Friday, April 12
Charlotte, NC
4:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
National Semifinals
Photo by: Justin Pacheco
Air Force Advances Seven at NCBA Championships
4/12/2024 11:12:00 PM | Boxing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Seven Falcons picked up victories this evening (April 12), as the Air Force boxing team continued competition at the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) Championships in Charlotte. The Falcons, who went 7-6 during the semifinal round inside The Revelry North End, advanced four men and three women into Saturday's action.
Senior Victor Benitez, classmate Jacob Mendoza and junior Luke Kohout – the Falcons' reigning champions – advanced to the championship round following unanimous decisions int their respective bouts, while senior Leo Camacho won a split decision to qualify for his second-straight final. Benitez captured the 5-0 victory in his heavyweight bout against Coast Guard's Nicholas Folkes, while Mendoza swept the judges' votes in his 175-pound bout with Connecticut's Daniel Grano and Kohout went 5-0 in his 147-pound semifinal with Fevon Perrine from West Virginia. Camacho rounded out the men's quartet of advancers, as he secured a 3-2 vote in his 125-pound contest with Miami-Ohio's Daniel Gomez.
On the women's side, senior Mack Lucas advanced to her second-straight national final after earning a unanimous decision in her 147-pound contest with Penn State's Marisa Temoshok, while sophomore Chinonye Mbanugo – a bronze medalist last year – swept Iowa State's Lauren Rognerud in the 132-pound semifinal. Junior Peyton Glenn, competing in her first national meet, earned a 3-2 decision over Army West Point's Anna State to advance in the 139-pound division.
Six other Falcons also competed in tonight's semifinal round. On the men's side, senior Angelo Ganac dropped a 185-pound decision to Penn State's Matthew Vierhile, while sophomore Carson Watkins suffered a referee-stopped loss (second round) in his 119-pound bout with Connecticut's Hayden Eastman. Sophomore Charlotte McPhee-Gillum (119 pounds, Sharnae Harmon) and freshman Julianna Morris (125 pounds, Lia Stokes) dropped decisions to boxers from Army West Point, while the Black Knights' Emmanuella Ebiuwhe defeated senior Katie Bush in the first round of their 156-pound bout. Freshman Naomi Brabham rounded out the Falcons' list of semifinalists, ultimately falling by referee stoppage (second) in her 112-pound national debut with Ohio State's Nicoleta Durlesteanu.
Air Force wraps up the NCBA Championships tomorrow (April 13) in Charlotte.
SEMIFINAL RESULTS
112-lbs. (w): Nicoleta Durlesteanu (Ohio State) RSC-2 Naomi Brabham (Air Force)
119-lbs.: Hayden Eastman (Connecticut) RSC-2 Carson Watkins (Air Force)
119-lbs. (w): Sharnae Harmon (Army West Point) dec. Charlotte McPhee-Gillum (Air Force)
125-lbs.: Leo Camacho (Air Force) dec. Daniel Gomez (Miami-Ohio)
125-lbs. (w): Lia Stokes (Army West Point) dec. Julianna Morris (Air Force)
132-lbs. (w): Chinonye Mbanugo (Air Force) dec. Lauren Rognerud (Iowa State)
139-lbs. (w): Peyton Glenn (Air Force) dec. Anna Scott (Army West Point)
147-lbs.: Luke Kohout (Air Force) dec. Devon Perrine (West Virginia)
147-lbs. (w): Mack Lucas (Air Force) dec. Marisa Temoshok (Penn State)
156-lbs. (w): Emmanuella Ebiuwhe (Army West Point) RSC-1 Katie Bush (Air Force)
175-lbs.: Jacob Mendoza (Air Force) dec. Daniel Grano (Connecticut)
185-lbs.: Matthew Vierhile (Penn State) dec. Angelo Ganac (Air Force)
Hywt.: Victor Benitez (Air Force) dec. Nicholas Folkes (Coast Guard)
Senior Victor Benitez, classmate Jacob Mendoza and junior Luke Kohout – the Falcons' reigning champions – advanced to the championship round following unanimous decisions int their respective bouts, while senior Leo Camacho won a split decision to qualify for his second-straight final. Benitez captured the 5-0 victory in his heavyweight bout against Coast Guard's Nicholas Folkes, while Mendoza swept the judges' votes in his 175-pound bout with Connecticut's Daniel Grano and Kohout went 5-0 in his 147-pound semifinal with Fevon Perrine from West Virginia. Camacho rounded out the men's quartet of advancers, as he secured a 3-2 vote in his 125-pound contest with Miami-Ohio's Daniel Gomez.
On the women's side, senior Mack Lucas advanced to her second-straight national final after earning a unanimous decision in her 147-pound contest with Penn State's Marisa Temoshok, while sophomore Chinonye Mbanugo – a bronze medalist last year – swept Iowa State's Lauren Rognerud in the 132-pound semifinal. Junior Peyton Glenn, competing in her first national meet, earned a 3-2 decision over Army West Point's Anna State to advance in the 139-pound division.
Six other Falcons also competed in tonight's semifinal round. On the men's side, senior Angelo Ganac dropped a 185-pound decision to Penn State's Matthew Vierhile, while sophomore Carson Watkins suffered a referee-stopped loss (second round) in his 119-pound bout with Connecticut's Hayden Eastman. Sophomore Charlotte McPhee-Gillum (119 pounds, Sharnae Harmon) and freshman Julianna Morris (125 pounds, Lia Stokes) dropped decisions to boxers from Army West Point, while the Black Knights' Emmanuella Ebiuwhe defeated senior Katie Bush in the first round of their 156-pound bout. Freshman Naomi Brabham rounded out the Falcons' list of semifinalists, ultimately falling by referee stoppage (second) in her 112-pound national debut with Ohio State's Nicoleta Durlesteanu.
Air Force wraps up the NCBA Championships tomorrow (April 13) in Charlotte.
SEMIFINAL RESULTS
112-lbs. (w): Nicoleta Durlesteanu (Ohio State) RSC-2 Naomi Brabham (Air Force)
119-lbs.: Hayden Eastman (Connecticut) RSC-2 Carson Watkins (Air Force)
119-lbs. (w): Sharnae Harmon (Army West Point) dec. Charlotte McPhee-Gillum (Air Force)
125-lbs.: Leo Camacho (Air Force) dec. Daniel Gomez (Miami-Ohio)
125-lbs. (w): Lia Stokes (Army West Point) dec. Julianna Morris (Air Force)
132-lbs. (w): Chinonye Mbanugo (Air Force) dec. Lauren Rognerud (Iowa State)
139-lbs. (w): Peyton Glenn (Air Force) dec. Anna Scott (Army West Point)
147-lbs.: Luke Kohout (Air Force) dec. Devon Perrine (West Virginia)
147-lbs. (w): Mack Lucas (Air Force) dec. Marisa Temoshok (Penn State)
156-lbs. (w): Emmanuella Ebiuwhe (Army West Point) RSC-1 Katie Bush (Air Force)
175-lbs.: Jacob Mendoza (Air Force) dec. Daniel Grano (Connecticut)
185-lbs.: Matthew Vierhile (Penn State) dec. Angelo Ganac (Air Force)
Hywt.: Victor Benitez (Air Force) dec. Nicholas Folkes (Coast Guard)
Players Mentioned
HYWT
/ Boxing
112 lbs.
/ Boxing
156 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
/ Boxing
185 lbs.
/ Boxing
139 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
132 lbs.
/ Boxing
112 lbs.
/ Boxing
175 lbs.
/ Boxing
132 lbs.
/ Boxing
119 lbs.
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