Saturday, September 3
Providence, RI
8:30 am MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Gannon University
Photo by: NK ACTION IMAGES
Air Force Opens Season at Bruno Classic
8/30/2022 2:00:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
This Week: Air Force men's water polo opens the 2022 season with six games at the Bruno Classic hosted by Brown University, Sept. 3-4, in Providence, R.I. The Falcons play a triple header Saturday, opening against Gannon at 8:30 am MT, then taking on St. Francis Brooklyn at 12:15 pm and then Austin College at 5:15 pm MT. Sunday's action features matches against Wagner at 8:45 am MT, Brown at 12:30 pm and MIT at 5:30 pm MT. The MIT match will be played at MIT's pool in Cambridge, Mass. The five matches played at Brown are slated to be streamed on ESPN+.
Series Records: The tournament will be the first meeting for the Falcons against Gannon. Air Force is 3-7 all-time against St. Francis, with the two teams last meeting in 2016 in a 15-10 setback at the Princeton Water Polo Invite in Princeton, NJ. Air Force's last win over St. Francis was in 2014. Air Force is 3-0 all-time against Austin College. The teams played last year, with the Falcons winning 15-12 at the Academy on Oct. 16, 2021. Air Force is 0-1 all-time vs. Wagner. The Falcons lost to Wagner 11-8 at the Julian Fraser Memorial tournament in Santa Clara, Calif. The Falcons are 12-14 all-time against Brown. The two teams played last year, with the Falcons winning 14-10 at Brown on Sept. 25, 2021. Air Force is 2-0 all-time vs. MIT. Last year, the Falcons won 13-8 last year in a neutral-site match in Providence.
About the Schedule: Following the Bruno Classic, the Falcons travel to the other side of the country to take part in the Inland Empire Classic, Sept. 10-11 in Southern California. The Falcons return home to host Navy on Sept. 15 before hosting the Rare Air Challenge Sept. 17-18 and the Rare Air Invite Sept. 24-25. The Falcons will play 15 home games this season.
Most Wins Since 2012: Air Force had its most successful season under head coach Ryan Brown in 2021, posting a 17-9 record. The Falcons has its winningest season since a 19-win season back in 2012. The Falcons capped their season by being eliminated from the WWPA Tournament in the second round in a 17-16 triple-overtime setback to Santa Clara.
Who's Back: Air Force returns two of its top three scorers from the 2021 season. Senior Grant Snyder led the team in scoring with 87 goals 111 points in 26 games last season. Junior Ian Christie was third on the team with 29 goals and 78 points. AJ Kuypers is Air Force's top returner in goal with 17 starts last season. Kuypers posted a 9-9 record in goal with a .456 saves percentage, to go with 152 saves.
Back-to-Back All-American Grant Snyder: Grant Snyder earned All-America honors for the second straight season as he was named honorable mention by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC). Snyder was a second-team selection in 2020. He becomes just the fifth Falcon to earn All-America honors two or more times. As a junior, Snyder earned first-team all-Western Water Polo Association honors. The native of Springville, Calif., tied for second in the WWPA and tied for fourth in the nation in goals (87). He also tied for second in the WWPA and tied for sixth in the nation with 111 points. Snyder ranked second in the WWPA and fourth in the nation with 58 sprint victories and was third in the WWPA and tied for ninth in the nation with 45 steals. His 87 goals in 2021 are the second most in school history and the most since 1972. Snyder's 111 points are the fourth most in school history.
Final season in WWPA: Air Force plays its final season as members of the Western Water Polo Association in 2022. The Falcons will join West Coast Conference for the 2023 season as part of a newly added sport to the WCC. Air Force will be an affiliate member of the WCC and will join WCC member institutions – Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine and Santa Clara, along with fellow affiliate members California Baptist and San Jose State.
Series Records: The tournament will be the first meeting for the Falcons against Gannon. Air Force is 3-7 all-time against St. Francis, with the two teams last meeting in 2016 in a 15-10 setback at the Princeton Water Polo Invite in Princeton, NJ. Air Force's last win over St. Francis was in 2014. Air Force is 3-0 all-time against Austin College. The teams played last year, with the Falcons winning 15-12 at the Academy on Oct. 16, 2021. Air Force is 0-1 all-time vs. Wagner. The Falcons lost to Wagner 11-8 at the Julian Fraser Memorial tournament in Santa Clara, Calif. The Falcons are 12-14 all-time against Brown. The two teams played last year, with the Falcons winning 14-10 at Brown on Sept. 25, 2021. Air Force is 2-0 all-time vs. MIT. Last year, the Falcons won 13-8 last year in a neutral-site match in Providence.
About the Schedule: Following the Bruno Classic, the Falcons travel to the other side of the country to take part in the Inland Empire Classic, Sept. 10-11 in Southern California. The Falcons return home to host Navy on Sept. 15 before hosting the Rare Air Challenge Sept. 17-18 and the Rare Air Invite Sept. 24-25. The Falcons will play 15 home games this season.
Most Wins Since 2012: Air Force had its most successful season under head coach Ryan Brown in 2021, posting a 17-9 record. The Falcons has its winningest season since a 19-win season back in 2012. The Falcons capped their season by being eliminated from the WWPA Tournament in the second round in a 17-16 triple-overtime setback to Santa Clara.
Who's Back: Air Force returns two of its top three scorers from the 2021 season. Senior Grant Snyder led the team in scoring with 87 goals 111 points in 26 games last season. Junior Ian Christie was third on the team with 29 goals and 78 points. AJ Kuypers is Air Force's top returner in goal with 17 starts last season. Kuypers posted a 9-9 record in goal with a .456 saves percentage, to go with 152 saves.
Back-to-Back All-American Grant Snyder: Grant Snyder earned All-America honors for the second straight season as he was named honorable mention by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC). Snyder was a second-team selection in 2020. He becomes just the fifth Falcon to earn All-America honors two or more times. As a junior, Snyder earned first-team all-Western Water Polo Association honors. The native of Springville, Calif., tied for second in the WWPA and tied for fourth in the nation in goals (87). He also tied for second in the WWPA and tied for sixth in the nation with 111 points. Snyder ranked second in the WWPA and fourth in the nation with 58 sprint victories and was third in the WWPA and tied for ninth in the nation with 45 steals. His 87 goals in 2021 are the second most in school history and the most since 1972. Snyder's 111 points are the fourth most in school history.
Final season in WWPA: Air Force plays its final season as members of the Western Water Polo Association in 2022. The Falcons will join West Coast Conference for the 2023 season as part of a newly added sport to the WCC. Air Force will be an affiliate member of the WCC and will join WCC member institutions – Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine and Santa Clara, along with fellow affiliate members California Baptist and San Jose State.
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AT
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