Saturday, November 6
Charlseton, SC
7 AM MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Battle at the Citadel
Photo by: U.S. Air Force photo / Trang Le
Falcon Wrestling Opens the Season at Citadel Invite
11/5/2021 12:48:00 PM | Wrestling
THIS WEEK
The Air Force wrestling teams travels to Charleston, South Carolina to compete in tournament action with the Citadel, Duke, NC State, Presbyterian, Bellmost Abbey and Newberry, Saturday, November 6. Action is slated to begin at 9 a.m. ET in McAlister Field House. Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
A second contingent of Falcons travels to Golden, Colorado, to compete at the Mines Rookie Open, hosted by the Colorado School of Mines, Sunday, November 7. Action is slated to begin at 10 a.m. MT, in Steinhauer Field House.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Falcons ranked 40th in the nation according to WIN Magazine. Jared Van Vleet checked in at No. 14 in the nation at 133, while teammate Wyatt Hendrickson garnered a 10th-place national ranking in the heavyweight class in the same publication. Both Van Vleet and Hendrickson are returning NCAA qualifiers.
LEAD FROM THE FRONT
Air Force senior Jared Van Vleet serves as the Falcons team captain for the 2021-22 campaign.
THE NEW GUYS
Air Force wrestling welcomed 10 freshmen to the 2021-22 squad, a class that ranks 24th in the nation by WIN Magazine and recognized by IntermatWrestle.com as a class just outside the top 25.
The wrestling class of 2025 consists five additions from the USAFA Prep School and six state champions with 12 state champion accolades, ranging from the waters of the Pacific Northwest to the waters of the southeastern seaboard and many places in between.
AT TH HELM
Sam Barber enters his eighth season at the helm of the Air Force wrestling program in 2021-22. Barber has coached 21 national qualifiers at USAFA while also making his mark as a recruiter rounding up some of the nation's top recruits, landing top-30 recruiting classes in seven of eight seasons at the helm, including two in the top-20. In addition to success on the mat, Barber has also been a mentor for the Falcons in the classroom, as he has guided eight Falcons to become NWCA Scholar All-Americans, while his athletes have been named to academic all-conference teams 64 times.
UP NEXT
Air Force travels to Boone, North Carolina, to compete at the Mountaineer Invitational, hosted by Appalachian State, Sunday, November 14. Action is slated to begin at 9 a.m. ET.
The Air Force wrestling teams travels to Charleston, South Carolina to compete in tournament action with the Citadel, Duke, NC State, Presbyterian, Bellmost Abbey and Newberry, Saturday, November 6. Action is slated to begin at 9 a.m. ET in McAlister Field House. Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
A second contingent of Falcons travels to Golden, Colorado, to compete at the Mines Rookie Open, hosted by the Colorado School of Mines, Sunday, November 7. Action is slated to begin at 10 a.m. MT, in Steinhauer Field House.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Falcons ranked 40th in the nation according to WIN Magazine. Jared Van Vleet checked in at No. 14 in the nation at 133, while teammate Wyatt Hendrickson garnered a 10th-place national ranking in the heavyweight class in the same publication. Both Van Vleet and Hendrickson are returning NCAA qualifiers.
LEAD FROM THE FRONT
Air Force senior Jared Van Vleet serves as the Falcons team captain for the 2021-22 campaign.
THE NEW GUYS
Air Force wrestling welcomed 10 freshmen to the 2021-22 squad, a class that ranks 24th in the nation by WIN Magazine and recognized by IntermatWrestle.com as a class just outside the top 25.
The wrestling class of 2025 consists five additions from the USAFA Prep School and six state champions with 12 state champion accolades, ranging from the waters of the Pacific Northwest to the waters of the southeastern seaboard and many places in between.
AT TH HELM
Sam Barber enters his eighth season at the helm of the Air Force wrestling program in 2021-22. Barber has coached 21 national qualifiers at USAFA while also making his mark as a recruiter rounding up some of the nation's top recruits, landing top-30 recruiting classes in seven of eight seasons at the helm, including two in the top-20. In addition to success on the mat, Barber has also been a mentor for the Falcons in the classroom, as he has guided eight Falcons to become NWCA Scholar All-Americans, while his athletes have been named to academic all-conference teams 64 times.
UP NEXT
Air Force travels to Boone, North Carolina, to compete at the Mountaineer Invitational, hosted by Appalachian State, Sunday, November 14. Action is slated to begin at 9 a.m. ET.
Players Mentioned
HWT
/ Wrestling
133
/ WrestlingWyatt Hendrickson Visit
Monday, April 07
Sam Barber Interview March 12, 2025
Wednesday, March 12
Sam Barber Interview March 5, 2025
Wednesday, March 05
Sam Barber Interview February 25, 2025
Tuesday, February 25
