Air Force Academy

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- With 12 home contests on the slate, the Air Force boxing team and head coach Eddie Weichers announced an action-packed 2005-06 season this afternoon. The schedule features seven rounds of Friday Night Fights and a home showdown with service-academy rival Army on Nov. 4.

"We are reloading this year after a second-place finish at the nationals (in 2005)," Weichers stated. "We have a lot of potential and several boxers are waiting in the wings to step up and make a statement."

The Falcons open the season in Annapolis, Md., for a rematch with Navy, who defeated Air Force by just two points at last year's national championships; snapping the Falcons' streak of six straight titles.

Returning to the familiar surroundings of the Upper Boxing Room at the Cadet Gym, Air Force hosts the first of seven Friday Night Fights on Oct. 14. The team then travels to Detroit, Mich., for a showdown with Army and Navy at the prestigious Detroit Athletic Club on Friday, Oct. 28.

Air Force and Army meet again just one week later, as the Black Knights travel to the Academy on Friday, Nov. 4, for the yearly contest that coincides with the Air Force-Army football game.

Following two rounds of Friday Night Fights on Nov. 11 and Nov. 18, the Falcons head to the New York Athletic Club in New York City for a match-up with other programs from the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) on Nov. 21. Two more sets of Friday Night Fights (Dec. 2 and Dec. 9) close out the first half of the season.

Air Force returns to action in January with two weekends of Friday Night Fights (Jan. 13 and Jan. 20), before heading out on the road for meetings with NCBA programs in Seattle, Wash. (Jan. 28) and Reno, Nev. (Feb. 3).

The annual Wing Open Tournament begins on Thursday, Feb. 9, with preliminary action. The quarterfinals (Feb. 16) and semifinals (Feb. 22) will continue whittle down the competition until the final two boxers in each weight class meet for the Wing Open Championships on Friday, March 3, in Clune Arena.

The 12 Wing Open champions comprise the Air Force team that will travel to the NCBA West Regional and subsequent NCBA National Championships. Official dates and locations are still pending and will be released as soon as they are finalized.

Air Force returns four members of the national runner-up team from one year ago, including junior Willie Lloyd -- the defending national champion at 112-pounds.

The Falcons also welcome back to the ring three NCBA All-American athletes. Senior captain Luis Pena earned a silver medal at 139-pounds, while junior Ian Tuznik (heavyweight) and sophomore Brian Navin (132-pounds) finished third at the national meet.