Friday, February 27
USAFA
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Wing Open Championships
Photo by: Justin Pacheco
Falcons Cap Wing Open Tournament with 12 Thrilling Bouts
2/27/2026 11:20:00 PM | Boxing
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- A new batch of Wing Open champions were crowned this evening [Feb. 27], as the Air Force boxing team capped a month of competition with 12 thrilling bouts in front of a sold-out crowd at Clune Arena. Four Falcons claimed their first Wing Open title, as the red corner reigned supreme, with nine champions coming from that corner.
Junior Noah Gilley and sophomore Madei Soluren captured the Outstanding Boxer awards for their respective squad at the conclusion of the night. Gilley, last year's champion at 156 pounds, claimed the 147-pound title this year, after forcing the referee to stop bout with sophomore Nick Lightell in the third round. Soluren secured her first Wing Open title after sweeping the judges' decision in a hard-hitting 125-pound contest with classmate Mikayla Gangadeen.
Soluren was one of four Falcons to capture their first Wing Open title on Friday night. Junior Samantha Villa, a finalist at 119 pounds one year ago, claimed her first title with a unanimous decision over 2024 finalist, senior Charlotte McPhee-Gillum, while junior Allyson Keel, a 2024 finalist, returned to the ring and earned her first championship with a unanimous, 139-pound victory over senior Alejandra Tirado-Elias, who won the 125-pound title as a freshman. And, in the final bout of the night – a heavyweight battle that had nearly all the 5508 spectators on their feet, junior Issac Hubert captured his first Wing Open title with a referee-stopped victory [third round] over the reigning champion, senior Thomas Kensinger.
Two reigning national champions successfully defended their Wing Open titles on Friday, as sophomore Maya Lee and Sela Panuve earned victories in their respective weight divisions. Lee claimed her second-straight 147-pound title after forcing the referee to end her bout with classmate Camille Lujan in the third round, while Panuve defended her 156-pound championship with a unanimous decision over fellow sophomore Aeriya Perusek.
On the men's side, senior Neo Takazawa earned his third-straight Wing Open title – and second overall in the 156-pound weight class, as he received a unanimous decision over sophomore Niko Phelps. A four-time finalist, Takazawa now has two Wing Open titles at 156 pounds [2024, 2026] and one at 175 pounds [2025].
Three other Falcons also captured championships in a different weight division this year. Junior Justin Bonilla, competing in his third-different weight class under the lights of Clune, earned a unanimous decision at 175 pounds over freshman Josh Gibb for a title that will complement his 185-pound championship from one year ago. Sophomore Russell Klug, last year's 139-pound champion, swept the judges' decision in his 132-pound final with junior Sebastyan Correa Rios, while senior KJ Jackson, who won the 132-pound title as a sophomore, returned to the ring for a 139-pound victory over sophomore Alan He.
Sophomore Juneau Kim rounded out the 2026 champions' board after successfully defending his 125-pound champion with a split decision over junior James Burnias.
Tonight's victors, as well as seven previously determined champions – senior Elise Bell [132 pounds], junior Naomi Brabham [112 pounds], junior Freddy Ceciliano Jr. [119 pounds], junior Sierra Dace [106 pounds], junior Christian Hughes [195 pounds], junior Oude Owino [185 pounds], junior Ellison Taylor [165 pounds] – and the winner of a contest to be held next week, will form the core of the Air Force squad that will represent the Academy in the National Collegiate Boxing Association's postseason, which begins for Air Force at the NCBA Western Regionals in Reno on March 12-14.
RESULTS
119-lbs. [w]: Samantha Villa [CS-27] dec. Charlotte McPhee-Gillum [CS-38]
125-lbs. [w]: Madei Soluren [CS-11] dec. Mikayla Gangadeen [CS-31]
125-lbs.: Juneau Kim [CS-37] dec. James Burnias [CS-28]
132-lbs.: Russell Klug [CS-40] dec. Sebastyan Correa Rios [CS-37]
139-lbs. [w]: Allyson Keel [CS-18] dec. Alejandra Tirado-Elias [CS-37]
139-lbs.: KJ Jackson [CS-16] RSC-3 Alan He [CS-24]
147-lbs. [w]: Maya Lee [CS-39] RSC-3 Camille Lujan [CS-36]
147-lbs.: Noah Gilley [CS-38] RSC-3 Nick Lightell [CS-37]
156-lbs. [w]: Sela Panuve [CS-20] dec. Aeriya Perusek [CS-15]
156-lbs.: Neo Takazawa [CS-25] dec. Niko Phelps [CS-38]
175-lbs.: Justin Bonilla [CS-05] dec. Josh Gibb [CS-16]
HWT: Isaac Hubert [CS-21] RSC-3 Thomas Kensinger [CS-17]
Junior Noah Gilley and sophomore Madei Soluren captured the Outstanding Boxer awards for their respective squad at the conclusion of the night. Gilley, last year's champion at 156 pounds, claimed the 147-pound title this year, after forcing the referee to stop bout with sophomore Nick Lightell in the third round. Soluren secured her first Wing Open title after sweeping the judges' decision in a hard-hitting 125-pound contest with classmate Mikayla Gangadeen.
Soluren was one of four Falcons to capture their first Wing Open title on Friday night. Junior Samantha Villa, a finalist at 119 pounds one year ago, claimed her first title with a unanimous decision over 2024 finalist, senior Charlotte McPhee-Gillum, while junior Allyson Keel, a 2024 finalist, returned to the ring and earned her first championship with a unanimous, 139-pound victory over senior Alejandra Tirado-Elias, who won the 125-pound title as a freshman. And, in the final bout of the night – a heavyweight battle that had nearly all the 5508 spectators on their feet, junior Issac Hubert captured his first Wing Open title with a referee-stopped victory [third round] over the reigning champion, senior Thomas Kensinger.
Two reigning national champions successfully defended their Wing Open titles on Friday, as sophomore Maya Lee and Sela Panuve earned victories in their respective weight divisions. Lee claimed her second-straight 147-pound title after forcing the referee to end her bout with classmate Camille Lujan in the third round, while Panuve defended her 156-pound championship with a unanimous decision over fellow sophomore Aeriya Perusek.
On the men's side, senior Neo Takazawa earned his third-straight Wing Open title – and second overall in the 156-pound weight class, as he received a unanimous decision over sophomore Niko Phelps. A four-time finalist, Takazawa now has two Wing Open titles at 156 pounds [2024, 2026] and one at 175 pounds [2025].
Three other Falcons also captured championships in a different weight division this year. Junior Justin Bonilla, competing in his third-different weight class under the lights of Clune, earned a unanimous decision at 175 pounds over freshman Josh Gibb for a title that will complement his 185-pound championship from one year ago. Sophomore Russell Klug, last year's 139-pound champion, swept the judges' decision in his 132-pound final with junior Sebastyan Correa Rios, while senior KJ Jackson, who won the 132-pound title as a sophomore, returned to the ring for a 139-pound victory over sophomore Alan He.
Sophomore Juneau Kim rounded out the 2026 champions' board after successfully defending his 125-pound champion with a split decision over junior James Burnias.
Tonight's victors, as well as seven previously determined champions – senior Elise Bell [132 pounds], junior Naomi Brabham [112 pounds], junior Freddy Ceciliano Jr. [119 pounds], junior Sierra Dace [106 pounds], junior Christian Hughes [195 pounds], junior Oude Owino [185 pounds], junior Ellison Taylor [165 pounds] – and the winner of a contest to be held next week, will form the core of the Air Force squad that will represent the Academy in the National Collegiate Boxing Association's postseason, which begins for Air Force at the NCBA Western Regionals in Reno on March 12-14.
RESULTS
119-lbs. [w]: Samantha Villa [CS-27] dec. Charlotte McPhee-Gillum [CS-38]
125-lbs. [w]: Madei Soluren [CS-11] dec. Mikayla Gangadeen [CS-31]
125-lbs.: Juneau Kim [CS-37] dec. James Burnias [CS-28]
132-lbs.: Russell Klug [CS-40] dec. Sebastyan Correa Rios [CS-37]
139-lbs. [w]: Allyson Keel [CS-18] dec. Alejandra Tirado-Elias [CS-37]
139-lbs.: KJ Jackson [CS-16] RSC-3 Alan He [CS-24]
147-lbs. [w]: Maya Lee [CS-39] RSC-3 Camille Lujan [CS-36]
147-lbs.: Noah Gilley [CS-38] RSC-3 Nick Lightell [CS-37]
156-lbs. [w]: Sela Panuve [CS-20] dec. Aeriya Perusek [CS-15]
156-lbs.: Neo Takazawa [CS-25] dec. Niko Phelps [CS-38]
175-lbs.: Justin Bonilla [CS-05] dec. Josh Gibb [CS-16]
HWT: Isaac Hubert [CS-21] RSC-3 Thomas Kensinger [CS-17]
Players Mentioned
132 lbs.
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185 lbs.
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112 lbs.
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125 lbs.
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119 lbs.
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147 lbs.
/ Boxing
112 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
/ Boxing
175 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
195 lbs.
/ Boxing
132 lbs.
/ Boxing
HWT
/ Boxing
119 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
156 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
139 lbs.
/ Boxing
112 lbs.
/ Boxing
195 lbs.
/ Boxing
156 lbs.
/ Boxing
165 lbs.
/ Boxing
156 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
/ Boxing
175 lbs.
/ Boxing
165 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
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