Air Force Academy

Jan. 22, 2009

The Air Force wrestling team will head to Gunnison, Colo., for the Borah Duals this weekend, Jan. 24. The Falcons will take on CSU-Pueblo at 12:00 p.m., followed by a match against host Western State at 2:00 p.m. Air Force will wrap up the day with a 4:00 p.m. contest against Mesa State.

Last Time Out...
The Falcons dropped a pair of home duals last weekend, falling to Stanford, 32-7, while dropping a WWC match to 22nd-ranked Northern Iowa, 42-0.

The lone winners for the Falcons in dual action last weekend were sophomore Andrew Zwirlein, who picked up a decision at 125 pounds, and junior Tyler French, who registered a 16-7 major decision at 174 pounds.

Meanwhile, Air Force also sent a group of wrestlers to the Glen Brand Open, hosted by Nebraska-Omaha. Junior Joshua Smith led the way, bringing home the title in the 174-pound weight class.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force enters this weekend's contests with 1-7 dual record. Leading the Falcons in total wins for the season is senior captain Stephen Crozier who has 14 victories on the year. Meanwhile, Crozier and junior Tyler French are tied for the best dual record at 5-3.

Nineteen different Air Force wrestlers have recorded falls so far this season, led by junior Stephen Makuka, who has registered six pins on the year, just one short of the team leader for the 2007-08 season. Meanwhile, freshman Wesley Stowe holds the fastest fall of the year, getting the pin in a time of 0:29.

Scouting the Thunderwolves...
CSU-Pueblo enters this weekend with a 2-6 overall record. The Thunderwolves are coming off a 46-0 loss to Nebraska-Kearney, ranked fourth at the Division II level.

Scouting the Mountaineers...
Western State, ranked sixth among Division II teams, comes into this weekend with a 5-3 dual record. The Mountaineers are coming off a 32-3 win over Mesa State.

Western State has five wrestlers ranked nationally in their respective weight classes at the Division II level. Leading the way are Charlie Pipher (184) and Donovan McMahill (197), who are each ranked second. Marques Bravo is ranked fourth at 133 pounds, Larry Wilbanks is rated sixth at 174 pounds and Eddie Lopez is ranked eighth at 125 pounds.

Scouting the Mavericks...
Mesa State enters this weekend with a 2-2-1 dual record. The Mavericks are coming off a 32-3 loss to Western State.

Leading the way for Mesa State is Chase Walker, who is ranked third at the Division II level in the 157-pound weight class. Walker has a team-best 17-3 overall record on the season. In addition, Cole Johnson (165) has a double-digit win total, with a 10-10 record on the year.

Quick Hits...
• The Falcons put together a 3-1 record at last year's Borah Duals
• Air Force has dropped its last three contests against Western State; its last win against the Mountaineers was in 2005
• The Falcons defeated Mesa State, 37-6, at the Borah Duals in 2008

Up Next...
The Falcons return home next weekend, Jan. 30-31, for a pair of conference duals. Air Force will host North Dakota State Friday at 7:00 p.m., while taking on South Dakota State Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

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