Friday, August 29
USAFA, CO - Cadet Natatorium
2:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Redlands
Air Force Water Polo Opens 2025 Hosting Rare Air Challenge
8/27/2025 9:53:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
This Week: Air Force men's water polo opens the 2025 season as the host of the 2025 Rare Air Challenge, running Friday-Sunday, Aug. 29-31 at the Cadet Natatorium and Heidmous Pool on the campus of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Falcons are slated to play six games, including a Saturday matchup against #3 Cal.
Rare Air Challenge Schedule
- Home team wears dark caps and listed first
- Live stats available for most games via fosh.net (games with asterisk will NOT have live stats) .
- Video stream via the Air Force youtube channel for all Cadet Natatorium games only.
- All times MTN standard.
Friday, Aug. 29
All Friday games at Cadet Natatorium
2 pm - Air Force vs. Redlands
4 pm - OUAZ vs. Mt. SAC*
5:30 pm - Redlands vs. Salem
7 pm - Air Force vs. Mount St. Mary's
Saturday, Aug. 30
Cadet Natatorium Games
9 am - Biola vs. Mount St. Mary's
10:30 am - Air Force vs. Salem
Noon - Cal vs. Redlands
1:30 pm - Air Force vs. Mt. SAC (Exhibition)*
3 pm - Biola vs. Salem
4:20 pm - Redlands vs. Mount St. Mary's
5:40 pm - Air Force vs. Cal
7 pm - Air Force vs. Denver (Exhibition)*
Heidmous Pool Games
10 am - Mt. SAC vs. Denver*
3 pm - Denver vs. OUAZ*
7 pm - Peak vs. OUAZ*
Sunday, Aug. 31
All Sunday Games at Cadet Natatorium
9am - Cal vs. Salem
10:20 am - Biola vs. OUAZ
11:40 am - Mt. SAC vs. Peak*
1 pm - Cal vs. Mount St. Mary's
2:20 pm - Air Force vs. Biola
3:40 pm - Air Force vs. OUAZ
BASE ACCESS, PARKING & TRAFFIC
Anyone without a DoD ID card must obtain a visitor pass to enter the Air Force Academy for athletic events. Please click HERE for more information and to apply for a visitors pass. For fans attending Friday's games, be aware that parking will be limited due to Parents' Weekend activities at USAFA. In addition, fans attending games on Saturday should expect an influx of traffic at the gate due to crowds arriving for the Falcons' 1:30 pm football game.
Series History vs. Rare Air Opponents
vs. Redlands - Air Force leads 33-12. Last meeting, lost 14-12, at Inland Empire Classic on Sept. 10, 2023.
vs. Mount St. Mary's - Air Force leads 2-0. Last meeting, 18-10 win at Gary Troyer Tournament on Oct. 5, 2024.
vs. Salem - Air Force leads 1-0. First meeting was a 20-4 Air Force win at Rare Air Tournament I on Sept. 8, 2019.
vs. Cal - Air Force is 0-28 all-time. Last meeting, 16-5 loss on Sept. 1, 2018.
vs. Biola - Air Force leads 4-0. Last meeting, a 14-9 win at Rare Air Challenge on Sept. 21, 2024.
vs. OUAZ - Air Force leads 2-0. Last meeting, at 17-14 win at Rare Air Challenge II on Sept. 24, 2022.
Recapping 2024: Air Force went 13-20 last season and 1-5 in WCC action. The Falcons faced a ranked opponent 16 times, including the final seven games to cap the season. Air Force's signature win came over #18 LMU in a 19-18 win at home in WCC play. Sophomore UT Tom Leggett led the nation with 143 goals and 183 points, which were both school records. Leggett earned ACWPC All-America third team honors.
Who's Back: Air Force returns 18 letterwinners, including its top two scorers from 2024. The Falcons return Leggett and second-leading scorer, Jack Richards, who scored 75 goals and 109 points as a sophomore. Air Force returns senior goalkeeper Luca Smith, who recorded 243 saves last season.
Who's Gone: Air Force lost three seniors to graduation. Jacob Yi led the Falcons last year with 68 assists and Kaito Ham was fourth on the team with 68 points. The Falcons also lost David Brown, who tallied 37 assists.
Who's New: Air Force welcomes eight freshmen from the class of 2029. Seven of the eight freshmen hail from California, with one from Illinois.
Shane Borunda - AT- Coronado, CA/Francis Parker HS
Max Ellis - C - Irvine, CA/Santa Margarita HS
Bode Farren - GK - Penryn, CA/Del Oro HS/American River CC
Aidan Forehand - AT - Indian Wells, CA/Xavier College Prep
Blake Fuchslin - AT - Sacramento, CA/Davis Senior HS
Derek Hymer - AT - San Carlos, CA/Sequoia HS
Olin Kusevskis - C - Buffalo Grove, IL/Stevenson HS
Matt Oravetz - UT - Newport Beach, CA/Servite HS
Team Captains: Senior Colin Chase and junior Tom Leggett are the team captains for 2025.
Record Book Watch:
Most Career Goals
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 339
2. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 283
3. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 257
Most Points
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 442
2. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 399
3. Ian Christie (2020-23) 355
4. David Chaney (1988-91) 347
5. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 326
Up next: Air Force hosts the Rare Air Invite next Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 6-7. The Falcons take on McKendree, Cal State Fullerton, Augustana, Whittier and UC Merced.
Miscellanous Team Notes:
Air Force is in its 55th season of men's water polo ... The Falcons are in their third season at members of the West Coast Conference ... The Falcons were previously members of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) from 1987-2022 ... junior UT Tom Leggett led the nation in goals (143) and fourth in points (182) as a sophomore, earning ACWPC All-American Third Team honors ... Leggett lwas named to the Preseason All-WCC Men's Water Polo Team ... sophomore Brady Kopperud is the second member of his family to play Air Force water polo. His brother, Cole, was a four-year letterwinner and 2024 USAFA graduate ... former head coach Jeff Heidmous is slated to go into the Air Force Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.
Rare Air Challenge Schedule
- Home team wears dark caps and listed first
- Live stats available for most games via fosh.net (games with asterisk will NOT have live stats) .
- Video stream via the Air Force youtube channel for all Cadet Natatorium games only.
- All times MTN standard.
Friday, Aug. 29
All Friday games at Cadet Natatorium
2 pm - Air Force vs. Redlands
4 pm - OUAZ vs. Mt. SAC*
5:30 pm - Redlands vs. Salem
7 pm - Air Force vs. Mount St. Mary's
Saturday, Aug. 30
Cadet Natatorium Games
9 am - Biola vs. Mount St. Mary's
10:30 am - Air Force vs. Salem
Noon - Cal vs. Redlands
1:30 pm - Air Force vs. Mt. SAC (Exhibition)*
3 pm - Biola vs. Salem
4:20 pm - Redlands vs. Mount St. Mary's
5:40 pm - Air Force vs. Cal
7 pm - Air Force vs. Denver (Exhibition)*
Heidmous Pool Games
10 am - Mt. SAC vs. Denver*
3 pm - Denver vs. OUAZ*
7 pm - Peak vs. OUAZ*
Sunday, Aug. 31
All Sunday Games at Cadet Natatorium
9am - Cal vs. Salem
10:20 am - Biola vs. OUAZ
11:40 am - Mt. SAC vs. Peak*
1 pm - Cal vs. Mount St. Mary's
2:20 pm - Air Force vs. Biola
3:40 pm - Air Force vs. OUAZ
BASE ACCESS, PARKING & TRAFFIC
Anyone without a DoD ID card must obtain a visitor pass to enter the Air Force Academy for athletic events. Please click HERE for more information and to apply for a visitors pass. For fans attending Friday's games, be aware that parking will be limited due to Parents' Weekend activities at USAFA. In addition, fans attending games on Saturday should expect an influx of traffic at the gate due to crowds arriving for the Falcons' 1:30 pm football game.
Series History vs. Rare Air Opponents
vs. Redlands - Air Force leads 33-12. Last meeting, lost 14-12, at Inland Empire Classic on Sept. 10, 2023.
vs. Mount St. Mary's - Air Force leads 2-0. Last meeting, 18-10 win at Gary Troyer Tournament on Oct. 5, 2024.
vs. Salem - Air Force leads 1-0. First meeting was a 20-4 Air Force win at Rare Air Tournament I on Sept. 8, 2019.
vs. Cal - Air Force is 0-28 all-time. Last meeting, 16-5 loss on Sept. 1, 2018.
vs. Biola - Air Force leads 4-0. Last meeting, a 14-9 win at Rare Air Challenge on Sept. 21, 2024.
vs. OUAZ - Air Force leads 2-0. Last meeting, at 17-14 win at Rare Air Challenge II on Sept. 24, 2022.
Recapping 2024: Air Force went 13-20 last season and 1-5 in WCC action. The Falcons faced a ranked opponent 16 times, including the final seven games to cap the season. Air Force's signature win came over #18 LMU in a 19-18 win at home in WCC play. Sophomore UT Tom Leggett led the nation with 143 goals and 183 points, which were both school records. Leggett earned ACWPC All-America third team honors.
Who's Back: Air Force returns 18 letterwinners, including its top two scorers from 2024. The Falcons return Leggett and second-leading scorer, Jack Richards, who scored 75 goals and 109 points as a sophomore. Air Force returns senior goalkeeper Luca Smith, who recorded 243 saves last season.
Who's Gone: Air Force lost three seniors to graduation. Jacob Yi led the Falcons last year with 68 assists and Kaito Ham was fourth on the team with 68 points. The Falcons also lost David Brown, who tallied 37 assists.
Who's New: Air Force welcomes eight freshmen from the class of 2029. Seven of the eight freshmen hail from California, with one from Illinois.
Shane Borunda - AT- Coronado, CA/Francis Parker HS
Max Ellis - C - Irvine, CA/Santa Margarita HS
Bode Farren - GK - Penryn, CA/Del Oro HS/American River CC
Aidan Forehand - AT - Indian Wells, CA/Xavier College Prep
Blake Fuchslin - AT - Sacramento, CA/Davis Senior HS
Derek Hymer - AT - San Carlos, CA/Sequoia HS
Olin Kusevskis - C - Buffalo Grove, IL/Stevenson HS
Matt Oravetz - UT - Newport Beach, CA/Servite HS
Team Captains: Senior Colin Chase and junior Tom Leggett are the team captains for 2025.
Record Book Watch:
Most Career Goals
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 339
2. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 283
3. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 257
Most Points
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 442
2. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 399
3. Ian Christie (2020-23) 355
4. David Chaney (1988-91) 347
5. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 326
Up next: Air Force hosts the Rare Air Invite next Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 6-7. The Falcons take on McKendree, Cal State Fullerton, Augustana, Whittier and UC Merced.
Miscellanous Team Notes:
Air Force is in its 55th season of men's water polo ... The Falcons are in their third season at members of the West Coast Conference ... The Falcons were previously members of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) from 1987-2022 ... junior UT Tom Leggett led the nation in goals (143) and fourth in points (182) as a sophomore, earning ACWPC All-American Third Team honors ... Leggett lwas named to the Preseason All-WCC Men's Water Polo Team ... sophomore Brady Kopperud is the second member of his family to play Air Force water polo. His brother, Cole, was a four-year letterwinner and 2024 USAFA graduate ... former head coach Jeff Heidmous is slated to go into the Air Force Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.
Players Mentioned
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
C/UT
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
C
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water Polo
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