Saturday, March 8
USAFA
5:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Regional Championships
Photo by: Ray Bahner
Air Force Boxing Sweeps Regional Team Titles
3/8/2025 9:16:00 PM | Boxing
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- Backed by 10 individual champions, the Air Force boxing tam swept the men's and women's teams titles at the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) Western Regional Championships this evening (March 8) under the lights of Clune Arena.
The men's 2025 championship marked the 41st time in 44 years that Air Force has stood at the top of the western region, as the Falcons amassed 34 points to easily distance themselves from runner-up USC (21 points). The women, still a relatively young program, have quickly become a dominant force in the region, capturing their fourth-straight title (a complete breakdown of team scores are below).
Senior Luke Kohout, junior Neo Takazawa, and sophomore Ellison Taylor claimed titles for the men, while freshman Maya Lee and junior Elise Bell earned regional victories for the women. Kohout secured his third-straight regional title at 147 pounds by claiming a unanimous decision over Nevada's Joey Azar, while Taylor won his first 165-pound when his opponent, Ethan Ryder of California, retired with an injury in the first round. Takazawa, who began his championship run in Thursday's quarterfinals, picked up his third win in as many days with a 175-pound decision over Sacramento State's Joseph Lovett. Lee quickly claimed her first regional title, as she forced the referee to halt her 147-pound bout with Santa Clara's Alondra Valdez in the opening round.
In addition to tonight's winners in the ring, five Falcons were named regional champions after going unopposed on the weekend. Sophomore Naomi Brabham (112 pounds), senior Cass Rosa (119 pounds), senior Peyton Glenn (139 pounds) and freshman Nebi Tsarni (165 pounds) helped the women to their title, while junior Thomas Kensinger went unopposed at heavyweight to add to the men's team score.
Four more Falcons earned silver medals on Saturday and will also advance to the national championships. On the men's side, junior 195-pounder Christian Hughes lost a decision to Sacramento State's Austin Melendez, while sophomore Justin Bonilla fell by decision in his 185-pound contest with top-seed Kendrick Ekejuiba of San Jose State. Freshman Sela Panuve and sophomore Julianna Morris also fell by decisions in their respective bouts, as Panuve finished second to California's Michelle Diaz Flores at 156 pounds and Morris dropped her 125-pound contest with Washington's Sionet Nickerson.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
156-lbs. (w): Michell Diaz Flores (California) dec. Sela Panuve (Air Force)
139-lbs.: Brendan Johnson Corrington (USC) dec. Kohki Shinohara (Washington)
175-lbs.: Neo Takazawa (Air Force) dec. Joseph Lovett (Sacramento State)
147-lbs. (w): Maya Lee (Air Force) RSC-1 Alondra Valdez (Santa Clara)
156-lbs.: Nathan Nichols (Nevada) dec. Rodrigo Madera (San Jose State)
165-lbs.: Ellison Taylor (Air Force) INJ-1 Ethan Ryder (California)
119-lbs.: Aspan Kossanov (Utah) dec. Matt El Rassi (USC)
132-lbs. (w): Elise Bell (Air Force) dec. Jill Doucet (Washington)
195-lbs.: Austin Melendez (Sacramento State) dec. Christian Hughes (Air Force)
132-lbs.: Alejandro Rojas (California) dec. Arturo Martinez (Santa Clara)
125-lbs. (w): Sionet Nickerson (Washington) dec. Julianna Morris (Air Force)
147-lbs.: Luke Kohout (Air Force) dec. Joey Azar (Nevada)
125-lbs.: Jordan King (USC) dec. Alex Leon (UCLA)
185-lbs.: Kendrick Ekejuiba (San Jose State) dec. Justin Bonilla (Air Force)
MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE 34, USC 21, California 15, Sacramento State 14, San Jose State 14, Nevada 14, Utah 9, Santa Clara 5, Washington 4, UCLA 4, UC Davis 3, Oregon State 2, Stanford 2, Arizona State 2; WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE 20, Washington 12, California 5, Santa Clara 4, Utah 1, Sacramento State 1, UC Davis 1
The men's 2025 championship marked the 41st time in 44 years that Air Force has stood at the top of the western region, as the Falcons amassed 34 points to easily distance themselves from runner-up USC (21 points). The women, still a relatively young program, have quickly become a dominant force in the region, capturing their fourth-straight title (a complete breakdown of team scores are below).
Senior Luke Kohout, junior Neo Takazawa, and sophomore Ellison Taylor claimed titles for the men, while freshman Maya Lee and junior Elise Bell earned regional victories for the women. Kohout secured his third-straight regional title at 147 pounds by claiming a unanimous decision over Nevada's Joey Azar, while Taylor won his first 165-pound when his opponent, Ethan Ryder of California, retired with an injury in the first round. Takazawa, who began his championship run in Thursday's quarterfinals, picked up his third win in as many days with a 175-pound decision over Sacramento State's Joseph Lovett. Lee quickly claimed her first regional title, as she forced the referee to halt her 147-pound bout with Santa Clara's Alondra Valdez in the opening round.
In addition to tonight's winners in the ring, five Falcons were named regional champions after going unopposed on the weekend. Sophomore Naomi Brabham (112 pounds), senior Cass Rosa (119 pounds), senior Peyton Glenn (139 pounds) and freshman Nebi Tsarni (165 pounds) helped the women to their title, while junior Thomas Kensinger went unopposed at heavyweight to add to the men's team score.
Four more Falcons earned silver medals on Saturday and will also advance to the national championships. On the men's side, junior 195-pounder Christian Hughes lost a decision to Sacramento State's Austin Melendez, while sophomore Justin Bonilla fell by decision in his 185-pound contest with top-seed Kendrick Ekejuiba of San Jose State. Freshman Sela Panuve and sophomore Julianna Morris also fell by decisions in their respective bouts, as Panuve finished second to California's Michelle Diaz Flores at 156 pounds and Morris dropped her 125-pound contest with Washington's Sionet Nickerson.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
156-lbs. (w): Michell Diaz Flores (California) dec. Sela Panuve (Air Force)
139-lbs.: Brendan Johnson Corrington (USC) dec. Kohki Shinohara (Washington)
175-lbs.: Neo Takazawa (Air Force) dec. Joseph Lovett (Sacramento State)
147-lbs. (w): Maya Lee (Air Force) RSC-1 Alondra Valdez (Santa Clara)
156-lbs.: Nathan Nichols (Nevada) dec. Rodrigo Madera (San Jose State)
165-lbs.: Ellison Taylor (Air Force) INJ-1 Ethan Ryder (California)
119-lbs.: Aspan Kossanov (Utah) dec. Matt El Rassi (USC)
132-lbs. (w): Elise Bell (Air Force) dec. Jill Doucet (Washington)
195-lbs.: Austin Melendez (Sacramento State) dec. Christian Hughes (Air Force)
132-lbs.: Alejandro Rojas (California) dec. Arturo Martinez (Santa Clara)
125-lbs. (w): Sionet Nickerson (Washington) dec. Julianna Morris (Air Force)
147-lbs.: Luke Kohout (Air Force) dec. Joey Azar (Nevada)
125-lbs.: Jordan King (USC) dec. Alex Leon (UCLA)
185-lbs.: Kendrick Ekejuiba (San Jose State) dec. Justin Bonilla (Air Force)
MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE 34, USC 21, California 15, Sacramento State 14, San Jose State 14, Nevada 14, Utah 9, Santa Clara 5, Washington 4, UCLA 4, UC Davis 3, Oregon State 2, Stanford 2, Arizona State 2; WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE 20, Washington 12, California 5, Santa Clara 4, Utah 1, Sacramento State 1, UC Davis 1
Earlier in the day, several at-large (third-place) bouts were contested in the Cadet Gym Boxing Room, as 16 boxers attempted to gain an at-large bid to the national championships. Freshman Russell Klug, the only Falcon on the afternoon card, captured a 132-pound decision over Santa Clara's Riggo Garcia to bolster his resume toward a possible national bid. The
AT-LARGE RESULTS
156-lbs.: Misael Renteria (UC Davis) dec. Kai Arellano (Sacramento State)
132-lbs.: Parker Chang (USC) dec. Jordan Torres (San Jose State)
125-lbs. (w): Aliya Hirzy (UC Davis) dec. Olivia Pax (Utah)
139-lbs.: Russle Klug (Air Force) dec. Riggo Garcia (Santa Clara)
147-lbs.: Marcos Vasquez (Sacramento State) dec. Mario Henniquez (Arizona State)
132-lbs. (w): Claire Dong (USC) dec. Genna van der Wal (Utah)
165-lbs.: Diego Maglione (Stanford) dec. Sena Short (Oregon State)
175-lbs.: Alejandro Silva (UC Davis) dec. Jarek Escobar (California)
Tonight's regional finalists will join their counterparts from the East and Midwest regions next month, when the country's top boxers descend on Lawrenceburg, Ind., for the National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships on April 10-12.
Players Mentioned
132 lbs.
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195 lbs.
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112 lbs.
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139 lbs.
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195 lbs.
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132 lbs.
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156 lbs.
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156 lbs.
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132 lbs.
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156 lbs.
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125 lbs.
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156 lbs.
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175 lbs.
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175 lbs.
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