastics home meets will not be allowed.

LET'S MEET THE OPPONENTS
It is the first gymnastics meet for Air Force and its two opponents since the 2020 season was cancelled in mid-March. Oklahoma was picked second in the College Gymnastics Association's NCAA Division I preseason poll with two first-place votes and 208 total points, while Arizona State was the overwhelming favorite in the GymACT preseason poll with all nine first-place votes and 180 total points.

YOU LOOK FAMILIAR
Jacob Becchetti spent more than 12 years competing for the Aspire Junior Sun Devils team in Tempe and was coached by Arizona State's assistant coach Rob Survick.

PUTTING PEN TO PAPER
Air Force inked the nation's No. 8 recruiting class for the Class of 2021 following December's National Signing Day.

FALCONS RANKED 13TH IN PRESEASON POLL
Air Force earned a No. 13 ranking in the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll.

ON THE SIDELINES
Josh Loeser is in his second season as the head coach of the Air Force men's gymnastics team. Loeser, who spent two years as an assistant for the men's resident program at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, served as an assistant coach for the Falcons from 2013-17 and captured USAG Assistant Coach of the Year honors four times during that stint. He is joined on the sidelines by second-year assistant Sergey Resnick and Maj Josiah Loeser, who previously worked alongside his brother during the 2016-17 seasons before serving as the team's Officer Representative in 2018-19.

LEADING THE WAY
Ethan Esval and Zach Polen will serve as the team captain for the 2021 season.

HOME SWEET HOME
Air Force will compete at the Academy three times during the 2021 season. Following the season-opening triangular meet on Jan. 16, the Falcons will welcome Army West Point to Cadet West Gym on March 20 and hold a virtual competition against teams from across the country during the USAG Collegiate Nationals on March 27.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Featuring the nation's seventh-ranked recruiting class, Air Force welcomed five impressive freshmen to its roster for the 2021 season with the addition of Jacob Becchetti, Garrett Braunton, Jake Sampier, Dylan West and Oliver Zavel. Braunton – younger brother of former Air Force gymnast Fletcher Braunton (Class of 2018) – is a six-time Junior Olympic national champion and member of USA Gymnastics' Junior World Team, while West earned first-place honors on the still rings a the 2016 Junior Olympic National Championships and Zavel earned a top-10 finish in the all-around at the 2019 meet.

WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Air Force is back in action next Saturday (Jan. 23), when it travels to Norman, Okla., for a rematch with the Sooners.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jacob Becchetti

Fletcher Braunton

Garrett Braunton

Ethan Esval

Zach Polen

Jake Sampier

Dylan West

Oliver Zavel

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