Air Force recognizes Top 6 Award winners, MVPs
5/27/2025 10:03:00 AM | General
Erich Upton, Madison Smith, Guy Blessing, Alexis Odom, Lauren Hurley, Patrick Hoopes honored
Air Force athletics recognized several cadet-athletes for their accomplishments during the 2024-25 season today during the Graduation Awards Ceremony in Clune Arena. Senior gymnast Erich Upton was named male athlete of the year while senior women's basketball player Madison Smith earned Female athlete of the year. Senior hockey player Guy Blessing was named the top scholar-athlete while senior women's tennis player Alexis Odom earned the athletic leadership award. Senior Lauren Hurley from rifle won the athletic excellence award and gymnast Patrick Hoopes won the athletic achievement award.
A complete rundown of the award winners recognized during the ceremony follows.
Top 6 Awards
Erich Upton, Male Athlete of the Year: Erich Upton had a stellar senior campaign in the all-around for Air Force, headlined by an All-America finish at the NCAA Championships. Upton, just the third NCAA All-American all-arounder in Air Force history, accounted for two major 'Air Force Firsts' in 2025 – claiming the first all-around title at the famed Rocky Mountain Open and becoming the Falcons' first-ever conference champion in the all-around. Upton, who was named all-conference in a league-high four events (floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, all-around), finished the season with 12 first-place finishes and a regular season All-American nod in the all-around from the CGA.
Madison Smith, Female Athlete of the Year: Madison Smith led Air Force to an 18-15 and a seventh-place finish in Mountain West play, topping the Falcons in points and minutes played. Smith earned All-Mountain West and all-defensive honors. She earned back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Week honors while averaging 24 points and shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Smith became Air Force's 19th 1,000-point career scorer in 2024-25 while finishing top three in program DI history in single season points (505), field goals made (182) and steals (81) in a single season.
Guy Blessing, Scholar-Athlete: Senior Guy Blessing carries a 3.83 cumulative GPA as an astronautical engineering major. He earned the team's Jim Bowman Scholar-Athlete Award as a senior, is a three-time Atlantic Hockey all-academic selection and two-time AHCA Scholar-Athlete. In 2022-23, he was on the Dean's Aces List (perfect 4.0 GPA) in both semesters and was honored as a Student-Athlete of the Year in Atlantic Hockey. On the ice, he earned AHA Goalie of the Week honors three times as a senior and five times in his career. The Chandler, Ariz., native became the 12th goalie in school history, and the sixth in Air Force's conference era, to record more than 2,000 career saves. He became just the fifth goalie in school history to play 100 or more career games. The squadron commander for Cadet Squadron 2, and the director of the BCT assault course in 2024, he earned a selection to attend Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) following graduation.
Alexis Odom, Athletic Leadership: Senior Alexis Odom was the women's tennis team captain in 2024-25, setting the tone for the team all season. Odom recorded a 13-6 doubles record while mentoring and supporting a freshmen doubles partner. Air Force scored a pair of wins in the Mountain West tournament, including a near shutout of ranked two-seed Nevada. Odom served as chair for the Mountain West Student Athlete Advisory Committee. In her years as a cadet-athlete, she gave countless hours to the community in her years as a Falcon and served in numerous roles throughout cadet leadership.
Lauren Hurley, Athletic Excellence: For the second straight season, senior Lauren Hurley earned All-America honors in all three disciplines. She was named honorable mention in aggregate and second team in both smallbore and air rifle. Hurley led the team in aggregate average (1181.437), smallbore average (585.312) and air rifle average (595.125). At the NCAA Championships, she shot a 597 to reach the air rifle finals and then finished eighth in the individual championship event. She shot a then-season-high 598 in air rifle to lead Air Force to its 12th straight President's Trophy with wins over Army and Navy. The next day, the team co-captain shot a new season-high 599, just one off of a perfect score, to lead Air Force to a dual meet win over Army to complete a perfect weekend over the service academies. This season, she shot the third-best smallbore (592), the third-best aggregate (1188) and tied as fourth-best air rifle (599) scores in school history. Hurley has earned eight All-America honors in her career.
Patrick Hoopes, Athletic Achievement: The defense of his NCAA title on the pommel horse capped a stellar collegiate season for Patrick Hoopes, who earned the athletic achievement award for the second-straight year. Hoopes, who became the first NCAA gymnast to break the 15-point barrier in any event under the new scoring system – and the only one to do so more than once, was a Nissen-Emery finalist and the MPSF Specialist of the Year. A silver medalist at Winter Cup, Hoopes captured pommel horse titles at the Rocky Mountain Open, USAG Championships and MPSF Championships, before capturing first-place honors in both rounds of the NCAA Championships, en route to his national title. In addition, as a member of the U.S. National Team, Hoopes competed in three international competitions in between his collegiate meets – claiming a silver medal at the Baku World Cup and a bronze medal at the Cairo World Cup.
Most Valuable Athlete Awards by Sport
Men's Cross Country (Zach Ayers): Junior Zach Ayers was an all-conference runner for the Falcons in 2024 following a top-10 finish at the Mountain West Cross County Championships. He was the top Air Force finisher in the final three meets (Pre-Nationals, MW Championships, NCAA Mountain Regional), while collecting the squad's No. 2 finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational. Ayers, who finished ninth at the conference meet to garner second-team all-MW honors, added a top-30 finish (28th) at the regional championships.
Women's Cross Country (Ally Peterson): Ally Peterson captured all-conference and all-region honors for Air Force during a strong senior year. The champion of the season-opening AFXC Classic, Peterson picked up top-10 finishes at Pre-Nationals (eighth) and the Mountain West Championships (ninth), while adding a top-20 finish at the NCAA Mountain Regional (18th) for her first all-region award. Peterson, who finished ninth during an all-MW run at the conference meet, was the Falcons' No. 2 finisher at the Gans Creek Classic following a top-25 finish in the 330-athlete race.
Football Defensive MVP (Osaro Aihie): Senior inside linebacker Osaro Aihie was third on the team in tackles with 59. He led the Mountain West and ranked eighth nationally with two fumble recoveries. Aihie had at least five tackles in eight games, including a career high seven vs. Nevada. He also recorded his first-career interception and returned it 39 yards to set up a touchdown to clinch the game for Air Force.
Most Valuable Football Lineman/Special Teams (Matthew Dapore): Senior Matthew Dapore led the Falcons with 51 points, hitting nine of 15 field goals and all 24 extra points. He hit a career-high three field goals and all three extra points for a season-best 12 points vs. Fresno State to become the Air Force career scoring leader. He finished his career with 270 career points, hitting 48-64 career field goals.
Most Valuable Offensive Football Player (Alex Moore): Senior lineman Alex Moore started every game for the Falcons, playing both left and right tackle. He was the highest graded lineman on the team and helped lead an offensive line with no returning starters and with five different lineups to average over 200 yards rushing per game.
Most Valuable Football Player (Camby Goff): Safety Camby Goff led the team in tackles with 67, including a season-high 10 at San Diego State. He had team highs with eight vs. Colorado State and nine vs. Navy. He was a second-team all-Colorado selection by the National Football Foundation, Colorado Chapter.
Women's Soccer (Hannah Johnson): Senior Hannah Johnson started all 18 matches of the season and spent 1,579 minutes on the pitch, the most of any Falcon this year. The defender helped Air Force protect the back field, while managing one goal, against Northern Arizona, and a pair of shots on goal. Johnson, who served as the 2024 team captain, tallied four points off one goal and two assists over the course of her career. The Castle Rock, Colo., native earned numerous accolades for her efforts on the pitch and the classroom, as she was a four-year member of the Mountain West All-Academic team, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week on September 9, 2024, and named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer team following her freshman campaign.
Water Polo (Tom Leggett): Sophomore Tom Leggett led the nation and set school records with 143 goals and 183 points. Leggett earned ACWPC All-America honors (Third team) while earning first-team All-West Coast Conference honors for the second consecutive season.
Volleyball (Ella Tschuor): Senior team captain Ella Tschuor led a young Air Force squad in 2024, posting team-leading totals in kills (254), kills per set (2.54) and points (290.5) during the Falcons' 3-21 season. In addition to offensive production, she ranked third on the team in blocks (40) and was one of five Falcons to account for double-digit ace totals. Headlined by a 20-kill performance against New Mexico, Tschuor debuted on the Academy's Top 10 for career kills in the modern era, finishing with 750 kills.
Men's Basketball (Ethan Taylor): Senior guard Ethan earned Air Force men's basketball MVP honors for the second-straight season. Taylor earned All-Mountain West third team honors, leading the conference with 98 three-pointers. He led the Mountain West in three-pointers per game (3.06) and minutes per game (36.5) for the second straight season. Taylor's 98 three-pointers are the second-most in a season in program history. He ranked 12th in the conference in scoring, with a team-leading 13.9 average.
Women's Basketball (Madison Smith): Madison Smith led Air Force to an 18-15 and a seventh-place finish in Mountain West play, topping the Falcons in points and minutes played. Smith earned All-Mountain West and all-defensive honors. She earned back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Week honors while averaging 24 points and shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Smith became Air Force's 19th 1,000-point career scorer in 2024-25 while finishing top three in program DI history in single season points (505), field goals made (182) and steals (81) in a single season.
Men's Boxing (Luke Kohout): Luke Kohout capped a perfect 7-0 run through the postseason with his third-straight NCBA national title in the 147-pound weight division. The senior claimed his third Wing Open title in dominating fashion and was named the tournament's Outstanding Boxer, before picking up his third-straight regional title. Kohout, who earned a victory over Army West Point during the regular season, led Air Force to the regional title and a third-place finish at the NCBA Championships.
Women's Boxing (Elise Bell): A national title in the 132-pound weight division capped a strong junior season for Elise Bell, who helped the Air Force women's boxing team to its first-ever national title. Bell swept through the 132-pound brackets in the NCBA, going undefeated at the NCBA Western Regional (2-0) and NCBA Championships (2-0). She also accounted for event titles at the Buckeye Brawl (135 pounds) and WAC Main Event (132 pounds).
Men's Fencing (Omar Emara): Junior Omar Emara posted a 50-31 record in men's epee, leading the epee group in bout victories. He was a bronze medalist at the NCAA West Regional in men's epee and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's epee champion. Emara earned first-team All-MPSF honors. Emara qualified for the NCAA Championships, where he finished 14th in men's epee with 11 wins.
Women's Fencing (Christina Watrall): Sophomore Christina Watrall posted a 43-23 record in women's epee, ranking first on the team in win percentage (.651). Watrall was the NCAA West Regional Champion in women's epee for the second straight season. In addition, Watrall captured the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation women's epee gold medal, earning first-team All-MPSF honors. Watrall qualified for the NCAA's for the second-straight season, earning 17th place win women's epee with eight wins.
Hockey (Clayton Cosentino): Senior Clayton Cosentino led the team with 20 assists and 29 points. His 547 faceoffs won led the nation in the regular season and his .559 winning percentage ranked among the nation's best among players to win more than 450 draws. A co-captain from San Carlos, Calif., he also had two power-play goals, three game-winners and blocked 25 shots. On opening weekend, he was named the AHA Forward of the Week with four points (3-1-4) in leading Air Force to a split with nationally-ranked Arizona State.
Rifle (Lauren Hurley): For the second straight season, senior Lauren Hurley earned All-America honors in all three disciplines. She was named honorable mention in aggregate and second team in both smallbore and air rifle. Hurley led the team in aggregate average (1181.437), smallbore average (585.312) and air rifle average (595.125). This season, she shot the third-best smallbore (592), the third-best aggregate (1188) and tied as fourth-best air rifle (599) scores in school history.
Men's Swimming (James Winterfield): Junior James Winterfield was named the Western Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week three consecutive weeks. Over the course of the season, the Charleston, S.C., native clinched a whopping 30 top-five finishes and won 22 races. At the Western Athletic Conference Championships, Winterfield notched a pair of NCAA B cuts as he claimed second place in the 200 individual medley and third in the 200 butterfly. For his efforts, he was named first-team all-WAC. He holds five individual Academy top 10 times and the Air Force records in the 100 butterfly with a time of 46.84, along with the 200 individual medley at 1:44.50.
Women's Swimming (Hanani Dona): Junior Hanani Dona, the Mooresville, N.C., native, secured 13 top five finishes, with the highest being first place in the 400 individual medley against Grand Canyon. At the Mountain West Conference Championships, she recorded multiple season bests and saw her highest finish at 12th in both the 200 and 400 individual medleys. Dona currently holds a trio of top ten Academy times, as she ranks third in the 200 Individual Medley with a time of 2:02.00, fifth in the 400 individual medley at 4:20.54, and seventh in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:01.98.
Men's Diving (Brady Nichol): Freshman Brady Nichol was honored as the Men's Diving MVP after proving his dedication and leadership in the pool. The freshman secured a spot at NCAA Zone E with a pair of qualifying scores on the 3-meter. He was named to the Western Athletic Conference second team after finishing in eighth place on the platform with a score of 287.20.
Women's Diving (Chloe Perkins): Freshman Chloe Perkins recorded nine qualifying scores to compete at NCAA Zone E. The Raleigh, N.C., native was one of two Falcons to earn a Mountain West All-Conference distinction after she broke the Academy record on the 3-meter springboard with a score of 327.55 and placed fourth at the Mountain West Conference Championships.
Men's Gymnastics (Erich Upton): Erich Upton had a stellar senior campaign in the all-around for Air Force, headlined by an All-America finish at the NCAA Championships. Upton, just the third NCAA All-American all-arounder in Air Force history, accounted for two major 'Air Force Firsts' in 2025 – claiming the first all-around title at the famed Rocky Mountain Open and becoming the Falcons' first-ever conference champion in the all-around. Upton, who was named all-conference in a league-high four events (floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, all-around), finished the season with 12 first-place finishes and a Regular-Season All-American nod in the all-around from the CGA.
Women's Gymnastics (Maggie Slife): Sophomore Maggie Slife was named Mountain West Gymnast of the Year. She finished with three top 10 all-time finishes in the all-around, including a record-breaking 39.500 to cap off her season at NCAA Regionals in Salt Lake City. Slife earned All-Mountain West recognition, landing first-team recognition in the all-around and on both vault and floor, while also being tabbed a second-team honoree on bars.
Wrestling (Gage Musser): Senior 184-pounder and team captain Gage Musser concluded the season with a 16-11 overall record and a 7-5 mark in dual meets. Musser battled to podium finishes in two major national open tournaments. He concludes his wrestling career with 37 wins.
Baseball (Walker Zapp): Junior Walker Zapp started all 51 games he played and consistently remained at the top of the Falcons' batting charts, as he completed the season with a batting average of .330, a .579 slugging percentage, 52 runs scored, 65 hits, and 43 runs batted in. The standout junior recorded 30 extra base hits, with 18 doubles, a team-high five triples, and seven home runs. Behind the plate, the catcher was responsible for 352 put outs, 35 assists and caught 11 runners stealing.
Golf (Cameron Kahle): Senior Cameron Kahle played in all 32 rounds this season and all 126 for his career. His 126 career rounds played are seventh most in school history and the most since Kyle Westmoreland had a school record 145 in 2011-14. Kahle shot a season-best round of 69 (-3) at the Commander-in-Chief's Cup (Oct. 14) and had a season-best tournament at the Nick Watney Invitational of 220 (+7) in late February.
Lacrosse (Josh Yago): Senior team captain Josh Yago was stellar in his senior season, leading the Falcons with 72 points via 37 goals and 35 assists. Yago's 72 single-season points, and 35 single-season assists are new program standards, marking the most by any Falcon to date. Yago was tabbed USA Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-American, ASUN Offensive Player of the Year, a unanimous selection to the All-ASUN first team and earned ASUN Player of the Week on two occasions.
Men's Tennis (AJ Moore): Junior AJ Moore led the team with 21 combined dual wins, in addition to leading the team with 13 dual singles wins and tying for the lead with eight dual doubles wins. He also tied for the team lead with 32 total wins on the season. Moore also earned the team Coach Oosterhous Lightning Bolt Award for most combined wins in dual play (21 - 13 singles/8 doubles).
Women's Tennis (Alexis Odom): Senior team captain Alexis Odom recorded a 13-6 doubles record while mentoring and supporting a freshmen doubles partner. Odom combined for 21 wins in 2025, helping lead Air Force to a pair of wins in the Mountain West Tournament including a near shutout of ranked two-seed Nevada.
Men's Track and Field MVP (Texas Tanner, as of May 18): Texas Tanner is having a stellar junior season, setting Air Force Records in the indoor shot put (64'7"), weight throw (76'11"), discus throw (208'7") and hammer throw (248'7") – with the latter two serving as Service Academy Records and the last being a new all-time Mountain West Record. An All-American in the shot put during the indoor season, Tanner is currently ranked among the nation's top six in the discus and hammer, while also accounting for an NCAA qualifying mark in the shot put. Tanner defended his Mountain West titles in the discus and hammer at the 2025 MW Outdoor Championships, setting meet records in both to claim his second-straight Field Performer of the Meet award.
Men's Track and Field Outstanding Competitor (Javin Bostic): Senior Javin Bostic, an NCAA Qualifier for the third-straight year, earned a complete set of medals at the 2025 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships – leading off the winning 4x100-meter relay, using the second-fastest time in program history to claim silver in the 200-meter dash, and placing third in the 100-meter dash. The Air Force record holder in the 60-meter and 100-meter events, he is ranked among the program's top three in the indoor and outdoor 200-meter sprints. Bostic, who helped the men to three Mountain West team titles, amassed seven individual all-conference awards over the past three years – including the 100-meter title in 2023, while running on three all-MW 4x100-meter relays.
Women's Track and Field MVP (Taylor Rious): Senior Taylor Rioux, who received the women's MVP honors for the third-straight year, will leave the Academy as the fastest sprinter in Air Force history. A team captain, Rioux holds the Academy Records in three indoor events (200-meter dash, 300-meter dash, 400-meter dash) and one outdoor event (200-meter dash), while running on four record-setting relays (4x100-meter relay, indoor/outdoor 4x400-meter relay, sprint medley relay). A two-time MW Track Athlete of the Week, Rioux finished her career with all four Air Force Class Records in the 200-meter dash.
Women's Track and Field Outstanding Competitor (Ally Peterson): Senior Ally Peterson had a stellar senior season, capturing all-conference honors during both the indoor and outdoor season. Peterson, who also captured MVP honors in cross country, placed third in the 5000-meter run during the indoor and outdoor seasons. During her senior season, she moved into the Air Force Top 10 in the indoor 5000-meter run (No. 6) and outdoor 1500-meter run (No. 8) to finish her career listed among the program's top 15 in ever event from the mile to 10,000-meter run.
Physical Education Average Award: Senior Brandon Tilp from cadet squadron 08 won the Bickle Award, recognizing the graduating cadet who attained the highest cumulative physical education average (PEA) in the class of 2025. Tilp posted an impressive 3.91 average on a scale of 4.00, displaying excellence in fitness assessments and physical education. He earned 500-club distinction for maxing the Physical Fitness Test multiple times and was awarded athletic honors every semester.
Outstanding Cadet in Physical Education: Senior Ethan Stroup of cadet squadron 27 is the winner of the Crowell Award, recognizing the outstanding cadet in physical education in his graduating class. Stroup posted a 3.875 physical education grade point average over his cadet career and earned 500-club distinction for maxing the Physical Fitness Test. He also served as a reconditioning cadet-in-charge and women's basketball practice player for two seasons.
A complete rundown of the award winners recognized during the ceremony follows.
Top 6 Awards
Erich Upton, Male Athlete of the Year: Erich Upton had a stellar senior campaign in the all-around for Air Force, headlined by an All-America finish at the NCAA Championships. Upton, just the third NCAA All-American all-arounder in Air Force history, accounted for two major 'Air Force Firsts' in 2025 – claiming the first all-around title at the famed Rocky Mountain Open and becoming the Falcons' first-ever conference champion in the all-around. Upton, who was named all-conference in a league-high four events (floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, all-around), finished the season with 12 first-place finishes and a regular season All-American nod in the all-around from the CGA.
Madison Smith, Female Athlete of the Year: Madison Smith led Air Force to an 18-15 and a seventh-place finish in Mountain West play, topping the Falcons in points and minutes played. Smith earned All-Mountain West and all-defensive honors. She earned back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Week honors while averaging 24 points and shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Smith became Air Force's 19th 1,000-point career scorer in 2024-25 while finishing top three in program DI history in single season points (505), field goals made (182) and steals (81) in a single season.
Guy Blessing, Scholar-Athlete: Senior Guy Blessing carries a 3.83 cumulative GPA as an astronautical engineering major. He earned the team's Jim Bowman Scholar-Athlete Award as a senior, is a three-time Atlantic Hockey all-academic selection and two-time AHCA Scholar-Athlete. In 2022-23, he was on the Dean's Aces List (perfect 4.0 GPA) in both semesters and was honored as a Student-Athlete of the Year in Atlantic Hockey. On the ice, he earned AHA Goalie of the Week honors three times as a senior and five times in his career. The Chandler, Ariz., native became the 12th goalie in school history, and the sixth in Air Force's conference era, to record more than 2,000 career saves. He became just the fifth goalie in school history to play 100 or more career games. The squadron commander for Cadet Squadron 2, and the director of the BCT assault course in 2024, he earned a selection to attend Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) following graduation.
Alexis Odom, Athletic Leadership: Senior Alexis Odom was the women's tennis team captain in 2024-25, setting the tone for the team all season. Odom recorded a 13-6 doubles record while mentoring and supporting a freshmen doubles partner. Air Force scored a pair of wins in the Mountain West tournament, including a near shutout of ranked two-seed Nevada. Odom served as chair for the Mountain West Student Athlete Advisory Committee. In her years as a cadet-athlete, she gave countless hours to the community in her years as a Falcon and served in numerous roles throughout cadet leadership.
Lauren Hurley, Athletic Excellence: For the second straight season, senior Lauren Hurley earned All-America honors in all three disciplines. She was named honorable mention in aggregate and second team in both smallbore and air rifle. Hurley led the team in aggregate average (1181.437), smallbore average (585.312) and air rifle average (595.125). At the NCAA Championships, she shot a 597 to reach the air rifle finals and then finished eighth in the individual championship event. She shot a then-season-high 598 in air rifle to lead Air Force to its 12th straight President's Trophy with wins over Army and Navy. The next day, the team co-captain shot a new season-high 599, just one off of a perfect score, to lead Air Force to a dual meet win over Army to complete a perfect weekend over the service academies. This season, she shot the third-best smallbore (592), the third-best aggregate (1188) and tied as fourth-best air rifle (599) scores in school history. Hurley has earned eight All-America honors in her career.
Patrick Hoopes, Athletic Achievement: The defense of his NCAA title on the pommel horse capped a stellar collegiate season for Patrick Hoopes, who earned the athletic achievement award for the second-straight year. Hoopes, who became the first NCAA gymnast to break the 15-point barrier in any event under the new scoring system – and the only one to do so more than once, was a Nissen-Emery finalist and the MPSF Specialist of the Year. A silver medalist at Winter Cup, Hoopes captured pommel horse titles at the Rocky Mountain Open, USAG Championships and MPSF Championships, before capturing first-place honors in both rounds of the NCAA Championships, en route to his national title. In addition, as a member of the U.S. National Team, Hoopes competed in three international competitions in between his collegiate meets – claiming a silver medal at the Baku World Cup and a bronze medal at the Cairo World Cup.
Most Valuable Athlete Awards by Sport
Men's Cross Country (Zach Ayers): Junior Zach Ayers was an all-conference runner for the Falcons in 2024 following a top-10 finish at the Mountain West Cross County Championships. He was the top Air Force finisher in the final three meets (Pre-Nationals, MW Championships, NCAA Mountain Regional), while collecting the squad's No. 2 finish at the Nuttycombe Invitational. Ayers, who finished ninth at the conference meet to garner second-team all-MW honors, added a top-30 finish (28th) at the regional championships.
Women's Cross Country (Ally Peterson): Ally Peterson captured all-conference and all-region honors for Air Force during a strong senior year. The champion of the season-opening AFXC Classic, Peterson picked up top-10 finishes at Pre-Nationals (eighth) and the Mountain West Championships (ninth), while adding a top-20 finish at the NCAA Mountain Regional (18th) for her first all-region award. Peterson, who finished ninth during an all-MW run at the conference meet, was the Falcons' No. 2 finisher at the Gans Creek Classic following a top-25 finish in the 330-athlete race.
Football Defensive MVP (Osaro Aihie): Senior inside linebacker Osaro Aihie was third on the team in tackles with 59. He led the Mountain West and ranked eighth nationally with two fumble recoveries. Aihie had at least five tackles in eight games, including a career high seven vs. Nevada. He also recorded his first-career interception and returned it 39 yards to set up a touchdown to clinch the game for Air Force.
Most Valuable Football Lineman/Special Teams (Matthew Dapore): Senior Matthew Dapore led the Falcons with 51 points, hitting nine of 15 field goals and all 24 extra points. He hit a career-high three field goals and all three extra points for a season-best 12 points vs. Fresno State to become the Air Force career scoring leader. He finished his career with 270 career points, hitting 48-64 career field goals.
Most Valuable Offensive Football Player (Alex Moore): Senior lineman Alex Moore started every game for the Falcons, playing both left and right tackle. He was the highest graded lineman on the team and helped lead an offensive line with no returning starters and with five different lineups to average over 200 yards rushing per game.
Most Valuable Football Player (Camby Goff): Safety Camby Goff led the team in tackles with 67, including a season-high 10 at San Diego State. He had team highs with eight vs. Colorado State and nine vs. Navy. He was a second-team all-Colorado selection by the National Football Foundation, Colorado Chapter.
Women's Soccer (Hannah Johnson): Senior Hannah Johnson started all 18 matches of the season and spent 1,579 minutes on the pitch, the most of any Falcon this year. The defender helped Air Force protect the back field, while managing one goal, against Northern Arizona, and a pair of shots on goal. Johnson, who served as the 2024 team captain, tallied four points off one goal and two assists over the course of her career. The Castle Rock, Colo., native earned numerous accolades for her efforts on the pitch and the classroom, as she was a four-year member of the Mountain West All-Academic team, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week on September 9, 2024, and named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer team following her freshman campaign.
Water Polo (Tom Leggett): Sophomore Tom Leggett led the nation and set school records with 143 goals and 183 points. Leggett earned ACWPC All-America honors (Third team) while earning first-team All-West Coast Conference honors for the second consecutive season.
Volleyball (Ella Tschuor): Senior team captain Ella Tschuor led a young Air Force squad in 2024, posting team-leading totals in kills (254), kills per set (2.54) and points (290.5) during the Falcons' 3-21 season. In addition to offensive production, she ranked third on the team in blocks (40) and was one of five Falcons to account for double-digit ace totals. Headlined by a 20-kill performance against New Mexico, Tschuor debuted on the Academy's Top 10 for career kills in the modern era, finishing with 750 kills.
Men's Basketball (Ethan Taylor): Senior guard Ethan earned Air Force men's basketball MVP honors for the second-straight season. Taylor earned All-Mountain West third team honors, leading the conference with 98 three-pointers. He led the Mountain West in three-pointers per game (3.06) and minutes per game (36.5) for the second straight season. Taylor's 98 three-pointers are the second-most in a season in program history. He ranked 12th in the conference in scoring, with a team-leading 13.9 average.
Women's Basketball (Madison Smith): Madison Smith led Air Force to an 18-15 and a seventh-place finish in Mountain West play, topping the Falcons in points and minutes played. Smith earned All-Mountain West and all-defensive honors. She earned back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Week honors while averaging 24 points and shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Smith became Air Force's 19th 1,000-point career scorer in 2024-25 while finishing top three in program DI history in single season points (505), field goals made (182) and steals (81) in a single season.
Men's Boxing (Luke Kohout): Luke Kohout capped a perfect 7-0 run through the postseason with his third-straight NCBA national title in the 147-pound weight division. The senior claimed his third Wing Open title in dominating fashion and was named the tournament's Outstanding Boxer, before picking up his third-straight regional title. Kohout, who earned a victory over Army West Point during the regular season, led Air Force to the regional title and a third-place finish at the NCBA Championships.
Women's Boxing (Elise Bell): A national title in the 132-pound weight division capped a strong junior season for Elise Bell, who helped the Air Force women's boxing team to its first-ever national title. Bell swept through the 132-pound brackets in the NCBA, going undefeated at the NCBA Western Regional (2-0) and NCBA Championships (2-0). She also accounted for event titles at the Buckeye Brawl (135 pounds) and WAC Main Event (132 pounds).
Men's Fencing (Omar Emara): Junior Omar Emara posted a 50-31 record in men's epee, leading the epee group in bout victories. He was a bronze medalist at the NCAA West Regional in men's epee and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's epee champion. Emara earned first-team All-MPSF honors. Emara qualified for the NCAA Championships, where he finished 14th in men's epee with 11 wins.
Women's Fencing (Christina Watrall): Sophomore Christina Watrall posted a 43-23 record in women's epee, ranking first on the team in win percentage (.651). Watrall was the NCAA West Regional Champion in women's epee for the second straight season. In addition, Watrall captured the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation women's epee gold medal, earning first-team All-MPSF honors. Watrall qualified for the NCAA's for the second-straight season, earning 17th place win women's epee with eight wins.
Hockey (Clayton Cosentino): Senior Clayton Cosentino led the team with 20 assists and 29 points. His 547 faceoffs won led the nation in the regular season and his .559 winning percentage ranked among the nation's best among players to win more than 450 draws. A co-captain from San Carlos, Calif., he also had two power-play goals, three game-winners and blocked 25 shots. On opening weekend, he was named the AHA Forward of the Week with four points (3-1-4) in leading Air Force to a split with nationally-ranked Arizona State.
Rifle (Lauren Hurley): For the second straight season, senior Lauren Hurley earned All-America honors in all three disciplines. She was named honorable mention in aggregate and second team in both smallbore and air rifle. Hurley led the team in aggregate average (1181.437), smallbore average (585.312) and air rifle average (595.125). This season, she shot the third-best smallbore (592), the third-best aggregate (1188) and tied as fourth-best air rifle (599) scores in school history.
Men's Swimming (James Winterfield): Junior James Winterfield was named the Western Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week three consecutive weeks. Over the course of the season, the Charleston, S.C., native clinched a whopping 30 top-five finishes and won 22 races. At the Western Athletic Conference Championships, Winterfield notched a pair of NCAA B cuts as he claimed second place in the 200 individual medley and third in the 200 butterfly. For his efforts, he was named first-team all-WAC. He holds five individual Academy top 10 times and the Air Force records in the 100 butterfly with a time of 46.84, along with the 200 individual medley at 1:44.50.
Women's Swimming (Hanani Dona): Junior Hanani Dona, the Mooresville, N.C., native, secured 13 top five finishes, with the highest being first place in the 400 individual medley against Grand Canyon. At the Mountain West Conference Championships, she recorded multiple season bests and saw her highest finish at 12th in both the 200 and 400 individual medleys. Dona currently holds a trio of top ten Academy times, as she ranks third in the 200 Individual Medley with a time of 2:02.00, fifth in the 400 individual medley at 4:20.54, and seventh in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:01.98.
Men's Diving (Brady Nichol): Freshman Brady Nichol was honored as the Men's Diving MVP after proving his dedication and leadership in the pool. The freshman secured a spot at NCAA Zone E with a pair of qualifying scores on the 3-meter. He was named to the Western Athletic Conference second team after finishing in eighth place on the platform with a score of 287.20.
Women's Diving (Chloe Perkins): Freshman Chloe Perkins recorded nine qualifying scores to compete at NCAA Zone E. The Raleigh, N.C., native was one of two Falcons to earn a Mountain West All-Conference distinction after she broke the Academy record on the 3-meter springboard with a score of 327.55 and placed fourth at the Mountain West Conference Championships.
Men's Gymnastics (Erich Upton): Erich Upton had a stellar senior campaign in the all-around for Air Force, headlined by an All-America finish at the NCAA Championships. Upton, just the third NCAA All-American all-arounder in Air Force history, accounted for two major 'Air Force Firsts' in 2025 – claiming the first all-around title at the famed Rocky Mountain Open and becoming the Falcons' first-ever conference champion in the all-around. Upton, who was named all-conference in a league-high four events (floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, all-around), finished the season with 12 first-place finishes and a Regular-Season All-American nod in the all-around from the CGA.
Women's Gymnastics (Maggie Slife): Sophomore Maggie Slife was named Mountain West Gymnast of the Year. She finished with three top 10 all-time finishes in the all-around, including a record-breaking 39.500 to cap off her season at NCAA Regionals in Salt Lake City. Slife earned All-Mountain West recognition, landing first-team recognition in the all-around and on both vault and floor, while also being tabbed a second-team honoree on bars.
Wrestling (Gage Musser): Senior 184-pounder and team captain Gage Musser concluded the season with a 16-11 overall record and a 7-5 mark in dual meets. Musser battled to podium finishes in two major national open tournaments. He concludes his wrestling career with 37 wins.
Baseball (Walker Zapp): Junior Walker Zapp started all 51 games he played and consistently remained at the top of the Falcons' batting charts, as he completed the season with a batting average of .330, a .579 slugging percentage, 52 runs scored, 65 hits, and 43 runs batted in. The standout junior recorded 30 extra base hits, with 18 doubles, a team-high five triples, and seven home runs. Behind the plate, the catcher was responsible for 352 put outs, 35 assists and caught 11 runners stealing.
Golf (Cameron Kahle): Senior Cameron Kahle played in all 32 rounds this season and all 126 for his career. His 126 career rounds played are seventh most in school history and the most since Kyle Westmoreland had a school record 145 in 2011-14. Kahle shot a season-best round of 69 (-3) at the Commander-in-Chief's Cup (Oct. 14) and had a season-best tournament at the Nick Watney Invitational of 220 (+7) in late February.
Lacrosse (Josh Yago): Senior team captain Josh Yago was stellar in his senior season, leading the Falcons with 72 points via 37 goals and 35 assists. Yago's 72 single-season points, and 35 single-season assists are new program standards, marking the most by any Falcon to date. Yago was tabbed USA Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-American, ASUN Offensive Player of the Year, a unanimous selection to the All-ASUN first team and earned ASUN Player of the Week on two occasions.
Men's Tennis (AJ Moore): Junior AJ Moore led the team with 21 combined dual wins, in addition to leading the team with 13 dual singles wins and tying for the lead with eight dual doubles wins. He also tied for the team lead with 32 total wins on the season. Moore also earned the team Coach Oosterhous Lightning Bolt Award for most combined wins in dual play (21 - 13 singles/8 doubles).
Women's Tennis (Alexis Odom): Senior team captain Alexis Odom recorded a 13-6 doubles record while mentoring and supporting a freshmen doubles partner. Odom combined for 21 wins in 2025, helping lead Air Force to a pair of wins in the Mountain West Tournament including a near shutout of ranked two-seed Nevada.
Men's Track and Field MVP (Texas Tanner, as of May 18): Texas Tanner is having a stellar junior season, setting Air Force Records in the indoor shot put (64'7"), weight throw (76'11"), discus throw (208'7") and hammer throw (248'7") – with the latter two serving as Service Academy Records and the last being a new all-time Mountain West Record. An All-American in the shot put during the indoor season, Tanner is currently ranked among the nation's top six in the discus and hammer, while also accounting for an NCAA qualifying mark in the shot put. Tanner defended his Mountain West titles in the discus and hammer at the 2025 MW Outdoor Championships, setting meet records in both to claim his second-straight Field Performer of the Meet award.
Men's Track and Field Outstanding Competitor (Javin Bostic): Senior Javin Bostic, an NCAA Qualifier for the third-straight year, earned a complete set of medals at the 2025 Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships – leading off the winning 4x100-meter relay, using the second-fastest time in program history to claim silver in the 200-meter dash, and placing third in the 100-meter dash. The Air Force record holder in the 60-meter and 100-meter events, he is ranked among the program's top three in the indoor and outdoor 200-meter sprints. Bostic, who helped the men to three Mountain West team titles, amassed seven individual all-conference awards over the past three years – including the 100-meter title in 2023, while running on three all-MW 4x100-meter relays.
Women's Track and Field MVP (Taylor Rious): Senior Taylor Rioux, who received the women's MVP honors for the third-straight year, will leave the Academy as the fastest sprinter in Air Force history. A team captain, Rioux holds the Academy Records in three indoor events (200-meter dash, 300-meter dash, 400-meter dash) and one outdoor event (200-meter dash), while running on four record-setting relays (4x100-meter relay, indoor/outdoor 4x400-meter relay, sprint medley relay). A two-time MW Track Athlete of the Week, Rioux finished her career with all four Air Force Class Records in the 200-meter dash.
Women's Track and Field Outstanding Competitor (Ally Peterson): Senior Ally Peterson had a stellar senior season, capturing all-conference honors during both the indoor and outdoor season. Peterson, who also captured MVP honors in cross country, placed third in the 5000-meter run during the indoor and outdoor seasons. During her senior season, she moved into the Air Force Top 10 in the indoor 5000-meter run (No. 6) and outdoor 1500-meter run (No. 8) to finish her career listed among the program's top 15 in ever event from the mile to 10,000-meter run.
Physical Education Average Award: Senior Brandon Tilp from cadet squadron 08 won the Bickle Award, recognizing the graduating cadet who attained the highest cumulative physical education average (PEA) in the class of 2025. Tilp posted an impressive 3.91 average on a scale of 4.00, displaying excellence in fitness assessments and physical education. He earned 500-club distinction for maxing the Physical Fitness Test multiple times and was awarded athletic honors every semester.
Outstanding Cadet in Physical Education: Senior Ethan Stroup of cadet squadron 27 is the winner of the Crowell Award, recognizing the outstanding cadet in physical education in his graduating class. Stroup posted a 3.875 physical education grade point average over his cadet career and earned 500-club distinction for maxing the Physical Fitness Test. He also served as a reconditioning cadet-in-charge and women's basketball practice player for two seasons.
Ryan Brown Interview Sept 9, 2025
Tuesday, September 09
Macey Donathan Interview Sept 9, 2025
Tuesday, September 09
Laura Busby Interview Sept 9, 2025
Tuesday, September 09
Football Press Conference - September 9th, 2025
Tuesday, September 09
