Saturday, August 29
Cambridge, MA - Blodgett Pool
9:30 am MT
Air Force Academy
vs
MIT
Air Force Water Polo Opens 2026 At Bruno Classic
8/27/2026 8:48:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
This Week: Air Force men's water polo opens the 2026 season at the Bruno Classic, held Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 29-30, in Cambridge, MA and Providence, RI. The Falcons take on MIT and #17 Harvard on Saturday, Aug. 29 in Cambridge and LIU, Connecticut College and #20 Brown on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Watch: All games are slated to be broadcast on ESPN+
Saturday, Aug. 29
All Saturday games at Blodgett Pool - Cambridge, Mass (Harvard Campus)
11:30 am ET - Air Force vs. MIT
4:30 pm - Air Force vs. #17 Harvard
Sunday, Aug. 30
All Sunday games at Coleman Aquatics Center - Providence, RI (Brown Campus)
9 am - Air Force vs. Long Island
3:40 pm - Air Force vs. Connecticut College
6:20 pm - Air Force vs. #20 Brown
Series History vs. Bruno Classic Opponents
vs. MIT - Air Force leads 4-0. Last meeting, won 14-13, at Bruno Classic on Sept. 7, 2024.
vs. Harvard - Harvard leads 5-4. Last meeting, Harvard won 19-16 win at Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament on Oct. 25, 2025.
vs. LIU - Air Force leads 4-0. Last meeting, Air Force won 13-9 at Bucknell Tournament on Sept. 20, 2025.
vs. Connecticut College - First meeting.
vs. Brown - Brown leads 18-12. Lasting meeting, Brown won 18-15 at Fullerton Invite on Sept. 12, 2025.
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 Captains: Senior Tom Leggett is the team captains for 2026.
Leggett Chasing NCAA Goals and Points History
Senior utility Tom Leggett is one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA history. Entering his senior season, Leggett ranks third all-time in NCAA Div. I for points (522) and fourth for goals (405).
NCAA Record Holders*
Goals
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 586
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 527
3. Terry Schroeder (Pepperdine) 1976-90 - 444
4. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-25 - 405
Points
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 854
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 714
4. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-25 - 522
(*Records based on research of NCAA Div. I programs' record-books.)
Tom Leggett notes:
- 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.
Nicolas 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 stays on the east coast the following weekend with five games. The Falcons play a mid-week game against Iona in Greenwich, CT, then play four games at the Navy Open, Sept. 5-6 in Annapolis, Md.
Watch: All games are slated to be broadcast on ESPN+
Saturday, Aug. 29
All Saturday games at Blodgett Pool - Cambridge, Mass (Harvard Campus)
11:30 am ET - Air Force vs. MIT
4:30 pm - Air Force vs. #17 Harvard
Sunday, Aug. 30
All Sunday games at Coleman Aquatics Center - Providence, RI (Brown Campus)
9 am - Air Force vs. Long Island
3:40 pm - Air Force vs. Connecticut College
6:20 pm - Air Force vs. #20 Brown
Series History vs. Bruno Classic Opponents
vs. MIT - Air Force leads 4-0. Last meeting, won 14-13, at Bruno Classic on Sept. 7, 2024.
vs. Harvard - Harvard leads 5-4. Last meeting, Harvard won 19-16 win at Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament on Oct. 25, 2025.
vs. LIU - Air Force leads 4-0. Last meeting, Air Force won 13-9 at Bucknell Tournament on Sept. 20, 2025.
vs. Connecticut College - First meeting.
vs. Brown - Brown leads 18-12. Lasting meeting, Brown won 18-15 at Fullerton Invite on Sept. 12, 2025.
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 Captains: Senior Tom Leggett is the team captains for 2026.
Leggett Chasing NCAA Goals and Points History
Senior utility Tom Leggett is one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA history. Entering his senior season, Leggett ranks third all-time in NCAA Div. I for points (522) and fourth for goals (405).
NCAA Record Holders*
Goals
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 586
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 527
3. Terry Schroeder (Pepperdine) 1976-90 - 444
4. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-25 - 405
Points
1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 854
2. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 714
4. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-25 - 522
(*Records based on research of NCAA Div. I programs' record-books.)
Tom Leggett notes:
- 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.
Nicolas 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 stays on the east coast the following weekend with five games. The Falcons play a mid-week game against Iona in Greenwich, CT, then play four games at the Navy Open, Sept. 5-6 in Annapolis, Md.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Water PoloTuesday, August 25
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Tuesday, November 25
Tuesday, November 18
