Friday, April 10
Charlotte, N.C.
4:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
National Semifinals
Photo by: Ray Bahner
Falcons Continue Competition at NCBA Championships
4/10/2026 10:59:00 PM | Boxing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Following a strong night of semifinal competition, the Air Force boxing qualified six women and three men into the finals of the National Collegiate Boxing Association [NCBA] Championships on Friday [April 10] night. Overall, the Falcons posted a 9-5 record during the second night of action at Sonestra Charlotte.
Six Falcons advanced out of the semifinals, with all six claiming unanimous decisions in their victories. Sophomore Nebi Tsarni and senior Malaika Ndifang earned wins over their counterparts from Navy, as Tsarni decisioned Konnery O'Sullivan in the 165-pound bracket and Ndifang earned the women's first-ever 175-pound win with a decision over Davina Crump.
Like Ndifang, junior Sierra Dace also debuted a new weight division for the Falcons – earned the first national win at 106 pounds with a victory over Ayla Orona of Penn State. Sophomore Madei Soluren swept the judges' votes in her 125-pound bout with Ohio State's Willow Lang, while senior Elise Bell earned a 132-pound win over Claire Dong of USC and sophomore Sela Panuve decisioned Kayla Simmons of Lock Haven in a 154-pound match-up.
On the men's side, Air Force split its semifinal card and qualified three into the championship round. Senior Thomas Kensinger [heavyweight, vs Coast Guard's Jerry Banek-Gabelle] and junior Ellison Taylor [165 pounds, vs UConn's Fadhi Al Azzawi] both won their bouts by referee stoppage in the second round, while sophomore Juneau Kim earned the unanimous victory in his 125-pound match-up with Army West Point's Will McKinnon.
Air Force saw five additional contenders take to the ring on Friday and secure NCBA All-America honors as national semifinalists. For the women, sophomore Samantha Villa dropped a split decision to Ohio State's Celina Hang in a 119-pound contest and junior Allyson Keel was decisioned by Sacramento State's Ayahna Gonzales at 139 pounds, while sophomore Russell Klug [132 pounds, vs UConn's Sheenan Ahsan], junior Noah Gilley [147 pounds, vs Navy's Nick Smith] and senior Neo Takazawa [156 pounds, vs Miami's Amari Jenkins] saw their run ended by decisional losses.
Tonight's winners, as well as junior Naomi Brabham and sophomore Maya Lee, who had byes into the final, will return to action tomorrow (April 11) for Championship Saturday. The first session [women's 106 to men's 139] will begin at 2:30 p.m., while the second session [men's 139 to heavyweight] will start at 6:00 p.m. [all times Eastern].
RING 1 RESULTS
119-lbs. [w]: Celina Hang [Ohio State] dec. Samantha Villa [Air Force]
125-lbs.: Juneau Kim [Air Force] dec. Will McKinnon [Army West Point]
156-lbs.: Amari Jenkins [Miami] dec. Neo Takazawa [Air Force]
165-lbs.: Ellison Taylor [Air Force] RSC-2 Fadhi Al Azzawi [UConn]
165-lbs. [w]: Nebi Tsarni [Air Force] dec. Konnery O'Sullivan [Navy]
175-lbs. [w]: Malaika Ndifang [Air Force] dec. Davina Crump [Navy]
RING 2 RESULTS
106-lbs. [w]: Sierra Dace [Air Force] dec. Ayla Orona [Penn State]
125-lbs. [w]: Madei Soluren [Air Force] dec. Willow Lang [Ohio State]
132-lbs.: Sheenan Ahsan [UConn] dec. Russell Klug [Air Force]
132-lbs. [w]: Elise Bell [Air Force] dec. Clair Dong [USC]
139-lbs. [w]: Ayahna Gonzales [Sacramento State] dec. Allyson Keel [Air Force]
147-lbs.: Nick Smith [Navy] dec. Noah Gilley [Air Force]
156-lbs. [w]: Sela Panuve [Air Force] dec. Kayla Simmons [Lock Haven]
Hywt.: Thomas Kensinger [Air Force] RSC-2 Jerry Banek-Gabelle [Coast Guard]
Six Falcons advanced out of the semifinals, with all six claiming unanimous decisions in their victories. Sophomore Nebi Tsarni and senior Malaika Ndifang earned wins over their counterparts from Navy, as Tsarni decisioned Konnery O'Sullivan in the 165-pound bracket and Ndifang earned the women's first-ever 175-pound win with a decision over Davina Crump.
Like Ndifang, junior Sierra Dace also debuted a new weight division for the Falcons – earned the first national win at 106 pounds with a victory over Ayla Orona of Penn State. Sophomore Madei Soluren swept the judges' votes in her 125-pound bout with Ohio State's Willow Lang, while senior Elise Bell earned a 132-pound win over Claire Dong of USC and sophomore Sela Panuve decisioned Kayla Simmons of Lock Haven in a 154-pound match-up.
On the men's side, Air Force split its semifinal card and qualified three into the championship round. Senior Thomas Kensinger [heavyweight, vs Coast Guard's Jerry Banek-Gabelle] and junior Ellison Taylor [165 pounds, vs UConn's Fadhi Al Azzawi] both won their bouts by referee stoppage in the second round, while sophomore Juneau Kim earned the unanimous victory in his 125-pound match-up with Army West Point's Will McKinnon.
Air Force saw five additional contenders take to the ring on Friday and secure NCBA All-America honors as national semifinalists. For the women, sophomore Samantha Villa dropped a split decision to Ohio State's Celina Hang in a 119-pound contest and junior Allyson Keel was decisioned by Sacramento State's Ayahna Gonzales at 139 pounds, while sophomore Russell Klug [132 pounds, vs UConn's Sheenan Ahsan], junior Noah Gilley [147 pounds, vs Navy's Nick Smith] and senior Neo Takazawa [156 pounds, vs Miami's Amari Jenkins] saw their run ended by decisional losses.
Tonight's winners, as well as junior Naomi Brabham and sophomore Maya Lee, who had byes into the final, will return to action tomorrow (April 11) for Championship Saturday. The first session [women's 106 to men's 139] will begin at 2:30 p.m., while the second session [men's 139 to heavyweight] will start at 6:00 p.m. [all times Eastern].
RING 1 RESULTS
119-lbs. [w]: Celina Hang [Ohio State] dec. Samantha Villa [Air Force]
125-lbs.: Juneau Kim [Air Force] dec. Will McKinnon [Army West Point]
156-lbs.: Amari Jenkins [Miami] dec. Neo Takazawa [Air Force]
165-lbs.: Ellison Taylor [Air Force] RSC-2 Fadhi Al Azzawi [UConn]
165-lbs. [w]: Nebi Tsarni [Air Force] dec. Konnery O'Sullivan [Navy]
175-lbs. [w]: Malaika Ndifang [Air Force] dec. Davina Crump [Navy]
RING 2 RESULTS
106-lbs. [w]: Sierra Dace [Air Force] dec. Ayla Orona [Penn State]
125-lbs. [w]: Madei Soluren [Air Force] dec. Willow Lang [Ohio State]
132-lbs.: Sheenan Ahsan [UConn] dec. Russell Klug [Air Force]
132-lbs. [w]: Elise Bell [Air Force] dec. Clair Dong [USC]
139-lbs. [w]: Ayahna Gonzales [Sacramento State] dec. Allyson Keel [Air Force]
147-lbs.: Nick Smith [Navy] dec. Noah Gilley [Air Force]
156-lbs. [w]: Sela Panuve [Air Force] dec. Kayla Simmons [Lock Haven]
Hywt.: Thomas Kensinger [Air Force] RSC-2 Jerry Banek-Gabelle [Coast Guard]
Players Mentioned
132 lbs.
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112 lbs.
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112 lbs.
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147 lbs.
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147 lbs.
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HWT
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119 lbs.
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147 lbs.
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156 lbs.
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156 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
/ Boxing
175 lbs.
/ Boxing
165 lbs.
/ Boxing
165 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
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