Game Coverage:
#20 Air Force Travels To #18 Navy and Bucknell Invite
9/13/2023 3:19:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
This Week: Air Force (5-3 overall, 0-0 WCC) travels to Navy in a battle for the Freedom Vase on Thursday, Sept. 14, and to take part in the Bucknell Invitational Sat.-Sun., Sept. 16-17. The Falcons take on #5 Princeton and Wagner on the 16th and Long Island and Bucknell on the 17th.
Video and livestats will be available for the Navy game.
The Navy Series: Air Force will be playing Navy for The Vase on Thursday. The teams are meeting for the 36th time with Navy holding a 23-12 lead in the series. Air Force won in triple-overtime 13-12 at the Academy last season, earning The Vase for the fifth time in eight years and the second consecutive year.
Series History vs. Bucknell Invitational Opponents
vs. Princeton - Air Force trails 4-8. Last meeting, 11-10 loss on 10/23/21
vs. Wagner - tied 1-1. Last meeting, a 17-13 win on 9/4/22
vs. Long Island - Air Force leads 1-0. Last meeting, 12-6 win on 9/24/23
vs. Bucknell - Air Force trails 6-8. Last meeting, 16-13 loss on 10/21/18
LAST WEEK: Air Force went 2-2 at the Inland Empire Challenge. The Falcons won both of its games Saturday and lost both Sunday. The Falcons defeated Occidental 15-9 and Whittier 22-10 on Saturday. The Falcons lost to Cal State Fullerton 15-10 and Redlands 14-12 on Sunday.
New Falcons Making Impact: Air Force's freshmen group has already made their presence felt. Freshman Tom Leggett leads the WCC with 19 goals and 26 points. Classmate Jack Richards is third on the team and 10th in the WCC with 20 points.
Team Captains: Air Force's team captains for the 2023 season are senior Ian Christie and junior Kaito Ham.
Christie Assists Record-Holder: Senior Ian Christie is Air Force's all-time leader in assists with 168. He set the program record as a junior. He is 32 assists ahead of second place. He is also seventh all-time in career points with 284 and is two away from moving into sixth place.
Most Career Assists at Air Force
1. Ian Christie 2020-23 168
2. David Chaney 1988-91 136
3. Alex Churnside 2006-09 131
Most Career Points at Air Force
1. Ben Phillips 1971-74 442
2. Grant Snyder 2019-22 399
6. Bobby Geiger 2007-10 286
7. Ian Christie 2020-23 284
Inaugural season in WCC: Air Force joins the West Coast Conference in 2023, the first year the conference is sponsoring men's water polo. The Falcons join WCC member institutions, Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine and Santa Clara, along with fellow affiliate members California Baptist and San Jose State. The Falcons previously played in the Western Water Polo Association from 1987-2022.
Up next: Air Force travels to the Titan Invitational at Cal State Fullerton to play four games on Sat.-Sun., Sept. 22-23.
Video and livestats will be available for the Navy game.
The Navy Series: Air Force will be playing Navy for The Vase on Thursday. The teams are meeting for the 36th time with Navy holding a 23-12 lead in the series. Air Force won in triple-overtime 13-12 at the Academy last season, earning The Vase for the fifth time in eight years and the second consecutive year.
Series History vs. Bucknell Invitational Opponents
vs. Princeton - Air Force trails 4-8. Last meeting, 11-10 loss on 10/23/21
vs. Wagner - tied 1-1. Last meeting, a 17-13 win on 9/4/22
vs. Long Island - Air Force leads 1-0. Last meeting, 12-6 win on 9/24/23
vs. Bucknell - Air Force trails 6-8. Last meeting, 16-13 loss on 10/21/18
LAST WEEK: Air Force went 2-2 at the Inland Empire Challenge. The Falcons won both of its games Saturday and lost both Sunday. The Falcons defeated Occidental 15-9 and Whittier 22-10 on Saturday. The Falcons lost to Cal State Fullerton 15-10 and Redlands 14-12 on Sunday.
New Falcons Making Impact: Air Force's freshmen group has already made their presence felt. Freshman Tom Leggett leads the WCC with 19 goals and 26 points. Classmate Jack Richards is third on the team and 10th in the WCC with 20 points.
Team Captains: Air Force's team captains for the 2023 season are senior Ian Christie and junior Kaito Ham.
Christie Assists Record-Holder: Senior Ian Christie is Air Force's all-time leader in assists with 168. He set the program record as a junior. He is 32 assists ahead of second place. He is also seventh all-time in career points with 284 and is two away from moving into sixth place.
Most Career Assists at Air Force
1. Ian Christie 2020-23 168
2. David Chaney 1988-91 136
3. Alex Churnside 2006-09 131
Most Career Points at Air Force
1. Ben Phillips 1971-74 442
2. Grant Snyder 2019-22 399
6. Bobby Geiger 2007-10 286
7. Ian Christie 2020-23 284
Inaugural season in WCC: Air Force joins the West Coast Conference in 2023, the first year the conference is sponsoring men's water polo. The Falcons join WCC member institutions, Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine and Santa Clara, along with fellow affiliate members California Baptist and San Jose State. The Falcons previously played in the Western Water Polo Association from 1987-2022.
Up next: Air Force travels to the Titan Invitational at Cal State Fullerton to play four games on Sat.-Sun., Sept. 22-23.
Players Mentioned
AT
/ Men's Water PoloUT
/ Men's Water PoloAT
/ Men's Water PoloUT
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