Air Force Athletics closes highly successful 2022-23
6/28/2023 8:31:00 AM | General
Air Force Athletics recently closed a highly successful 2022-23 with the close of the NCAA championship season. The Falcons were the top service academy and top school in the Mountain West in the final Learfield Director's Cup standings for 2022-23. Air Force scored 350 points to rank 66th nationally. Air Force scored in men's cross country (72), football (45), fencing (57), Rifle (55), men's swimming (33), wrestling (55.5) and men's gymnastics (32.5). Air Force is the top service academy for the 12th consecutive year and No. 1 in the Mountain West for the third straight year (fourth overall). The Falcons have been in the top three of the Mountain West eight straight seasons.
2022-23 Recap
FALCONS VS. ARMY/NAVY
• Air Force finished 20-10 this season vs. Army and Navy, including a 9-5 mark vs. Army and 11-5 record vs. Navy.
• Air Force is 75-40-5 overall against Army and Navy the last five years. The Falcons are 47-18-4 vs. Army and 28-22-1 vs. Navy.
Army-Navy Results (Last Five Years)
Year Overall Army Navy
2022-23 20-10 9-5 11-5
2021-22 21-8 14-4 7-4
2020-21 11-2 8-1 3-1
2019-20 11-12-1 9-4-1 2-8
2018-19 12-8-4 7-4-3 5-4-1
Totals 75-40-5 47-18-4 28-22-1
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (1)
• Air Force men's boxing team captured its 20th team title at the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) National Championships this season, which concluded April 15 in Charlotte, N.C. Claiming the program's first NCBA title since 2012, the Falcons have now captured 20 titles in the last 41 tournaments (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2023) and placed within the nation's top two a total of 37 times.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (4)
Men's Cross Country -- Mountain West
Men's Soccer -- Western Athletic Conference (regular season)
Men's Indoor Track and Field -- Mountain West
Men's Outdoor Track and Field -- Mountain West
• Air Force has won 22 conference championships the last six seasons, including three this season.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS (11)
Sean Maison, junior (Men's Cross Country) - Mountain West Athlete of the Year
Max Sannes, freshman (Men's Cross Country) - Mountain West Freshman of the Year
London Aghedo, senior (Men's Soccer) - Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year
Brad Roberts, senior (Football) -- Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year
Sam Gilman (2), senior (Indoor Track) -- Mountain West Indoor Track Top Performer; MW Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year
Wen Zhang, senior (Men's Swimming) -- Western Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Year
Jack Griffith, freshman (Fencing) -- Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Freshman of the Year
Phillip Deaton,freshman (Men's Tennis) -- Mountain West Freshman of the Year
Brandon Dodd, senior (Lacrosse) -- ASUN player of the year
Sam Kulasingam, junior (Baseball) -- Mountain West Player of the Year
• Air Force cadet-athletes have been recognized as player of the year 50 times the last six years, including a school-record 14 in 2021-22. The Falcons had 10 in 2020-21, five in 2019-20, seven in 1018-19 and three in 2017-18.
COACH OF THE YEAR AWARDS (6)
Ryan Cole (3), Men's Cross Country -- Mountain West Men's Cross Country; Mountain West Indoor Track; Mountain West Outdoor Track
Doug Hill, Men's Soccer -- Western Athletic Conference
Josh Loeser, Men's Gymnastics -- Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)
Adi Nott, Fencing -- Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Assistant Coach of the Year
• Air Force coaches have earned 29 coach of the year awards the last six years. The Falcons earned five in 2021-22, three in 2020-21, three in 2019-20, six in 2018-19, six in 2017-18.
ALL AMERICAN HONORS (53)
Ryan Johnson, Senior (Cross Country) -- 28th place finish at NCAA Championships
Isaac Cochran, Senior (Football) -- Second-team, Walter Camp Football Foundation
Brad Roberts, Senior (Football) -- Third-team, College Football Network
Sam Gilman, senior (Indoor Track) -- Second-team All-American with 11th-place finish in the 3000-meter run; Second-team All-American with 15th place finish in 5,000-meter run at NCAA Outdoor
Wyatt Hendrickson, junior (Wrestling) -- Third place finish at NCAA Championships
Wen Zhang, senior (Swimming) -- Honorable mention, 15th place finish in 200 Freestyle
Garrett Braunton, junior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG high bar
Patrick Hoopes, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG pommel
Jack Matlock, freshman (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG pommel
Sam Metzler, senior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG vault
Charlie Miles, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG parallel bars
Jake Sampier, junior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG floor
Erich Upton, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG all-around; floor; rings; vault; parallel bars
Oliver Zavel, junior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG rings; high bar
Peninah D'Souza, junior (Rifle) -- first-team (air rifle), honorable mention (air rifle) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Lauren Hurley, sophomore (Rifle) -- second-team (air rifle) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Scott Rockett, sophomore (Rifle) -- second-team (air rifle) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Morgan Kreb, junior (Rifle) -- honorable mention (smallbore) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Amber Boll, senior (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG first-team on balance beam, vault
Velandra Brochi, sophomore (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG first-team all-around, balance beam, uneven bars; second-team vault
Briona Carswell, senior (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG first-team beam
Ayla McKean, sophomore (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG second-team uneven bars
Leilani Zander, sophomore (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAF second-team uneven bars
Walker Morris, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Victor Benitez, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Luke Kohout, sophomore (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Jacob Mendoza, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Leo Comacho, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Andrew Lu, sophomore (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Tyler Dalzell, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Angelo Ganac, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Madigan Starr, freshman (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Mack Lucas, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Allyah Marlett, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Ale Tirado-Elias, freshman (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Chinonye Mbanugo, freshman (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Hannah Schuster, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Patrick Hoopes, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) -- All-America, seventh-place finish (13.700) in pommel horse
Sam Kulasingham, junior (Baseball) -- Second-team, Collegiate Baseball News
Cameron Harris, senior (Track) -- Second-team, 13th place finish in 110-meter high hurdles at NCAA championships
Sam Brennan, junior (Hockey) -- College Spots Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America At-Large third team
• Air Force has had 362 All-Americans awards the last five seasons. Air Force had a school record 55 in 2021-22, 44 in 2020-21, 29 in a shortened 2019-20, 34 in 2018-19 and 48 in 2017-18. The previou school record for one season was 52, set in 2015-16.
AIR FORCE BY THE NUMBERS
Air Force Academy Athlete Highlights through the years
• 891 Athletes earned All-American awards for a total of 1,904 times
• 247 National Championship Titles
• 13 Rhodes Scholars
• 9 Olympians
• 2 Air Force Chiefs of Staff
• 1 Medal of Honor recipient
LEARFIELD DIRECTOR'S CUP STANDINGS
Air Force is the top service academy and top school in the Mountain West in the final Learfield Director's Cup standings for 2022-23. The Falcons scored 350 points to rank 66th nationally. Air Force scored in men's cross country (72), football (45), fencing (57), Rifle (55), men's swimming (33), wrestling (55.5) and men's gymnastics (32.5). Air Force is the top service academy for the 12th consecutive year and No. 1 in the Mountain West for the third straight year (fourth overall). The Falcons have been in the top three of the Mountain West eight straight seasons.
2022-23 Learfield IMG College Director's Cup Standings
Final (June 27, 2023)
298 schools receiving points
Mountain West Standings
# School (Nat'l) Points
1. Air Force (66)........... ....350.00
2. New Mexico (74)........... 275.55
3. San Diego State (86).... 213.00
4. San Jose State (100).... 176.30
5. UNLV (112)....................162.10
Service Academy Standings
# School Nat'l Points
1. Air Force ....66....... 350.00
2. Army........... 107..... 168.50
3. Navy............ 118..... 154.50
INDIVIDUAL SPORTS RECAPS
FALL
Football (10-3, 5-3 MW/2nd Mtn Division)
Air Force finished the season 10-3 overall and was second in the Mountain West Mountain Division with a 5-3 mark. The Falcons posted their third straight 10-win season, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season, which only Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Utah and Oregon have matched. Air Force won a series-record 21st Commander-in-Chief's Trophy and defeated Baylor to win the Armed Forces Bowl. The Baylor victory marks the fourth consecutive bowl win and third straight over a Power 5 program. The Falcons also won a program-record six national statistical titles in 2022. Air Force won its third-straight national rushing title with a 326.7 per-game average. The Falcons finished the season with the top-ranked total defense for the first time in program history, allowing just 254.4 yards per game. The Falcons are just the second non-Power 5 team in the last 31 years to win the national title in total defense. Air Force won the title for fewest penalty yards per game (29.69), time of possession for the second straight season (36:33) and in yards per completion (22.3). Senior fullback Brad Roberts became the first Falcon to win the national title in rushing yards with a school-record 1,728. Roberts also set school records for carries (345) and 100-yard rushing games (11). Roberts become just the third Falcon to earn Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors and first since 2007 and was a third-team All-American by College Football Network. Senior offensive lineman Isaac Cochran was named to the Walter Camp All-America second team, becoming just the fifth player in program history to earn Walter Camp All-America honors and first since 1992.
Women's Soccer (7-7-4, 4-4-3 MW)
In head coach Laura Busby's first season at the helm, the Falcons rallied to a 7-7-4 finish in 2022. Air Force finished eighth in the Mountain West, going unbeaten (3-0-2) in its final five matches. Freshman Caeli Sherman, after scoring a team-high four goals with one assist in 18 matches, was named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer Team. Sherman's nine points led all Falcon players. Goalkeeper Sydney Davis managed a breakout junior season, leading the conference in save percentage (.863) and was third in goals against average (.800). Air Force concluded the 2022 season with a thrilling 1-0 win over Colorado College in the inaugural City for Champions Cup at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs.
Men's Soccer (8-6-3, 7-1-1/1st WAC)
Men's Soccer finalized the 2022 campaign as the Western Athletic Conference regular season champions, recording an 8-6-3 overall record with a 7-1-1 mark in the league. The feat marks the Falcons' third WAC regular season title since 2017. Air Force head coach Doug Hill and senior defender London Aghedo were tabbed the WAC Coach of the Year and WAC Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Aghedo and junior Thaddaeus Dewing were selected to the WAC All-Conference first-team while seniors Jacob Angeletti and Elijah Bussey received all-conference second-team nods.
Volleyball (15-15, 7-11 MW)
Air Force finished the 2022 campaign with a 15-15 record and a 7-11 mark in conference play. The 15 wins are the second-highest win total in Air Force's Division I history, while the seven Mountain West wins are tied for the program's most conference wins ever at the DI level. The Falcons won their first six matches of the year to account for the program's best DI start, equal their longest DI win streak and cap the first two weeks of the season as one of just 28 unbeaten teams in the NCAA. Following a sluggish start to conference action, Air Force rolled through the second half of MW play with an impressive 7-3 ledger. Individually, junior Joi Harvey nabbed all-conference and all-region honorable mention honors for the second time in three years.
Women's Cross Country (6th at MW Championships)
Halle Hamilton earned a bid to the NCAA Championships – marking the seventh time in eight years that a member of the women's team has competed at the national meet – to cap the women's cross country season. The sophomore, who claimed all-conference honors following a top-10 finish at the MW Championships, was one of two Falcons to earn all-region accolades after placing within the top 25 at the NCAA Mountain Regional (Lindsey Peters). As a team, the women finished sixth at the conference meet and ninth at the regional meet.
Men's Cross Country (MW Champions, 7th at NCAA Championships)
The Falcons had a memorable 2022 campaign on the cross country course, as the men won their third-straight Mountain West title, earned the first top-five national ranking in Academy history and finished seventh at the NCAA Championships – the program's highest finish in 55 years. Individually, Sean Maison became the program's second MW individual champion and Ryan Johnson claimed the team's 17th All-America honor, while Max Sannes was named the MW Freshman of the Year and Ryan Cole was honored as the MW Coach of the Year for the fifth time in eight years. The Falcons set a conference-record 20 points in their dominating 1-2-3-6-8 victory at the MW Championships, with Maison, Johnson, Ethan Marshall, Sam Gilman and Bryce Lentz all claiming all-conference accolades.
Freshman Max Sannes earned a Team USA berth for the upcoming World Athletics U20 Cross Country Championships after finishing fifth at the USATF U20 Cross Country Nationals in Richmond, Va., on Saturday, Jan. 21. Sannes was one of three Air Force freshmen to compete at U20 Cross Country Nationals, as classmates Zach Ayers and Brenton Maddox finished 14th and 26th, respectively, in the 68-runner meet.
Water Polo (23-13, 4-4 WWPA)
Air Force men's water polo completed the 2022 season with a 23-13 overall record and 4-4 mark in WWPA play, good for a fourth-place finish. The 23 wins is the second most in program history and one shy of the record. Senior Grant Snyder capped a historic four-year career with his third ACWPC All-America Honor (honorable mention). Snyder led the nation with 181 points scored and was second with 123 goals. He set the program record for most goals and points in a season at Air Force. In addition, he set the school record for career points (399).
WINTER
Hockey (12-22-2, 8-17-1 AHA)
The Air Force hockey team ended the 2022-23 season with a 12-22-2 overall record and an 8-17-1 record in Atlantic Hockey to finish in 10th place. The Falcons opened the season by hosting the Ice Breaker Tournament and earning a shootout win over 11th-ranked Notre Dame. After a three-game winning streak and a tie at four-time defending AHA champion AIC, the Falcons hit a rough stretch. A nine-game losing streak dug the Falcons in a deep hole. The team recovered in early February by winning five of six, including a split at Army, but a five-game losing streak to end the season kept the Falcons out of the playoffs. Senior Willie Reim led the team with 11 goals and 26 points. Junior defenseman Luke Rowe was named second-team all-AHA while freshman defenseman Chris Hedden was named to the AHA all-rookie team.
Men's Basketball (14-18, 5-13 MW)
Air Force men's men's basketball completed the season with a 14-18 overall record and 5-13 record in the Mountain West Conference, good for a 10th place finish. The Falcons improved its win total for the second straight season under head coach Joe Scott. Sophomore guard Jake Heidbreder led the Falcons in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game. He earned All-Mountain West Third Team honors. Freshman forward Rytis Petraitis set a new Mountain West record for most free throws attempted by a freshman in conference play with 104. He was the MW Freshman of the Week a conference-best six times.
Women's Basketball (13-18, 8-10 MW)
Air Force finished the season 13-18 overall and placed seventh in the Mountain West with an 8-10 mark, the second-most wins in conference play in program history. The Falcons opened the year on a 3-0 stretch which included a 90-50 win over Navy in the Falcons' season opener. Air Force earned season sweeps in three Mountain West series on the year, notching a pair of wins against San Jose, Utah State and Fresno State. Head Coach Chris Gobrecht capped her eighth season at the head of the program and 43rd season as a Division I head coach in 2023, surpassing 600 wins in the Falcons' Nov. 11 home opener against Navy. Earning her 59th program win on Nov. 16 versus Adams State, Gobrecht reset the Air Force record for all-time wins by a head coach - and now possesses three all-time win records, having surpassed the milestone on two previous stints at Yale and Washington, respectively. Milahnie Perry was named a MW All-Freshman selection; Sophomore Madison Smith earned All-MW honorable mention honors.
Rifle (11-7)
The Air Force rifle team qualified for the NCAA Championships for the ninth straight year and the 21st time in school history. At the NCAA Championships, the Falcons were the No. 8 seed, but finished seventh in the nation in aggregate score (4729) and third in the nation in air rifle (2375). Junior Peninah D'Souza qualified for the finals in air rifle with a 596. She was the Falcons' highest finisher with a sixth-place finish in the finals. In aggregate scoring, sophomore Scott Rockett was the top Falcon with an 1179 and placed 11th overall while D'Souza shot an aggregate score of 1174. Two Falcons earned all-conference honors as sophomore Lauren Hurley placed third and D'Souza placed sixth in air rifle at the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships. Hurley was one of eight shooters in the nation with a perfect score of 600 in air rifle, shot on Nov. 20 at Ohio State.
Men's Swimming (1-4, 0-1 WAC)
The Falcons 2022-23 campaign finalized at the height of competition, where Wen Zhang earned hon-orable mention All-American status at the NCAA Championships. Zhang placed 15th in the country in the 200 Freestyle, becoming the first Falcon to earn points at the event since Michael Barnosky in 2016. Zhang also earned his second-consecutive Western Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Year honor after a dazzling regular season. Zhang will graduate in May, but still has the capacity to compete after qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis as the result of his performance at the U.S. Open in North Carolina in November. C4C Camden Swigart also swam to a win at the WAC Championships, earning the title of conference champion in the 400 Individual Medley, marking the fourth-consecutive year a Falcon has won the event.
Women's Swimming (4-4, 2-1 MW)
The Falcons earned six All-Conference honors following the 2023 Mountain West Championships, led by freshman Katie Andrist, a two-time All-Mountain West qualifier. Andrist was the lone Air Force swimmer to be named All-Conference in multiple events. Abby Turner, Kai-Min Tsuei, Hanani Dona, and Corbyn Cormack also swam to All-Conference selections in their respective events. The Falcons 825.5 points at the MW Championships establish a new program high, while Air Force set 32 new personal bests and 26 new top-ten swims in program history.
Women's Gymnastics (1-4, 1-3 MPSF)
Air Force women's gymnastics posted composite scores of 195 or higher at three separate meets for the second-straight year. The Falcons closed conference competition with a third-place finish at the MPSF Championships, held in Clune Arena for the first time in the building's storied history. Senior Amber Boll was named conference champion on uneven bars. The Falcons closed their season with a third-place finish at USAG Championships, where sophomore Velandra Brochi earned USAG National Champion status in the all-around. The Falcons earned nine USAG All-American awards for five separate performers (First-Team All-Americans: Amber Boll: Beam, Vault; Velandra Brochi: All-Around, Beam, Bars; Briona Carswell: Beam. Second-Team All-Americans: Velandra Brochi: Vault; Ayla McKean: Bars; Leilani Zander: Bars).
Men's Gymnastics
The men's gymnastics team brought a historic season to a close at the 2023 NCAA Championships, finishing eight in the field for the best result since 1972. Patrick Hoopes earned All-America honors in the effort, helping Air Force to its top team score of the season (399.222). The squad finalized the season with an individual MPSF Champion, five Falcons with seven All-MPSF honors, MPSF Coach of the Year, a USAG Collegiate Nationals Champion and eight Falcons with 13 USAG All-American accolades.
Wrestling (8-5, 3-5 Big 12)
Wrestling capped one of its most successful seasons to date with an 8-5 dual record and a 3-5 mark in Big 12 action, marking the most dual wins in the conference since joining in 2016. The Falcons had a program best seven Big 12 Championship podium finishes highlighted by Wyatt Hendrickson's second consecutive Big 12 heavyweight title. In the final weeks of the season, Air Force qualified five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, marking the most Falcon qualifiers since the 1991 season. In the season finale, Air Force finished tied for 18th place at the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships with the most team points in program history (28.5). The Falcons placed fifth out of 12 Big 12 teams at nationals and finished far ahead of Army and Navy. Wyatt Hendrickson returned to Academy bearing a third-place medal from the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships, becoming AF's first wrestling All-American since 2003. Hendrickson claimed three major awards: Most falls on the season (16), Gorriaran Award for the most falls at the NCAA Tournament (3) and his second consecutive NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler Award. Sam Barber was named Big 12 Coach of the Year by prominent wrestling publication Intermat Wrestling. The honor is a program first.
Boxing (1-1)
Backed by four individual champions, the men's boxing team captured the program's 20th national title – and first since 2012 – during a thrilling night of action at the National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships in mid-April. Air Force, which saw its women finish a program-best third at the national meet, swept the two regional titles – the 39th men's championship in the last 42 years and second-straight for the young women's program. The Falcons defeated Navy during the annual showdown between the two academies and posted a perfect 5-0 weekend at the WAC Main Event in Seattle.
Fencing (Men: 12-14, Women: 12-15)
Air Force men's fencing went 12-14 and the women's team went 12-15 in team competition in 2022-23. The Falcons had six NCAA qualifiers, the second-most ever. Air Force finished 11th overall at the NCAA Championships and was the top finishing team from the MPSF. Air Force capped the season with a 4-0 sweep of service Academy rivals Army and Navy at the All-Academy Duals. Freshman Jack Griffith claimed the NCAA West Regional Men's Foil Title and the MSPF Men's Foil Title.
SPRING
Golf
The Air Force golf team was again one of the youngest in the nation with just one senior and a lineup that mostly featured freshmen and sophomores. The lone season, Isaac Layne was team's captain and MVP. He led the team with a 76.1 season stroke average. Layne tied for second at the inaugural Commander-in-Chief's Cup, going head-to-head with Army and Navy. He shot a season-best 69 in the opening round of the Mountain West Championships. The Falcons closed out the season with an 11th-place finish at the Mountain West Championships.
Men's Tennis (12-11, 1-5 MW)
Air Force men's tennis posted an 12-11 record for its second straight winning season and third in the last four seasons. Air Force defeated Navy for the first-time ever at College MatchDay at the USTA Center in Orlando, Fla. The Falcons earned an ITA ranking of #63, tying for the highest ranking in program history.
Women's Tennis (10-11, 6-4 MW)
Air Force knocked off both reigning regular-season and conference tournament champions on the way to the program's first-ever appearance in the title round of the Mountain West Championships. The Falcons' 4-3 victory over No. 49 San Diego State (Mar. 26) stands as the women's tennis' second all-time top-50 win. The team posted an unblemished 10-0 mark as a team in doubles play against league opponents, going 20-4 overall in a best-of-three-sets format.
Lacrosse (11-6, 7-2 ASUN)
Lacrosse finished the season with an 11-6 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the ASUN Conference to finish second in the league, securing its second-straight ASUN Tournament appearance in as many seasons with the conference. Five Falcons earned ASUN All-Conference honors highlighted by senior attack man Brandon Dodd being tabbed as ASUN Player of the Year.
Track and Field
Men (MW Indoor Champions, MW Outdoor Champions)
Air Force completed its second-straight sweep of the Mountain West indoor/outdoor championship titles – and fifth sweep since 2012 – in dominating fashion this year, winning the indoor title by 82 points and the outdoor title by 67 points – both tallies counting for the conference's largest margins of victory since 2009. The men set 10 Academy Records over the course of the season (three indoors, seven outdoors), while earning 12 event titles at the MW Championships (six indoors, six outdoors) and 18 bids to the NCAA Championships (one indoors, 17 outdoors). Senior Sam Gilman was three-time conference champion, the Performer of the Meet at the MW Indoor Championships, the MW Indoor Athlete of the Year and a NCAA All-American in the 5000-meter run during both the indoor and outdoor seasons, while classmate Cameron Harris earned All-America honors in the 110-meter hurdles. In addition, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Ryan Cole claimed MW Coach of the Year honors following both conference seasons.
Women (11th at MW Indoor Championships, 11th at MW Outdoor Championships)
A young Falcons' squad, who finished 11th at both the indoor and outdoor Mountain West Championship meets, claimed a pair of podium finishes at the conference meet and made several major improvements to the program's all-time list over the course of the year. Junior Katie Thompson broke the program's 21-year-old record in the outdoor long jump with a distance of 19'1½", while sophomore Taylor Rioux improved the program standard in the 300-meter dash (39.70) during the indoor season. Members of the team's Freshman and Sophomore classes made 14 improvements to the Academy's Top 10.
Baseball (26-29, 17-13 MW)
Air Force finished the season 28-31 overall and finished third in the Mountain West with a 17-13 mark. The Falcons advanced to the MW tournament championship game for the second straight season before falling to San Jose State in a double-elimination final. The Falcon's 17 conference wins are second-most since Air Force joined the conference and the third seed is the highest-ever in program history. Junior first baseman Sam Kulasingam won his second straight Mountain West Player of the Year honor and was named an All-American for the second straight season. Kulasingam concluded his junior year with a .426/.537/.655 slash line, a program record-tying 28 doubles and with more than twice as many walks (50) than strikeouts (24). He is the only player in program history to record multiple 100-hit seasons and reached base in a program-record 55 consecutive games.
2022-23 Recap
FALCONS VS. ARMY/NAVY
• Air Force finished 20-10 this season vs. Army and Navy, including a 9-5 mark vs. Army and 11-5 record vs. Navy.
• Air Force is 75-40-5 overall against Army and Navy the last five years. The Falcons are 47-18-4 vs. Army and 28-22-1 vs. Navy.
Army-Navy Results (Last Five Years)
Year Overall Army Navy
2022-23 20-10 9-5 11-5
2021-22 21-8 14-4 7-4
2020-21 11-2 8-1 3-1
2019-20 11-12-1 9-4-1 2-8
2018-19 12-8-4 7-4-3 5-4-1
Totals 75-40-5 47-18-4 28-22-1
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (1)
• Air Force men's boxing team captured its 20th team title at the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) National Championships this season, which concluded April 15 in Charlotte, N.C. Claiming the program's first NCBA title since 2012, the Falcons have now captured 20 titles in the last 41 tournaments (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2023) and placed within the nation's top two a total of 37 times.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (4)
Men's Cross Country -- Mountain West
Men's Soccer -- Western Athletic Conference (regular season)
Men's Indoor Track and Field -- Mountain West
Men's Outdoor Track and Field -- Mountain West
• Air Force has won 22 conference championships the last six seasons, including three this season.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS (11)
Sean Maison, junior (Men's Cross Country) - Mountain West Athlete of the Year
Max Sannes, freshman (Men's Cross Country) - Mountain West Freshman of the Year
London Aghedo, senior (Men's Soccer) - Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year
Brad Roberts, senior (Football) -- Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year
Sam Gilman (2), senior (Indoor Track) -- Mountain West Indoor Track Top Performer; MW Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year
Wen Zhang, senior (Men's Swimming) -- Western Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Year
Jack Griffith, freshman (Fencing) -- Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Freshman of the Year
Phillip Deaton,freshman (Men's Tennis) -- Mountain West Freshman of the Year
Brandon Dodd, senior (Lacrosse) -- ASUN player of the year
Sam Kulasingam, junior (Baseball) -- Mountain West Player of the Year
• Air Force cadet-athletes have been recognized as player of the year 50 times the last six years, including a school-record 14 in 2021-22. The Falcons had 10 in 2020-21, five in 2019-20, seven in 1018-19 and three in 2017-18.
COACH OF THE YEAR AWARDS (6)
Ryan Cole (3), Men's Cross Country -- Mountain West Men's Cross Country; Mountain West Indoor Track; Mountain West Outdoor Track
Doug Hill, Men's Soccer -- Western Athletic Conference
Josh Loeser, Men's Gymnastics -- Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)
Adi Nott, Fencing -- Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Assistant Coach of the Year
• Air Force coaches have earned 29 coach of the year awards the last six years. The Falcons earned five in 2021-22, three in 2020-21, three in 2019-20, six in 2018-19, six in 2017-18.
ALL AMERICAN HONORS (53)
Ryan Johnson, Senior (Cross Country) -- 28th place finish at NCAA Championships
Isaac Cochran, Senior (Football) -- Second-team, Walter Camp Football Foundation
Brad Roberts, Senior (Football) -- Third-team, College Football Network
Sam Gilman, senior (Indoor Track) -- Second-team All-American with 11th-place finish in the 3000-meter run; Second-team All-American with 15th place finish in 5,000-meter run at NCAA Outdoor
Wyatt Hendrickson, junior (Wrestling) -- Third place finish at NCAA Championships
Wen Zhang, senior (Swimming) -- Honorable mention, 15th place finish in 200 Freestyle
Garrett Braunton, junior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG high bar
Patrick Hoopes, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG pommel
Jack Matlock, freshman (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG pommel
Sam Metzler, senior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG vault
Charlie Miles, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG parallel bars
Jake Sampier, junior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG floor
Erich Upton, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG all-around; floor; rings; vault; parallel bars
Oliver Zavel, junior (Men's Gymnastics) – USAG rings; high bar
Peninah D'Souza, junior (Rifle) -- first-team (air rifle), honorable mention (air rifle) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Lauren Hurley, sophomore (Rifle) -- second-team (air rifle) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Scott Rockett, sophomore (Rifle) -- second-team (air rifle) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Morgan Kreb, junior (Rifle) -- honorable mention (smallbore) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association
Amber Boll, senior (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG first-team on balance beam, vault
Velandra Brochi, sophomore (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG first-team all-around, balance beam, uneven bars; second-team vault
Briona Carswell, senior (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG first-team beam
Ayla McKean, sophomore (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAG second-team uneven bars
Leilani Zander, sophomore (Women's Gymnastics) -- USAF second-team uneven bars
Walker Morris, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Victor Benitez, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Luke Kohout, sophomore (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Jacob Mendoza, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion
Leo Comacho, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Andrew Lu, sophomore (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Tyler Dalzell, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Angelo Ganac, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Madigan Starr, freshman (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Mack Lucas, junior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Allyah Marlett, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) silver medal
Ale Tirado-Elias, freshman (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Chinonye Mbanugo, freshman (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Hannah Schuster, senior (Boxing) -- National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) bronze medal
Patrick Hoopes, sophomore (Men's Gymnastics) -- All-America, seventh-place finish (13.700) in pommel horse
Sam Kulasingham, junior (Baseball) -- Second-team, Collegiate Baseball News
Cameron Harris, senior (Track) -- Second-team, 13th place finish in 110-meter high hurdles at NCAA championships
Sam Brennan, junior (Hockey) -- College Spots Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America At-Large third team
• Air Force has had 362 All-Americans awards the last five seasons. Air Force had a school record 55 in 2021-22, 44 in 2020-21, 29 in a shortened 2019-20, 34 in 2018-19 and 48 in 2017-18. The previou school record for one season was 52, set in 2015-16.
AIR FORCE BY THE NUMBERS
Air Force Academy Athlete Highlights through the years
• 891 Athletes earned All-American awards for a total of 1,904 times
• 247 National Championship Titles
• 13 Rhodes Scholars
• 9 Olympians
• 2 Air Force Chiefs of Staff
• 1 Medal of Honor recipient
LEARFIELD DIRECTOR'S CUP STANDINGS
Air Force is the top service academy and top school in the Mountain West in the final Learfield Director's Cup standings for 2022-23. The Falcons scored 350 points to rank 66th nationally. Air Force scored in men's cross country (72), football (45), fencing (57), Rifle (55), men's swimming (33), wrestling (55.5) and men's gymnastics (32.5). Air Force is the top service academy for the 12th consecutive year and No. 1 in the Mountain West for the third straight year (fourth overall). The Falcons have been in the top three of the Mountain West eight straight seasons.
2022-23 Learfield IMG College Director's Cup Standings
Final (June 27, 2023)
298 schools receiving points
Mountain West Standings
# School (Nat'l) Points
1. Air Force (66)........... ....350.00
2. New Mexico (74)........... 275.55
3. San Diego State (86).... 213.00
4. San Jose State (100).... 176.30
5. UNLV (112)....................162.10
Service Academy Standings
# School Nat'l Points
1. Air Force ....66....... 350.00
2. Army........... 107..... 168.50
3. Navy............ 118..... 154.50
INDIVIDUAL SPORTS RECAPS
FALL
Football (10-3, 5-3 MW/2nd Mtn Division)
Air Force finished the season 10-3 overall and was second in the Mountain West Mountain Division with a 5-3 mark. The Falcons posted their third straight 10-win season, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season, which only Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Utah and Oregon have matched. Air Force won a series-record 21st Commander-in-Chief's Trophy and defeated Baylor to win the Armed Forces Bowl. The Baylor victory marks the fourth consecutive bowl win and third straight over a Power 5 program. The Falcons also won a program-record six national statistical titles in 2022. Air Force won its third-straight national rushing title with a 326.7 per-game average. The Falcons finished the season with the top-ranked total defense for the first time in program history, allowing just 254.4 yards per game. The Falcons are just the second non-Power 5 team in the last 31 years to win the national title in total defense. Air Force won the title for fewest penalty yards per game (29.69), time of possession for the second straight season (36:33) and in yards per completion (22.3). Senior fullback Brad Roberts became the first Falcon to win the national title in rushing yards with a school-record 1,728. Roberts also set school records for carries (345) and 100-yard rushing games (11). Roberts become just the third Falcon to earn Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors and first since 2007 and was a third-team All-American by College Football Network. Senior offensive lineman Isaac Cochran was named to the Walter Camp All-America second team, becoming just the fifth player in program history to earn Walter Camp All-America honors and first since 1992.
Women's Soccer (7-7-4, 4-4-3 MW)
In head coach Laura Busby's first season at the helm, the Falcons rallied to a 7-7-4 finish in 2022. Air Force finished eighth in the Mountain West, going unbeaten (3-0-2) in its final five matches. Freshman Caeli Sherman, after scoring a team-high four goals with one assist in 18 matches, was named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer Team. Sherman's nine points led all Falcon players. Goalkeeper Sydney Davis managed a breakout junior season, leading the conference in save percentage (.863) and was third in goals against average (.800). Air Force concluded the 2022 season with a thrilling 1-0 win over Colorado College in the inaugural City for Champions Cup at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs.
Men's Soccer (8-6-3, 7-1-1/1st WAC)
Men's Soccer finalized the 2022 campaign as the Western Athletic Conference regular season champions, recording an 8-6-3 overall record with a 7-1-1 mark in the league. The feat marks the Falcons' third WAC regular season title since 2017. Air Force head coach Doug Hill and senior defender London Aghedo were tabbed the WAC Coach of the Year and WAC Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Aghedo and junior Thaddaeus Dewing were selected to the WAC All-Conference first-team while seniors Jacob Angeletti and Elijah Bussey received all-conference second-team nods.
Volleyball (15-15, 7-11 MW)
Air Force finished the 2022 campaign with a 15-15 record and a 7-11 mark in conference play. The 15 wins are the second-highest win total in Air Force's Division I history, while the seven Mountain West wins are tied for the program's most conference wins ever at the DI level. The Falcons won their first six matches of the year to account for the program's best DI start, equal their longest DI win streak and cap the first two weeks of the season as one of just 28 unbeaten teams in the NCAA. Following a sluggish start to conference action, Air Force rolled through the second half of MW play with an impressive 7-3 ledger. Individually, junior Joi Harvey nabbed all-conference and all-region honorable mention honors for the second time in three years.
Women's Cross Country (6th at MW Championships)
Halle Hamilton earned a bid to the NCAA Championships – marking the seventh time in eight years that a member of the women's team has competed at the national meet – to cap the women's cross country season. The sophomore, who claimed all-conference honors following a top-10 finish at the MW Championships, was one of two Falcons to earn all-region accolades after placing within the top 25 at the NCAA Mountain Regional (Lindsey Peters). As a team, the women finished sixth at the conference meet and ninth at the regional meet.
Men's Cross Country (MW Champions, 7th at NCAA Championships)
The Falcons had a memorable 2022 campaign on the cross country course, as the men won their third-straight Mountain West title, earned the first top-five national ranking in Academy history and finished seventh at the NCAA Championships – the program's highest finish in 55 years. Individually, Sean Maison became the program's second MW individual champion and Ryan Johnson claimed the team's 17th All-America honor, while Max Sannes was named the MW Freshman of the Year and Ryan Cole was honored as the MW Coach of the Year for the fifth time in eight years. The Falcons set a conference-record 20 points in their dominating 1-2-3-6-8 victory at the MW Championships, with Maison, Johnson, Ethan Marshall, Sam Gilman and Bryce Lentz all claiming all-conference accolades.
Freshman Max Sannes earned a Team USA berth for the upcoming World Athletics U20 Cross Country Championships after finishing fifth at the USATF U20 Cross Country Nationals in Richmond, Va., on Saturday, Jan. 21. Sannes was one of three Air Force freshmen to compete at U20 Cross Country Nationals, as classmates Zach Ayers and Brenton Maddox finished 14th and 26th, respectively, in the 68-runner meet.
Water Polo (23-13, 4-4 WWPA)
Air Force men's water polo completed the 2022 season with a 23-13 overall record and 4-4 mark in WWPA play, good for a fourth-place finish. The 23 wins is the second most in program history and one shy of the record. Senior Grant Snyder capped a historic four-year career with his third ACWPC All-America Honor (honorable mention). Snyder led the nation with 181 points scored and was second with 123 goals. He set the program record for most goals and points in a season at Air Force. In addition, he set the school record for career points (399).
WINTER
Hockey (12-22-2, 8-17-1 AHA)
The Air Force hockey team ended the 2022-23 season with a 12-22-2 overall record and an 8-17-1 record in Atlantic Hockey to finish in 10th place. The Falcons opened the season by hosting the Ice Breaker Tournament and earning a shootout win over 11th-ranked Notre Dame. After a three-game winning streak and a tie at four-time defending AHA champion AIC, the Falcons hit a rough stretch. A nine-game losing streak dug the Falcons in a deep hole. The team recovered in early February by winning five of six, including a split at Army, but a five-game losing streak to end the season kept the Falcons out of the playoffs. Senior Willie Reim led the team with 11 goals and 26 points. Junior defenseman Luke Rowe was named second-team all-AHA while freshman defenseman Chris Hedden was named to the AHA all-rookie team.
Men's Basketball (14-18, 5-13 MW)
Air Force men's men's basketball completed the season with a 14-18 overall record and 5-13 record in the Mountain West Conference, good for a 10th place finish. The Falcons improved its win total for the second straight season under head coach Joe Scott. Sophomore guard Jake Heidbreder led the Falcons in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game. He earned All-Mountain West Third Team honors. Freshman forward Rytis Petraitis set a new Mountain West record for most free throws attempted by a freshman in conference play with 104. He was the MW Freshman of the Week a conference-best six times.
Women's Basketball (13-18, 8-10 MW)
Air Force finished the season 13-18 overall and placed seventh in the Mountain West with an 8-10 mark, the second-most wins in conference play in program history. The Falcons opened the year on a 3-0 stretch which included a 90-50 win over Navy in the Falcons' season opener. Air Force earned season sweeps in three Mountain West series on the year, notching a pair of wins against San Jose, Utah State and Fresno State. Head Coach Chris Gobrecht capped her eighth season at the head of the program and 43rd season as a Division I head coach in 2023, surpassing 600 wins in the Falcons' Nov. 11 home opener against Navy. Earning her 59th program win on Nov. 16 versus Adams State, Gobrecht reset the Air Force record for all-time wins by a head coach - and now possesses three all-time win records, having surpassed the milestone on two previous stints at Yale and Washington, respectively. Milahnie Perry was named a MW All-Freshman selection; Sophomore Madison Smith earned All-MW honorable mention honors.
Rifle (11-7)
The Air Force rifle team qualified for the NCAA Championships for the ninth straight year and the 21st time in school history. At the NCAA Championships, the Falcons were the No. 8 seed, but finished seventh in the nation in aggregate score (4729) and third in the nation in air rifle (2375). Junior Peninah D'Souza qualified for the finals in air rifle with a 596. She was the Falcons' highest finisher with a sixth-place finish in the finals. In aggregate scoring, sophomore Scott Rockett was the top Falcon with an 1179 and placed 11th overall while D'Souza shot an aggregate score of 1174. Two Falcons earned all-conference honors as sophomore Lauren Hurley placed third and D'Souza placed sixth in air rifle at the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships. Hurley was one of eight shooters in the nation with a perfect score of 600 in air rifle, shot on Nov. 20 at Ohio State.
Men's Swimming (1-4, 0-1 WAC)
The Falcons 2022-23 campaign finalized at the height of competition, where Wen Zhang earned hon-orable mention All-American status at the NCAA Championships. Zhang placed 15th in the country in the 200 Freestyle, becoming the first Falcon to earn points at the event since Michael Barnosky in 2016. Zhang also earned his second-consecutive Western Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Year honor after a dazzling regular season. Zhang will graduate in May, but still has the capacity to compete after qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis as the result of his performance at the U.S. Open in North Carolina in November. C4C Camden Swigart also swam to a win at the WAC Championships, earning the title of conference champion in the 400 Individual Medley, marking the fourth-consecutive year a Falcon has won the event.
Women's Swimming (4-4, 2-1 MW)
The Falcons earned six All-Conference honors following the 2023 Mountain West Championships, led by freshman Katie Andrist, a two-time All-Mountain West qualifier. Andrist was the lone Air Force swimmer to be named All-Conference in multiple events. Abby Turner, Kai-Min Tsuei, Hanani Dona, and Corbyn Cormack also swam to All-Conference selections in their respective events. The Falcons 825.5 points at the MW Championships establish a new program high, while Air Force set 32 new personal bests and 26 new top-ten swims in program history.
Women's Gymnastics (1-4, 1-3 MPSF)
Air Force women's gymnastics posted composite scores of 195 or higher at three separate meets for the second-straight year. The Falcons closed conference competition with a third-place finish at the MPSF Championships, held in Clune Arena for the first time in the building's storied history. Senior Amber Boll was named conference champion on uneven bars. The Falcons closed their season with a third-place finish at USAG Championships, where sophomore Velandra Brochi earned USAG National Champion status in the all-around. The Falcons earned nine USAG All-American awards for five separate performers (First-Team All-Americans: Amber Boll: Beam, Vault; Velandra Brochi: All-Around, Beam, Bars; Briona Carswell: Beam. Second-Team All-Americans: Velandra Brochi: Vault; Ayla McKean: Bars; Leilani Zander: Bars).
Men's Gymnastics
The men's gymnastics team brought a historic season to a close at the 2023 NCAA Championships, finishing eight in the field for the best result since 1972. Patrick Hoopes earned All-America honors in the effort, helping Air Force to its top team score of the season (399.222). The squad finalized the season with an individual MPSF Champion, five Falcons with seven All-MPSF honors, MPSF Coach of the Year, a USAG Collegiate Nationals Champion and eight Falcons with 13 USAG All-American accolades.
Wrestling (8-5, 3-5 Big 12)
Wrestling capped one of its most successful seasons to date with an 8-5 dual record and a 3-5 mark in Big 12 action, marking the most dual wins in the conference since joining in 2016. The Falcons had a program best seven Big 12 Championship podium finishes highlighted by Wyatt Hendrickson's second consecutive Big 12 heavyweight title. In the final weeks of the season, Air Force qualified five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, marking the most Falcon qualifiers since the 1991 season. In the season finale, Air Force finished tied for 18th place at the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships with the most team points in program history (28.5). The Falcons placed fifth out of 12 Big 12 teams at nationals and finished far ahead of Army and Navy. Wyatt Hendrickson returned to Academy bearing a third-place medal from the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships, becoming AF's first wrestling All-American since 2003. Hendrickson claimed three major awards: Most falls on the season (16), Gorriaran Award for the most falls at the NCAA Tournament (3) and his second consecutive NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler Award. Sam Barber was named Big 12 Coach of the Year by prominent wrestling publication Intermat Wrestling. The honor is a program first.
Boxing (1-1)
Backed by four individual champions, the men's boxing team captured the program's 20th national title – and first since 2012 – during a thrilling night of action at the National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships in mid-April. Air Force, which saw its women finish a program-best third at the national meet, swept the two regional titles – the 39th men's championship in the last 42 years and second-straight for the young women's program. The Falcons defeated Navy during the annual showdown between the two academies and posted a perfect 5-0 weekend at the WAC Main Event in Seattle.
Fencing (Men: 12-14, Women: 12-15)
Air Force men's fencing went 12-14 and the women's team went 12-15 in team competition in 2022-23. The Falcons had six NCAA qualifiers, the second-most ever. Air Force finished 11th overall at the NCAA Championships and was the top finishing team from the MPSF. Air Force capped the season with a 4-0 sweep of service Academy rivals Army and Navy at the All-Academy Duals. Freshman Jack Griffith claimed the NCAA West Regional Men's Foil Title and the MSPF Men's Foil Title.
SPRING
Golf
The Air Force golf team was again one of the youngest in the nation with just one senior and a lineup that mostly featured freshmen and sophomores. The lone season, Isaac Layne was team's captain and MVP. He led the team with a 76.1 season stroke average. Layne tied for second at the inaugural Commander-in-Chief's Cup, going head-to-head with Army and Navy. He shot a season-best 69 in the opening round of the Mountain West Championships. The Falcons closed out the season with an 11th-place finish at the Mountain West Championships.
Men's Tennis (12-11, 1-5 MW)
Air Force men's tennis posted an 12-11 record for its second straight winning season and third in the last four seasons. Air Force defeated Navy for the first-time ever at College MatchDay at the USTA Center in Orlando, Fla. The Falcons earned an ITA ranking of #63, tying for the highest ranking in program history.
Women's Tennis (10-11, 6-4 MW)
Air Force knocked off both reigning regular-season and conference tournament champions on the way to the program's first-ever appearance in the title round of the Mountain West Championships. The Falcons' 4-3 victory over No. 49 San Diego State (Mar. 26) stands as the women's tennis' second all-time top-50 win. The team posted an unblemished 10-0 mark as a team in doubles play against league opponents, going 20-4 overall in a best-of-three-sets format.
Lacrosse (11-6, 7-2 ASUN)
Lacrosse finished the season with an 11-6 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the ASUN Conference to finish second in the league, securing its second-straight ASUN Tournament appearance in as many seasons with the conference. Five Falcons earned ASUN All-Conference honors highlighted by senior attack man Brandon Dodd being tabbed as ASUN Player of the Year.
Track and Field
Men (MW Indoor Champions, MW Outdoor Champions)
Air Force completed its second-straight sweep of the Mountain West indoor/outdoor championship titles – and fifth sweep since 2012 – in dominating fashion this year, winning the indoor title by 82 points and the outdoor title by 67 points – both tallies counting for the conference's largest margins of victory since 2009. The men set 10 Academy Records over the course of the season (three indoors, seven outdoors), while earning 12 event titles at the MW Championships (six indoors, six outdoors) and 18 bids to the NCAA Championships (one indoors, 17 outdoors). Senior Sam Gilman was three-time conference champion, the Performer of the Meet at the MW Indoor Championships, the MW Indoor Athlete of the Year and a NCAA All-American in the 5000-meter run during both the indoor and outdoor seasons, while classmate Cameron Harris earned All-America honors in the 110-meter hurdles. In addition, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Ryan Cole claimed MW Coach of the Year honors following both conference seasons.
Women (11th at MW Indoor Championships, 11th at MW Outdoor Championships)
A young Falcons' squad, who finished 11th at both the indoor and outdoor Mountain West Championship meets, claimed a pair of podium finishes at the conference meet and made several major improvements to the program's all-time list over the course of the year. Junior Katie Thompson broke the program's 21-year-old record in the outdoor long jump with a distance of 19'1½", while sophomore Taylor Rioux improved the program standard in the 300-meter dash (39.70) during the indoor season. Members of the team's Freshman and Sophomore classes made 14 improvements to the Academy's Top 10.
Baseball (26-29, 17-13 MW)
Air Force finished the season 28-31 overall and finished third in the Mountain West with a 17-13 mark. The Falcons advanced to the MW tournament championship game for the second straight season before falling to San Jose State in a double-elimination final. The Falcon's 17 conference wins are second-most since Air Force joined the conference and the third seed is the highest-ever in program history. Junior first baseman Sam Kulasingam won his second straight Mountain West Player of the Year honor and was named an All-American for the second straight season. Kulasingam concluded his junior year with a .426/.537/.655 slash line, a program record-tying 28 doubles and with more than twice as many walks (50) than strikeouts (24). He is the only player in program history to record multiple 100-hit seasons and reached base in a program-record 55 consecutive games.
Evan Urbina Interview April 1, 2026
Wednesday, April 01
Taylor Hollander Interview April 1, 2026
Wednesday, April 01
Falcons Take Down the Bears in Seven
Wednesday, April 01
Joe Crispin Introductory Press Conference
Tuesday, March 31
