Falcon Wrestling Comes up Short in Regular Season Finale, 22-21

GREELEY, Colo. – Air Force won the final five bouts but came up short of a win against No. 21 Northern Colorado, 22-21, Sunday afternoon in Big 12 Conference action at the Bank of Colorado Arena. The Falcons finalize the 2024-25 dual slate at 5-8 with a 0-8 mark in the conference. The Bears finalize the campaign at 11-6, 4-4 Big 12.

Northern Colorado got off to a hot start, winning the first five bouts with two major decisions, a technical fall and a pin. The action kicked off at 133 where C3C Gavin Caprella squared off against No. 13 Dom Serrano. Caprella dropped a 15-2 major decision to the ranked wrestler.

C4C Carter Nogle, Air Force's wins leader (22), took on former NCAA National Champion No. 3 Andrew Alirez. Nogle was the first to put points up, scoring an early takedown on the two-time All-American. Alirez settled in and bested Nogle by major decision, 19-6. The Bears posted a technical fall and pin at 149 and 157. Clayton Ulrey scored a decision win against C4C Logan Fowler heading into the halftime intermission.

The Falcons got the ball rolling out of the intermission as senior Jack Ganos put on a clinic in the 174 division, posting a 17-2 technical fall (6:18) over Aydin Rix-McElhinney for his 14^th win on the season. Ganos concludes his collegiate dual action with 40 career wins.

Team captain Gage Musser carried the momentum into the 184-pound bout, blanking AJ Heeg with a 5-0 decision. Musser's win marked the 16^th of the season and 37^th career dual win at the Academy. At 197, freshman standout Brian Burburija secured his ninth dual win of the season with a 8-5 decision over Andrew Donahue in sudden victory. Burburija closes the regular season with a 9-3 dual record and 41 team points for the most on the squad.

At heavyweight, C3C Soren Herzog made his 2024-25 dual debut, filling in for Antonio Ramos. Herzog imposed his will on Remington Peterson, scoring a 13-5 major decision win to put the Falcons at 15 team points. With the dual secured, UNC forfeited the final bout to award AF six points and finalize the dual, 22-21.

Next up, The Falcons will prepare to send their top 10 to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to compete for Big 12 titles at the 2025 Big 12 Wrestling Championships, March 8-9, in Tulsa's BOK Center.

Feb. 23 – No. 21 Northern Colorado 22, Air Force 21
133: #13 Dominick Serrano (UNCO) over Gavin Caprella (AF) (MD 15-2)
141: #3 Andrew Alirez (UNCO) over Carter Nogle (AF) (MD 19-6)
149: Benji Alanis (UNCO) over Alec Viduya (AF) (TF 17-2 3:56)
157: #21 Vinny Zerban (UNCO) over EJ Beloncik (AF) (Fall 1:45)
165: Clayton Ulrey (UNCO) over Logan Fowler (AF) (Dec 12-6)
174: Jack Ganos (AF) over Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNCO) (TF 17-2 6:18)
184: Gage Musser (AF) over AJ Heeg (UNCO) (Dec 5-0)
197: Brian Burburija (AF) over Andrew Donahue (UNCO) (SV-1 8-5)
285: Soren Herzog (AF) over Remington Peterson (UNCO) (MD 13-5)
125: Tucker Owens (AF) over (UNCO) (For.)

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