Photo by: Trevor Cokley
2025-26 Wrestling Season in Review
5/1/2026 3:15:00 PM | Wrestling
2025-26 Wrestling
5-8, 1-7 Big 12
Head Coach Sam Barber (12th season)
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Final Stats
Head wrestling coach Sam Barber brought a well-rounded season to a close at the 2026 NCAA Championships where he guided Air Force to a top 25 finish and C3C Carter Nogle to All-American status, marking his third All-American and third top 25 in the last four seasons. Nogle, becoming the 10th Falcon All-American wrestler while winning the program's 15th All-America honor, battled to a fifth-place to become just the second C3C to earn the honor behind the great three-time All-American, Terry Issacson, in 1962. Nogle was one-of-two NCAA qualifiers alongside C4C Karson Tompkins.
Four Falcons earned place-winning finishes at the Big 12 Championships. Nogle (3rd), Rylan Kuhn (7th), Tucker Owens (8th), Tompkins (8th).
The Falcons hosted Big 12 perennial powerhouse No. 5 Oklahoma State on November 21. The Falcons and Cowboys brought in a Clune Arena wrestling attendance record 2,243 fans.
Air Force on the 2026 Big 12 Winter All-Academic Team
Brenden Barnes, Global Management
Jake Doone, Economics
Logan Fowler, Management
Soren Herzog, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Nico Tocci, Systems Engineering
Carter Nogle Earns Big 12 Wrestler of the Week
With a pair of wins over Conference foes at 141 pounds, Nogle was selected as the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (February 17). The sophomore opened his week with a top 20 victory and then helped propel the Falcons to a win over Cal Baptist.
Nogle defeated No. 18 Haiden Drury from Utah Valley after scoring a takedown in the first period. He clinched the win over the NCAA qualifier with a decisive two-minute ride, from the top position, in the final period. The Laurel, Maryland native capped a successful weekend with a commanding 10-1 major decision over CBU's Jesse Vasquez, who was coming off a top-20 victory of his own versus Arizona State.
Nogle is the first Falcon to win the weekly honor since Sidney Flores in 2022 and is the second all-time Air Force wrestler to earn the nod.
Air Force Headed to Pac 12
The Pac-12 Conference announced the addition of four new affiliate members in the sport of wrestling, Wednesday morning. Beginning with the 2026-27 season and coinciding with the new Pac-12's launch; Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State will be joining the league. The four will join Northern Illinois, who previously announced to be joining as a wrestling affiliate member in October, as new members of Pac-12 Wrestling next season.
5-8, 1-7 Big 12
Head Coach Sam Barber (12th season)
2025-26 Schedule | 2025-26 Final Stats
Head wrestling coach Sam Barber brought a well-rounded season to a close at the 2026 NCAA Championships where he guided Air Force to a top 25 finish and C3C Carter Nogle to All-American status, marking his third All-American and third top 25 in the last four seasons. Nogle, becoming the 10th Falcon All-American wrestler while winning the program's 15th All-America honor, battled to a fifth-place to become just the second C3C to earn the honor behind the great three-time All-American, Terry Issacson, in 1962. Nogle was one-of-two NCAA qualifiers alongside C4C Karson Tompkins.
Four Falcons earned place-winning finishes at the Big 12 Championships. Nogle (3rd), Rylan Kuhn (7th), Tucker Owens (8th), Tompkins (8th).
The Falcons hosted Big 12 perennial powerhouse No. 5 Oklahoma State on November 21. The Falcons and Cowboys brought in a Clune Arena wrestling attendance record 2,243 fans.
Air Force on the 2026 Big 12 Winter All-Academic Team
Brenden Barnes, Global Management
Jake Doone, Economics
Logan Fowler, Management
Soren Herzog, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Nico Tocci, Systems Engineering
Carter Nogle Earns Big 12 Wrestler of the Week
With a pair of wins over Conference foes at 141 pounds, Nogle was selected as the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (February 17). The sophomore opened his week with a top 20 victory and then helped propel the Falcons to a win over Cal Baptist.
Nogle defeated No. 18 Haiden Drury from Utah Valley after scoring a takedown in the first period. He clinched the win over the NCAA qualifier with a decisive two-minute ride, from the top position, in the final period. The Laurel, Maryland native capped a successful weekend with a commanding 10-1 major decision over CBU's Jesse Vasquez, who was coming off a top-20 victory of his own versus Arizona State.
Nogle is the first Falcon to win the weekly honor since Sidney Flores in 2022 and is the second all-time Air Force wrestler to earn the nod.
Air Force Headed to Pac 12
The Pac-12 Conference announced the addition of four new affiliate members in the sport of wrestling, Wednesday morning. Beginning with the 2026-27 season and coinciding with the new Pac-12's launch; Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State will be joining the league. The four will join Northern Illinois, who previously announced to be joining as a wrestling affiliate member in October, as new members of Pac-12 Wrestling next season.
Players Mentioned
133
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
197
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Tuesday, March 24
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Wednesday, March 18
Sam Barber Interview March 10, 2026
Tuesday, March 10
Sam Barber Interview - March 3rd, 2026
Tuesday, March 03
