Thursday, September 18
Annapolis, MD - Lejeune Hall
5:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
Navy
Air Force Water Polo Travels To Navy and Bucknell Invitational
9/17/2025 9:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
This Week: Air Force men's water polo (11-3) heads east this weekend for four games. The Falcons travel to Annapolis, Md., to take on service academy rival Navy on Thursday, Sept. 18. The Falcons then travel to the Bucknell Invitational, Sept. 20-21, in Lewisburg, Pa.
Air Force Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 18
vs. Navy - 7 pm ET - Annapolis, Md.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@NavyAthletics/streams
Air Force and Navy will be playing for the Freedom Vase Thursday. Navy currently holds the vase with their win last season.
Bucknell Invitational Tournament Central: Links for video steam options (two separate options for each game).
https://bucknellbison.com/sports/2025/9/14/2025-bucknell-invitational
Saturday, Sept. 20
vs. Long Island - 11:20 am ET
vs. Bucknell - 3:20 pm ET
Sunday, Sept. 21
vs. Gannon - 10:20 am ET
Series History vs. Opponents
vs. Navy - Air Force trails 12-25. Navy won last meeting 19-18 in triple overtime on Sept. 20, 2024 at the Academy.
vs. LIU - Air Force leads 3-0. Air force won 23-9 in last meeting on Sept. 7, 2024 at Bruno Classic.
vs. Bucknell - Air Force trails 7-9. Air Force won 16-12, on Oct. 22, 2023 at Fraser Memorial Tournament.
vs. Gannon - Air Force leads 1-0. The first meeting was in 2022, a 20-5 Air Force win at the Bruno Classic.
Recapping Last Week
Air Force went 1-2 at the Cal State Fullerton Titan Invitational. The Falcons opened with a 20-17 win over Chapman before falling to #18 Brown, 18-15. Air Force dropped its Saturday match to Concordia (Irvine) 15-14. The Falcons were down two starters and a key reserve in the setback to Concordia.
National Leaders (based on fosh.net)
Goals
1. Tom Leggett (65)
4. Jack Richards (34)
Assists:
1. Jonah Vander Veen (40)
2. Tom Leggett (29)
4. Jack Richards (25)
Points
1. Tom Leggett (94)
4. Jack Richards (59)
5. Jonah Vander Veen (52)
8. Brady Kopperud (43)
Saves
3. Luca Smith (93)
Leggett Closing In On School Records:
Junior utility Tom Leggett is closing in on the Air Force goals and points records. He is 17 goals and 22 points shy of the Air Force school records, both held by Ben Phillips.
Most Career Goals
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 339
2. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 322
3. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 283
Most Points
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 442
2. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 420
3. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 399
Honors:
Tom Leggett:
- WCC Player of the Week (Sept. 9) 5th career WCC POW honor.
- WCC Player of the Week (Sept. 2)
- Air Force Athletics Athlete of the Week (Sept. 8)
- 2025 Preseason All-WCC
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.
Up next: Air Force is off from competition the following weekend. The Falcons return to action Thursday, Oct. 2, opening WCC play at Pacific.
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.
Air Force Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 18
vs. Navy - 7 pm ET - Annapolis, Md.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@NavyAthletics/streams
Air Force and Navy will be playing for the Freedom Vase Thursday. Navy currently holds the vase with their win last season.
Bucknell Invitational Tournament Central: Links for video steam options (two separate options for each game).
https://bucknellbison.com/sports/2025/9/14/2025-bucknell-invitational
Saturday, Sept. 20
vs. Long Island - 11:20 am ET
vs. Bucknell - 3:20 pm ET
Sunday, Sept. 21
vs. Gannon - 10:20 am ET
Series History vs. Opponents
vs. Navy - Air Force trails 12-25. Navy won last meeting 19-18 in triple overtime on Sept. 20, 2024 at the Academy.
vs. LIU - Air Force leads 3-0. Air force won 23-9 in last meeting on Sept. 7, 2024 at Bruno Classic.
vs. Bucknell - Air Force trails 7-9. Air Force won 16-12, on Oct. 22, 2023 at Fraser Memorial Tournament.
vs. Gannon - Air Force leads 1-0. The first meeting was in 2022, a 20-5 Air Force win at the Bruno Classic.
Recapping Last Week
Air Force went 1-2 at the Cal State Fullerton Titan Invitational. The Falcons opened with a 20-17 win over Chapman before falling to #18 Brown, 18-15. Air Force dropped its Saturday match to Concordia (Irvine) 15-14. The Falcons were down two starters and a key reserve in the setback to Concordia.
National Leaders (based on fosh.net)
Goals
1. Tom Leggett (65)
4. Jack Richards (34)
Assists:
1. Jonah Vander Veen (40)
2. Tom Leggett (29)
4. Jack Richards (25)
Points
1. Tom Leggett (94)
4. Jack Richards (59)
5. Jonah Vander Veen (52)
8. Brady Kopperud (43)
Saves
3. Luca Smith (93)
Leggett Closing In On School Records:
Junior utility Tom Leggett is closing in on the Air Force goals and points records. He is 17 goals and 22 points shy of the Air Force school records, both held by Ben Phillips.
Most Career Goals
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 339
2. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 322
3. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 283
Most Points
1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) 442
2. Tom Leggett (2022-25) 420
3. Grant Snyder (2019-22) 399
Honors:
Tom Leggett:
- WCC Player of the Week (Sept. 9) 5th career WCC POW honor.
- WCC Player of the Week (Sept. 2)
- Air Force Athletics Athlete of the Week (Sept. 8)
- 2025 Preseason All-WCC
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.
Up next: Air Force is off from competition the following weekend. The Falcons return to action Thursday, Oct. 2, opening WCC play at Pacific.
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
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
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