Air Force Men’s Water Polo Welcomes Class of 2027
6/28/2023 11:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Air Force men's water polo welcomes nine freshmen that comprise the class of 2027, announced today by head coach Ryan Brown. The nine freshmen arrived at the Academy for in-processing and the start of their four-year playing career at the Academy.
Kaleb Abouelghar, Sam Cherry, Nicholas Cuenco, Michael Gao, Owen Imasaki, Tom Leggett, Jack Richards, Jonah Vander Veen and Alex Zarcu join the Falcons this season. Six members of the class hail from California, with Abouelghar coming from Nevada, Cherry from Connecticut and Gao from Texas.
Kaleb Abouelghar - AT - Henderson, NV (Green Valley HS)
Earned two varsity letters in water polo and two in swimming … Varsity swim scholar-athlete … swam the 50 and 100 free in swimming … coached by Sandra Nitta and Chris Magee … also competed for Team Vegas Water Polo.
Sam Cherry - UT - Westport, CT (Hopkins School)
Lettered four years in water polo … 2022 All-American Honorable Mention, 2022 Academic All-American, 2022 All-NEPSAC First-Team … team captain in 2022 and 2022 Hopkins Award for dedication and love of the game … helped lead Hopkins School to third place finish at 2021 NEPSBWPA playoffs … high school coach was Jason Nevis.
Nicholas Cuenco - D - Arcadia, CA (Loyola HS)
Second-team CIF Open Division … First-team All-Mission League … helped lead Loyola to CIF Southern Section Division 1 title … 2022 California-Hawaii Boys' All-American Team Third Team … high school coach was Eric Healy … also played for the Trojan Water Polo Club.
Michael Gao - D - Dallas, TX (St. Mark's School of Texas)
Earned four varsity letters in water polo and swimming … team captain … helped lead St. Mark's to TISCA State Championship all four years … swam the 50 and 100 free in swimming … graduated Cum Laude, member of Latin Honor Society and was a National Merit Finalist … high water polo coach was Trent Calder … also competed for Pegasus Water Polo Academy for five years.
Owen Imasaki - UT - South Pasadena, CA (South Pasadena HS)
2019 Junior Olympics All-American honorable mention … 2018 Junior Olympics All-American First-team … high school coach was Mike Gonzales … also swam for South Pasadena … also competed for Rose Bowl Water Polo Club for five years.
Tom Leggett - UT - Santa Barbara, CA (Oaks Christian HS)
Played for USA Youth National Team in 2021 … earned four varsity letters at Oaks Christian (Westlake, CA) … Ventura County Star Player of the Year and First-Team All-CIF Southern Division 1 … helped lead Oaks Christian to Marmonte League title and second place finish in CIF Southern Division 1 … high school coach was Jack Kocur.
Jack Richards - AT - Walnut Creek, CA (De La Salle HS)
Earned four varsity letters in both water polo and swimming … North Coast Section First-Team and All-East Bay Athletic League First-Team … played for nationally-ranked 4th place team in the nation and two-time NCS Champions … team captain … 2022 California-Hawaii Boys' All-American Team … graduated with honors … also competed for 680 Water Polo Club.
Jonah Vander Veen - AT - Dana Point, CA (Dana Hills HS)
Earned three varsity letters in both water polo and swimming … All-CIF Div. 2 First-Team in 2022 … All-South Coast League First-Team in 2021 and 2022 … Team Captain in 2021 and 2022 … Team MVP in 2022 and Best offensive player in 2021 … led Dana Hills to South Coast League co-Championship in 2022 … swam the 50 and 100 free and 200 and 400 free relays in swimming … participated in the Health and Medical Occupations magnet program all four years of high school and graduated with a 4.0 grade point average … high school coach was Kenny Yamamoto … also competed for Orange County Water Polo Club for eight years.
Alex Zarcu - C - Rancho Santa Fe, CA (The Bishop's School)
Led The Bishop's School to CIF San Diego Open Division title in 2022 … 2022 All-CIF San Diego Section … 2022 California-Hawaii Boys' All-American Team … high school coaches were Doug Peabody and Ian Davidson … also competed for Shores Water Polo Club.
Kaleb Abouelghar, Sam Cherry, Nicholas Cuenco, Michael Gao, Owen Imasaki, Tom Leggett, Jack Richards, Jonah Vander Veen and Alex Zarcu join the Falcons this season. Six members of the class hail from California, with Abouelghar coming from Nevada, Cherry from Connecticut and Gao from Texas.
Kaleb Abouelghar - AT - Henderson, NV (Green Valley HS)
Earned two varsity letters in water polo and two in swimming … Varsity swim scholar-athlete … swam the 50 and 100 free in swimming … coached by Sandra Nitta and Chris Magee … also competed for Team Vegas Water Polo.
Sam Cherry - UT - Westport, CT (Hopkins School)
Lettered four years in water polo … 2022 All-American Honorable Mention, 2022 Academic All-American, 2022 All-NEPSAC First-Team … team captain in 2022 and 2022 Hopkins Award for dedication and love of the game … helped lead Hopkins School to third place finish at 2021 NEPSBWPA playoffs … high school coach was Jason Nevis.
Nicholas Cuenco - D - Arcadia, CA (Loyola HS)
Second-team CIF Open Division … First-team All-Mission League … helped lead Loyola to CIF Southern Section Division 1 title … 2022 California-Hawaii Boys' All-American Team Third Team … high school coach was Eric Healy … also played for the Trojan Water Polo Club.
Michael Gao - D - Dallas, TX (St. Mark's School of Texas)
Earned four varsity letters in water polo and swimming … team captain … helped lead St. Mark's to TISCA State Championship all four years … swam the 50 and 100 free in swimming … graduated Cum Laude, member of Latin Honor Society and was a National Merit Finalist … high water polo coach was Trent Calder … also competed for Pegasus Water Polo Academy for five years.
Owen Imasaki - UT - South Pasadena, CA (South Pasadena HS)
2019 Junior Olympics All-American honorable mention … 2018 Junior Olympics All-American First-team … high school coach was Mike Gonzales … also swam for South Pasadena … also competed for Rose Bowl Water Polo Club for five years.
Tom Leggett - UT - Santa Barbara, CA (Oaks Christian HS)
Played for USA Youth National Team in 2021 … earned four varsity letters at Oaks Christian (Westlake, CA) … Ventura County Star Player of the Year and First-Team All-CIF Southern Division 1 … helped lead Oaks Christian to Marmonte League title and second place finish in CIF Southern Division 1 … high school coach was Jack Kocur.
Jack Richards - AT - Walnut Creek, CA (De La Salle HS)
Earned four varsity letters in both water polo and swimming … North Coast Section First-Team and All-East Bay Athletic League First-Team … played for nationally-ranked 4th place team in the nation and two-time NCS Champions … team captain … 2022 California-Hawaii Boys' All-American Team … graduated with honors … also competed for 680 Water Polo Club.
Jonah Vander Veen - AT - Dana Point, CA (Dana Hills HS)
Earned three varsity letters in both water polo and swimming … All-CIF Div. 2 First-Team in 2022 … All-South Coast League First-Team in 2021 and 2022 … Team Captain in 2021 and 2022 … Team MVP in 2022 and Best offensive player in 2021 … led Dana Hills to South Coast League co-Championship in 2022 … swam the 50 and 100 free and 200 and 400 free relays in swimming … participated in the Health and Medical Occupations magnet program all four years of high school and graduated with a 4.0 grade point average … high school coach was Kenny Yamamoto … also competed for Orange County Water Polo Club for eight years.
Alex Zarcu - C - Rancho Santa Fe, CA (The Bishop's School)
Led The Bishop's School to CIF San Diego Open Division title in 2022 … 2022 All-CIF San Diego Section … 2022 California-Hawaii Boys' All-American Team … high school coaches were Doug Peabody and Ian Davidson … also competed for Shores Water Polo Club.
Players Mentioned
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
D
/ Men's Water Polo
D
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
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UT
/ Men's Water Polo
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
C
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