Saturday, September 10
Redlands, CA
1 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Occidental College
Photo by: U.S. Air Force
Air Force Travels To Inland Empire Classic
9/8/2022 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
This Week: Air Force (4-2 overall, 0-0 WWPA) travels to Redlands and Claremont, Calif., for the annual Inland Empire Classic, Sept. 10-11. On Saturday, Sept. 10, Air Force will play in Redlands and take on Occidental (0-1) at noon PT and host Redlands (1-3) at 5 pm PT. On Sunday, Sept. 11, the Falcons play in Claremont and take on Pomona Pitzer (3-1) at 9:30 am PT and Claremont Mudd-Scripps (1-3) at 2 pm PT. Video stream and live stats will be available for every game.
Series Records: Air Force is 8-1 all-time vs. Occidental. The teams last met in 2019, where Air Force won 18-8 at the Inland Empire Tournament. The Falcons are 30-11 all-time vs. Redlands. Air Force won the last meeting in 2021, 13-12 in overtime. The Falcons are 25-5 all-time vs. Pomona Pitzer. In the last meeting, Air Force lost 11-8 in 2019 at the Troyer Tournament in Pomona, Calif. Air Force is 38-6 all-time vs. Claremont Mudd-Scripps. Air Force opened the 2021 season against Claremont, winning 15-7, at the Rare Air Challenge at the Academy.
Recapping Bruno Classic: Air Force went 4-2 at the Bruno Classic last weekend. The Falcons opened Saturday with a 20-5 win over Gannon University, before a 15-13 setback to #20 St. Francis College Brooklyn. Air Force capped the day with a 15-4 win over Austin College. On Sunday, Air Force opened with a 17-13 win over Wagner, before a 17-12 loss to host #19 Brown. The Falcons then won at MIT 19-14. Senior Grant Snyder led the way with 29 goals and 38 points and junior Ian Christie added 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points. Senior A.J. Kuypers started four games in goal and posted 45 saves. Freshman Luca Smith started two games and had 21 saves.
Snyder Named WWPA POW: Senior Grant Synder earned WWPA Player of the Week honors for his performance at the Bruno Classic. Snyder scored at least five goals in five of six games, including eight goals against Wagner and six goals against Austin College. It is Snyder's third-career POW honor.
National Leaders: Air Force boasts the top two scorers in the nation in senior Grant Synder and junior Ian Christie (based off 9/5/22 results on theFosh.net). Snyder's 29 goals and 38 points are both tops in the nation. Christie's 17 goals and 35 points are second. Christie leads the nation with 18 assists.
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: Air Force is 8-1 all-time vs. Occidental. The teams last met in 2019, where Air Force won 18-8 at the Inland Empire Tournament. The Falcons are 30-11 all-time vs. Redlands. Air Force won the last meeting in 2021, 13-12 in overtime. The Falcons are 25-5 all-time vs. Pomona Pitzer. In the last meeting, Air Force lost 11-8 in 2019 at the Troyer Tournament in Pomona, Calif. Air Force is 38-6 all-time vs. Claremont Mudd-Scripps. Air Force opened the 2021 season against Claremont, winning 15-7, at the Rare Air Challenge at the Academy.
Recapping Bruno Classic: Air Force went 4-2 at the Bruno Classic last weekend. The Falcons opened Saturday with a 20-5 win over Gannon University, before a 15-13 setback to #20 St. Francis College Brooklyn. Air Force capped the day with a 15-4 win over Austin College. On Sunday, Air Force opened with a 17-13 win over Wagner, before a 17-12 loss to host #19 Brown. The Falcons then won at MIT 19-14. Senior Grant Snyder led the way with 29 goals and 38 points and junior Ian Christie added 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points. Senior A.J. Kuypers started four games in goal and posted 45 saves. Freshman Luca Smith started two games and had 21 saves.
Snyder Named WWPA POW: Senior Grant Synder earned WWPA Player of the Week honors for his performance at the Bruno Classic. Snyder scored at least five goals in five of six games, including eight goals against Wagner and six goals against Austin College. It is Snyder's third-career POW honor.
National Leaders: Air Force boasts the top two scorers in the nation in senior Grant Synder and junior Ian Christie (based off 9/5/22 results on theFosh.net). Snyder's 29 goals and 38 points are both tops in the nation. Christie's 17 goals and 35 points are second. Christie leads the nation with 18 assists.
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.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Water PoloFalcons complete Rare Air Invite 5-0
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Falcons go 2-0 on first day of Rare Air Invite
Saturday, September 06
Rare Air Water Polo Invitational - Day 2
Thursday, September 04
Rare Air Water Polo Invitational - Day 1
Thursday, September 04
