Saturday, October 10
USAFA, CO
12:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Pepperdine
Photo by: Ray Bahner
Air Force Hosts #14 Pepperdine and Austin College Saturday
10/8/2026 9:24:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
This Week: Air Force men's water polo hosts #14 Pepperdine and Austin College on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Saturday, Oct. 10
12:00 pm - vs. Pepperdine - Cadet Natatorium - USAF Academy, Colo. | Video Stream | Livestats
2:00 pm - vs. Austin College - Cadet Natatorium - USAF Academy, Colo. | Video Stream | Livestats
Cancer Awareness Month:
The Air Force coaching staff will wear pink polo's with a purple ribbon on Saturday for cancer awareness month.
Series History vs. Opponents
vs. Pepperdine - Air Force trails 4-48. Air Force lost 18-14 on Oct. 19, 2025 in Malibu.
- The Falcons have dropped 19 consecutive games to Pepperdine.
- The last win was Nov. 10, 1996, in a 8-7 win at Pepperdine.
vs. Austin College - Air Force leads 5-0. Air Force won 16-6 on Sept. 23, 2023 at the Academy in last meeting.
LAST TIME OUT
Air Force went 1-3 last weekend at the Gary Troyer Tournament. The Falcons defeated Cal Lutheran 13-6, before falling to #16 Cal Baptist 15-8, Pomona-Pitzer 13-10 and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 15-13.
WCC POWs
Air Force has won five WCC player of the week honors this season. The Falcons have won WCC POW in four of five weeks of play.
- Sept. 1 - Tom Leggett - POW
- Sept. 8 - Jack Richards - POW
- Sept. 15 - Tom Leggett - POW
- Sept. 15 - Wyatt Sturgeon - FOW
- Sept. 29 - Jack Richards - POW
Recapping 2025: Air Force went 17-15 last season for its third winning season in the last four. The Falcons faced a ranked opponent 12 times, including 8 of its last 10 games to cap the season. Junior UT Tom Leggett led the nation in goals and points scored for the second straight season with 148 goals and 198 points, which were both school records. Leggett earned ACWPC All-America second team honors.
Who's Back: Air Force returns 19 letterwinners, including its top three scorers from 2025. The Falcons return Leggett and second-leading scorer, Jack Richards, who scored 84 goals and 143 points as a junior. Air Force also returns its third-leading scorer in junior Brady Kopperud, who netted 55 goals and 92 points.
Who's Gone: Air Force lost six seniors to graduation. The Falcons lost four-year starter Luca Smith in goal (242 saves and 14 wins), center Jake Dixon (37 goals, 61 points) and attacker Jackson Carter (20 goals, 57 points).
Who's New: Air Force welcomes 13 freshmen from the class of 2030. The group represents players from five different states, with eight hailing from California and one from the Czech Republic.
Cayden Bartusek - GK - Prague, Czech Republic (Jesuit Dallas)
Pierce Bateman - CD - Columbus, OH (St. Charles Prep)
John Cowles - D - Sierra Madre, CA (Loyola HS)
Brandon Hansen - UT - Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Etiwanda HS)
Nolan Hicks - UT - Clovis, CA (Clovis North HS)
Tobin Hunt - AT - Los Angeles, CA (Loyola HS)
Wesley Musgrove - AT - Western Springs, IL (Lyons Township HS)
William Stewart - AT - Dallas, TX (Prosper HS)
Sam Storrs - D - Moraga, CA (Campolindo HS)
Wyatt Sturgeon - GK - Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit HS)
Colin Sullivan - C - Walnut Creek, CA (De La Salle HS)
Brandon Walton - UT - Las Habra, CA (La Serna HS)
Matthew Woodroof - UT - Lake Elsinore, CA (Murrieta Valley HS)
Team Captain: Senior Tom Leggett is the team captain for 2026.
Leggett Chasing NCAA Goals and Points History
Senior utility Tom Leggett is one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA history. Leggett ranks third all-time in NCAA Div. I for points (648) and goals (502). He recently surpassed 500 goals against CMS.
NCAA Record Holders
Goals
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 586
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 527
3. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-26 - 502
Points
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 854
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 714
4. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-26 - 648
(*Records based on research of NCAA Div. I programs' record-books.)
Tom Leggett notes:
- Cutino Award Watch List
- 2026 NCAA leader in goals (97) and points (126).
- NCAA leader for goals in points in 2024 and 2025 and was second in goals in 2023 as a freshman.
- 143 goals and 183 points as a sophomore in 2024.
- 148 goals and 198 points as a junior in 2025.
- ACWCP All-American (2nd team in 2025, 3rd team in 2024, HM in 2023)
- 3x All-WCC and 3x Preseason All-WCC
- School single season and all-time record holder for goals and points.
- Trained with USA Men's National Water Polo Team during the summer of 2026, scoring two goals in a 16-8 win over China.
Seniors Get Assignments:
The Air Force senior class of 2027 recently got their first assignments upon graduation from the Academy. Upon graduation, the seniors commission into the Air Force or Space Force as 2nd Lieutenants.
Nicholas Cuenco - Space Force Officer
Owen Imasaki - Civil Engineer
Tom Leggett - Acquisitions Officer
Jack Richards - Civil Engineer
Jonah Vander Veen - Civil Engineer
Alex Zarcu - Space Force Officer
Up next: Air Force travels to Northern California to take on St. Mary's on Oct. 16 and UC Davis on Oct. 18 in a pair of WCC games.
Saturday, Oct. 10
12:00 pm - vs. Pepperdine - Cadet Natatorium - USAF Academy, Colo. | Video Stream | Livestats
2:00 pm - vs. Austin College - Cadet Natatorium - USAF Academy, Colo. | Video Stream | Livestats
Cancer Awareness Month:
The Air Force coaching staff will wear pink polo's with a purple ribbon on Saturday for cancer awareness month.
Series History vs. Opponents
vs. Pepperdine - Air Force trails 4-48. Air Force lost 18-14 on Oct. 19, 2025 in Malibu.
- The Falcons have dropped 19 consecutive games to Pepperdine.
- The last win was Nov. 10, 1996, in a 8-7 win at Pepperdine.
vs. Austin College - Air Force leads 5-0. Air Force won 16-6 on Sept. 23, 2023 at the Academy in last meeting.
LAST TIME OUT
Air Force went 1-3 last weekend at the Gary Troyer Tournament. The Falcons defeated Cal Lutheran 13-6, before falling to #16 Cal Baptist 15-8, Pomona-Pitzer 13-10 and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 15-13.
WCC POWs
Air Force has won five WCC player of the week honors this season. The Falcons have won WCC POW in four of five weeks of play.
- Sept. 1 - Tom Leggett - POW
- Sept. 8 - Jack Richards - POW
- Sept. 15 - Tom Leggett - POW
- Sept. 15 - Wyatt Sturgeon - FOW
- Sept. 29 - Jack Richards - POW
Recapping 2025: Air Force went 17-15 last season for its third winning season in the last four. The Falcons faced a ranked opponent 12 times, including 8 of its last 10 games to cap the season. Junior UT Tom Leggett led the nation in goals and points scored for the second straight season with 148 goals and 198 points, which were both school records. Leggett earned ACWPC All-America second team honors.
Who's Back: Air Force returns 19 letterwinners, including its top three scorers from 2025. The Falcons return Leggett and second-leading scorer, Jack Richards, who scored 84 goals and 143 points as a junior. Air Force also returns its third-leading scorer in junior Brady Kopperud, who netted 55 goals and 92 points.
Who's Gone: Air Force lost six seniors to graduation. The Falcons lost four-year starter Luca Smith in goal (242 saves and 14 wins), center Jake Dixon (37 goals, 61 points) and attacker Jackson Carter (20 goals, 57 points).
Who's New: Air Force welcomes 13 freshmen from the class of 2030. The group represents players from five different states, with eight hailing from California and one from the Czech Republic.
Cayden Bartusek - GK - Prague, Czech Republic (Jesuit Dallas)
Pierce Bateman - CD - Columbus, OH (St. Charles Prep)
John Cowles - D - Sierra Madre, CA (Loyola HS)
Brandon Hansen - UT - Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Etiwanda HS)
Nolan Hicks - UT - Clovis, CA (Clovis North HS)
Tobin Hunt - AT - Los Angeles, CA (Loyola HS)
Wesley Musgrove - AT - Western Springs, IL (Lyons Township HS)
William Stewart - AT - Dallas, TX (Prosper HS)
Sam Storrs - D - Moraga, CA (Campolindo HS)
Wyatt Sturgeon - GK - Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit HS)
Colin Sullivan - C - Walnut Creek, CA (De La Salle HS)
Brandon Walton - UT - Las Habra, CA (La Serna HS)
Matthew Woodroof - UT - Lake Elsinore, CA (Murrieta Valley HS)
Team Captain: Senior Tom Leggett is the team captain for 2026.
Leggett Chasing NCAA Goals and Points History
Senior utility Tom Leggett is one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA history. Leggett ranks third all-time in NCAA Div. I for points (648) and goals (502). He recently surpassed 500 goals against CMS.
NCAA Record Holders
Goals
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 586
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 527
3. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-26 - 502
Points
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 854
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 714
4. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-26 - 648
(*Records based on research of NCAA Div. I programs' record-books.)
Tom Leggett notes:
- Cutino Award Watch List
- 2026 NCAA leader in goals (97) and points (126).
- NCAA leader for goals in points in 2024 and 2025 and was second in goals in 2023 as a freshman.
- 143 goals and 183 points as a sophomore in 2024.
- 148 goals and 198 points as a junior in 2025.
- ACWCP All-American (2nd team in 2025, 3rd team in 2024, HM in 2023)
- 3x All-WCC and 3x Preseason All-WCC
- School single season and all-time record holder for goals and points.
- Trained with USA Men's National Water Polo Team during the summer of 2026, scoring two goals in a 16-8 win over China.
Seniors Get Assignments:
The Air Force senior class of 2027 recently got their first assignments upon graduation from the Academy. Upon graduation, the seniors commission into the Air Force or Space Force as 2nd Lieutenants.
Nicholas Cuenco - Space Force Officer
Owen Imasaki - Civil Engineer
Tom Leggett - Acquisitions Officer
Jack Richards - Civil Engineer
Jonah Vander Veen - Civil Engineer
Alex Zarcu - Space Force Officer
Up next: Air Force travels to Northern California to take on St. Mary's on Oct. 16 and UC Davis on Oct. 18 in a pair of WCC games.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Water PoloTuesday, October 06
Wednesday, September 30
Thursday, September 24
Thursday, September 24
