Air Force Academy

April 4, 2009

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Highlighted by an Academy record vault performance from freshman Devin Menefee, the No. 15 Air Force men's gymnastics team wrapped up competition at the 2009 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on Saturday, April 4, in Palo Alto, Calif. The Falcons accounted for a pair of top-10 event finishes at the annual conference meet.

Menefee posted a score of 15.850 on the vault to tie for seventh. In addition to upping his own Academy standard by .050, the freshman posted the squad's best individual overall finish of the night. He was one of two Falcons to finish within the individual events' top-10, as senior Jake Schonig tied for eighth on the still rings with a total of 15.150.

Sophomore Nash Mills finished eighth in the all-around with a combined total of 81.250. He led the Falcons on the parallel bars, as he scored a 13.500 to tie for 17th. In addition, Mills scored a personal-best 14.150 to finish in a tie for 20th on the floor, while placing 15th on the vault (15.350). Classmate Aaron Zaiser paced the squad on the floor exercise, garnering a 14.550 to tie for 16th.

In addition to Menefee guiding the Falcons on the vault, two other freshmen posted team-leading scores in their respective events. Jacob Houder placed 11th on the pommel horse with a score of 14.000, while Joel Uptmor tied for 20th on the high bar with a 13.300.

Houder was one of three Falcons to finish within the top half of the field on the pommel horse. Fellow freshman Chase Nobles finished 13th with a score of 13.550, while junior Garrett Canter tied for 15th with a mark of 13.400. As a squad, Air Force posted a total of 53.650 - the second-best score in Academy history.

Host and top-ranked Stanford won the conference title with a score of 363.750. The Cardinal upset four-time defending champion and No. 2 Oklahoma, who finished second with a total of 358.350. California, currently ranked third in the nation finished third with a total of 352.500. No. 9 Nebraska finished fourth with a total of 341.850, while the Falcons rounded out the field with a score of 330.100.