Air Force Academy

March 7, 2007

The No. 16 Air Force men's gymnastics team heads to the Windy City for a pair of dual meets with No. 14 Illinois-Chicago this weekend (March 9-11). The Falcons and Flames first meet on Friday, March 9, at 7 p.m., before closing out the weekend series on Sunday, March 11, at 2 p.m. Both meets will be held at the UIC Physical Education Building in Chicago, Ill.

Weekly Release 07 - at Illinois-Chicago
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GETTING A BREATHER: After competing in two meets in two days in two states last week, the Falcons will get a break this weekend, as they compete in two meets in three days in the same venue.

THE COMPETITION:  Illinois-Chicago is ranked 14th in the nation with a Three-Score Average of 197.650...that is the fourth-best score in the EIGL behind former Air Force opponents Army, Temple and Navy...the Flames most recently finished third in a tri-meet with Temple and Army on Feb. 24...they are currently 1-5 this season at the UIC Physical Education Building.

CLOSE TO HOME: This weekend's meets in Chicago is less than an hour away from junior Brian Boardman's hometown of Naperville. It is the second time in three weeks that the Falcons have competed near one of its gymnasts' hometowns.

MAKING HISTORY: Junior Greg Stine was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week on March 6 and the Collegiate Gymnastics Association Collegiate Division Gymnast of the Week on March 7.These are the first such honors for any Air Force gymnast in at least four years.

WHY SO SPECIAL: Leading the team on the floor exercise (8.700), still rings (8.800) and vault (8.700) at the Peter Vidmar Invitational in LA, Greg Stine guided the squad to its best team finish in over two years. The very next night in Tempe, Stine finished second on the floor exercise with a score of 9.000, becoming just the second Falcon to reach the nine-point plateau this year. In addition, he placed third on the vault (8.600) and tied for fourth on the high bar (8.200).

MOVING ON UP: Air Force's team score of 192.300 at the Peter Vidmar Invitational was the best team score since a 197.200 at the 2005 MPSF Championships. The Falcons posted four season-best event scores, en route to the season-best team score.

MAKING A WEEKEND OF IT: Less than 24 hours after tallying four season-best scores at the Peter Vidmar Invitational, the Falcons improved two more event totals at the Southwest Cup. When all was said and done, eight of the 12 top scores of the season took place at those meets.

LOOKING BACK AT THE PVI: Air Force tallied 192.300 to take second at the Peter Vidmar Invitational on March 1. That total was the best single meet performance by the Falcons in two seasons and improved this season's standard by nearly seven points. Despite the score, Air Force was unable to hold off seventh-ranked Cal, who won the meet with a score of 210.450. However, as a team, the Falcons improved its event scores on the floor (33.550), pommel horse (31.200), still rings (33.750) and vault (31.450).

RECAPPING THE SOUTHWEST CUP: In their second meet in as many days, the Falcons finished second at the Southwest Cup on March 2. Seven different Falcons collected 17 top-10 finishes, including a team-best second-place finish on the floor exercise from junior Greg Stine. Temple, which is ranked 12th in the nation, won the meet with a score of 204.750. Host and club-team powerhouse Arizona State took third with a combined mark of 181.350.

QUARTET PRACTICE: Junior Brian Boardman picked up a quartet of top-10 marks at the Southwest Cup. Boardman picked up a team-best fourth-place score of 8.050 on the parallel bars, while also taking a sixth-place finish on the pommel horse (7.650). He also placed eighth on the floor (8.250) and tied for the same finish on the vault (8.100).

COMING UP: Air Force closes out the regular season on Saturday, March 17, in Lincoln, Neb. The Falcons and host Nebraska will face off at 7 p.m., at the Devaney Sports Center. It will be the final dual meet of the season for Air Force, which will then gear up for a busy championship season that includes trips to the USAG National Championship, the MPSF Championships and the NCAA Championships.