Saturday, March 14
Reno, NV
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
Regional Championships
Photo by: Gary DeVore, Cadet Wing Media
Air Force Dominates Region to Sweep Team Titles
3/15/2026 2:21:00 PM | Boxing
RENO, NEV. -- The Air Force boxing team rolled through the regional final to sweep the men's and women's team titles at the National Collegiate Boxing Association [NCBA] Western Regional, which wrapped up last night [March 14] in Reno. The Falcons combined for a 10-4 record in the championship round to sweep the team titles for the fifth-straight year.
Outscoring the rest of the field by 38 points, the women rolled to their fifth-straight regional title. Backed by eight West champions, the women finished the weekend with 47 points to easily distance themselves from Sacramento State and Washington, who tied for second with nine points. The men also had a strong showing in Reno, using six champions and three runner-up finishers to claim a 24-point advantage [46-22] over the second-place [tied] teams from Washington and Sacramtno State. The win marked the 42nd time in 45 years that the men have claimed the team title at the NCBA Western Regional.
Senior KJ Jackson and sophomore Oude Owino secured their championships before the final bell, as Jackson secured the 139-pound title when his opponent, Washington's Kohki Shinohara, was forced to abandon the bout with injury, while Owino won the 185-pound title after knocking San Jose State's Kendrick Ekejuiba out in the third round.
The remaining four victories for the men were all sent to the judges' for decision. Sophomore Juneau Kim and senior Thomas Kensinger earned championships over their counterparts from Wahington, as Kim decisioned Raghav Dandi in the 125-pound final and Kensinger retained his heavyweight title with a victory over Ezekial Harmond. Sophomore Russell Klug earned a victory over UCLA's Alex Leon in the 132-pound final, while junior Justin Bonilla defeated Nevada's Graham Lemons in the 175-pound final.
The women claimed three decisional wins on Championship Saturday, including the program's first-ever 106-pound title from junior Sierra Dace, who defeated Audrey Cheng of USC in the Falcons' first regional bout in that weight class. Senior Elise Bell also earned a victory over a member of the Trojans' team, decisioning Claire Dong in the 132-pound final, while sophomore Samantha Villa earned a victory over Washington's Bao-Vy Tran in the 119-pound final.
The Falcons sent five more contenders to the championship round on Saturday, with all finishing as regional finalists by decision. Sophomore Madei Soluren and junior Allyson Keel finished second in the 125-pound [vs Washington's Jill Doucet] and 139-pound [vs Sacramento State's Ayahna Gonzalez] weight divisions, respectively, on the women's side, while three members of the men's squad earned runner-up status against contenders from those two teams. Junior Noah Gilley dropped a decision to Sacramento State's Marcos Vazquez in the 147-pound final, while classmate Christian Hughes fell by decision against the Hornets' Austin Melendez at 195 pounds. Fellow junior Ellison Taylor rounded out the Falcons' list of finalists with a runner-up finish in his 165-pound final against Washington's Oswaldo Perez.
In addition to the titles decided in the ring last night at the Eldorado Resort, five members of the women's team claimed regional championships after going unopposed, with junior Naomi Brabham [112 pounds], senior Malaika Ndifang [175 pounds], and the sophomore trio of Maya Lee [147 pounds], Sela Panuve [156 pounds], and Nebi Tsarni [165 pounds] claiming walkover wins.
Senior Neo Takazawa also competed on Saturday, capturing a decision in his 156-pound at-large bout with Sacramento State's Javier Alejo. With the win, Takazawa will be in contention for a spot at nationals.
Air Force returns to action in April, when the team travels to Charlotte, N.C., for the 2026 National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships. The three-day national meet [April 9-11] will take place at the Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End
AT-LARGE RESULTS
156-lbs.: Neo Takazawa [Air Force] dec. Javier Alejo [Sacramento State]
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
106-lbs. [w]: Sierra Dace [Air Force] dec. Audrey Cheng [USC]
119-lbs. [w]: Samantha Villa [Air Force] dec. Bao-Vy Tran [Washington]
125-lbs. [w]: Jill Doucet [Washington] dec. Madei Soluren [Air Force]
125-lbs.: Juneau Kim [Air Force] dec. Raghav Dandi [Washington]
132-lbs. [w]: Elise Bell [Air Force] dec. Claire Dong [USC]
132-lbs.: Russell Klug [Air Force] dec. Alex Leon [UCLA]
139-lbs. [w]: Ayahna Gonzales [Sacramento State] dec. Allyson Keel [Air Force]
139-lbs.: KJ Jackson [Air Force] RET Kohki Shinohara [Washington]
147-lbs.: Marcos Vazquez [Sacramento State] dec. Noah Gilley [Air Force]
165-lbs.: Oswaldo Perez [Washington] dec. Ellison Taylor [Air Force]
175-lbs.: Justin Bonilla [Air Force] dec. Graham Lemons [Nevada]
185-lbs.: Oude Owino [Air Force] TKO-3 Kendrick Ekejuiba [San Jose State]
195-lbs.: Austin Melendez [Sacramento State] dec. Christian Hughes [Air Force]
Hywt.: Thomas Kensinger [Air Force] dec. Ezekial Harmond [Washington]
WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE – 47 points, Sacramento State/Washington – 9 points, UC Davis/Utah; MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE – 46 points, Sacramento State/Washington – 22 points, Nevada – 14 points
Outscoring the rest of the field by 38 points, the women rolled to their fifth-straight regional title. Backed by eight West champions, the women finished the weekend with 47 points to easily distance themselves from Sacramento State and Washington, who tied for second with nine points. The men also had a strong showing in Reno, using six champions and three runner-up finishers to claim a 24-point advantage [46-22] over the second-place [tied] teams from Washington and Sacramtno State. The win marked the 42nd time in 45 years that the men have claimed the team title at the NCBA Western Regional.
Senior KJ Jackson and sophomore Oude Owino secured their championships before the final bell, as Jackson secured the 139-pound title when his opponent, Washington's Kohki Shinohara, was forced to abandon the bout with injury, while Owino won the 185-pound title after knocking San Jose State's Kendrick Ekejuiba out in the third round.
The remaining four victories for the men were all sent to the judges' for decision. Sophomore Juneau Kim and senior Thomas Kensinger earned championships over their counterparts from Wahington, as Kim decisioned Raghav Dandi in the 125-pound final and Kensinger retained his heavyweight title with a victory over Ezekial Harmond. Sophomore Russell Klug earned a victory over UCLA's Alex Leon in the 132-pound final, while junior Justin Bonilla defeated Nevada's Graham Lemons in the 175-pound final.
The women claimed three decisional wins on Championship Saturday, including the program's first-ever 106-pound title from junior Sierra Dace, who defeated Audrey Cheng of USC in the Falcons' first regional bout in that weight class. Senior Elise Bell also earned a victory over a member of the Trojans' team, decisioning Claire Dong in the 132-pound final, while sophomore Samantha Villa earned a victory over Washington's Bao-Vy Tran in the 119-pound final.
The Falcons sent five more contenders to the championship round on Saturday, with all finishing as regional finalists by decision. Sophomore Madei Soluren and junior Allyson Keel finished second in the 125-pound [vs Washington's Jill Doucet] and 139-pound [vs Sacramento State's Ayahna Gonzalez] weight divisions, respectively, on the women's side, while three members of the men's squad earned runner-up status against contenders from those two teams. Junior Noah Gilley dropped a decision to Sacramento State's Marcos Vazquez in the 147-pound final, while classmate Christian Hughes fell by decision against the Hornets' Austin Melendez at 195 pounds. Fellow junior Ellison Taylor rounded out the Falcons' list of finalists with a runner-up finish in his 165-pound final against Washington's Oswaldo Perez.
In addition to the titles decided in the ring last night at the Eldorado Resort, five members of the women's team claimed regional championships after going unopposed, with junior Naomi Brabham [112 pounds], senior Malaika Ndifang [175 pounds], and the sophomore trio of Maya Lee [147 pounds], Sela Panuve [156 pounds], and Nebi Tsarni [165 pounds] claiming walkover wins.
Senior Neo Takazawa also competed on Saturday, capturing a decision in his 156-pound at-large bout with Sacramento State's Javier Alejo. With the win, Takazawa will be in contention for a spot at nationals.
Air Force returns to action in April, when the team travels to Charlotte, N.C., for the 2026 National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships. The three-day national meet [April 9-11] will take place at the Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End
AT-LARGE RESULTS
156-lbs.: Neo Takazawa [Air Force] dec. Javier Alejo [Sacramento State]
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
106-lbs. [w]: Sierra Dace [Air Force] dec. Audrey Cheng [USC]
119-lbs. [w]: Samantha Villa [Air Force] dec. Bao-Vy Tran [Washington]
125-lbs. [w]: Jill Doucet [Washington] dec. Madei Soluren [Air Force]
125-lbs.: Juneau Kim [Air Force] dec. Raghav Dandi [Washington]
132-lbs. [w]: Elise Bell [Air Force] dec. Claire Dong [USC]
132-lbs.: Russell Klug [Air Force] dec. Alex Leon [UCLA]
139-lbs. [w]: Ayahna Gonzales [Sacramento State] dec. Allyson Keel [Air Force]
139-lbs.: KJ Jackson [Air Force] RET Kohki Shinohara [Washington]
147-lbs.: Marcos Vazquez [Sacramento State] dec. Noah Gilley [Air Force]
165-lbs.: Oswaldo Perez [Washington] dec. Ellison Taylor [Air Force]
175-lbs.: Justin Bonilla [Air Force] dec. Graham Lemons [Nevada]
185-lbs.: Oude Owino [Air Force] TKO-3 Kendrick Ekejuiba [San Jose State]
195-lbs.: Austin Melendez [Sacramento State] dec. Christian Hughes [Air Force]
Hywt.: Thomas Kensinger [Air Force] dec. Ezekial Harmond [Washington]
WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE – 47 points, Sacramento State/Washington – 9 points, UC Davis/Utah; MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: AIR FORCE – 46 points, Sacramento State/Washington – 22 points, Nevada – 14 points
Players Mentioned
132 lbs.
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185 lbs.
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112 lbs.
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112 lbs.
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147 lbs.
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195 lbs.
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132 lbs.
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147 lbs.
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HWT
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119 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
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156 lbs.
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195 lbs.
/ Boxing
156 lbs.
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125 lbs.
/ Boxing
175 lbs.
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165 lbs.
/ Boxing
165 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
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