Air Force Opens Season With 1-1 Record In Day One at Bruno Classic

Saturday, August 29

Cambridge, MA - Blodgett Pool

9:30 am MT

Air Force Academy

1-0

MIT

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Air Force	3	3	6	5	17
MIT	4	3	3	4	14

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Air Force	3	6	5	3	17
Harvard	5	4	7	2	18

Air Force Opens Season With 1-1 Record In Day One at Bruno Classic

8/29/2026 8:12:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Air Force men's water polo opened the 2026 season by splitting its two games Saturday at the Bruno Classic. Playing at Blodgett Pool on on the Harvard campus in Cambridge, MA, the Falcons opened with a 17-14 win over MIT and followed with a narrow 18-17 setback to #17 Harvard.

In the opener against MIT, senior Tom Leggett led the way with eight goals and nine total points as the Falcons were able to hold off the Engineers.

The Falcons trailed 4-3 after the first quarter and 7-6 at the half. A big third quarter saw the Falcons out-score MIT 6-3 to go up 12-9. A 5-4 scoring advantage in the fourth put the game way.

Joining Leggett with multiple goals were sophomore Max Ellis, senior Owen Imasaki and junior Brady Kopperud. Ellis notched a hat-trick with three goals. He added two assists for five points. Imasaki and Kopperud added two goals each.

Junior Jay Pyle earned the win in goal. Pyle tallied six saves in his first-career season-opening start.

Against Harvard, the Falcons mounted a furious late-game rally, but were unable to overtake th Crimson. With the game tied 9-9 at the half, Harvard took control of the game in the third quarter with three straight goals.

Air Force got the game to within a goal late, but were unable to overtake Harvard.

Leggett led the Falcons with eight goals again in the Harvard game. Jack Richards, Ellis and Kopperud added two goals each. Kopperud added a career-high five assists.

Freshman Wyatt Sturgeon made his collegiate debut in goal, recording 13 saves.

The Falcons return to action Sunday with three games in day two of the Bruno Classic. The Falcons take on LIU, Connecticut College and #20 Brown. All three games take place at the Coleman Aquatics Center on the Brown Campus in Providence, RI.