Air Force Academy

Jan. 27, 2010

The Air Force wrestling team has a busy week ahead, beginning with its first conference dual of the season, when the Falcons host Utah Valley on Jan. 28 at 7:00 p.m. Air Force then hits the road for a pair of WWC duals versus South Dakota State (Jan. 30) and North Dakota State (Jan. 31). In addition, another group of wrestlers will take part in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Colorado School of Mines on Jan. 30.

Falcons on the Web...
Fans who are unable to make it to Clune Arena for Thursday's match can still catch all of the action on the web. Live video streaming with audio commentary will be available free of charge on goairforcefalcons.com.

Last Time Out...
The Falcons compiled a 2-1 record at the Borah Duals last weekend, defeating CSU-Pueblo, 29-6, and Mesa State, 37-15, while falling to host Western State.

Leading Air Force at the Borah Duals were freshman Cole VonOhlen (141) and senior Tyler French (174), who each recorded 3-0 ledgers on the day. In addition, heavyweight Stephen Larson won both of his matches on Saturday.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force, which opens its conference slate this week, currently holds a 4-6 overall dual record.

Freshman Cole VonOhlen, currently ranked 16th in the nation at 141 pounds, has posted a team-best 20 victories in his rookie campaign, while two other Falcons--Tyler Spangler (17) and Tyler French (16)--have won more than 15 matches each.

VonOhlen has also posted a team-high nine falls so far this season, already surpassing the team-leading total (six) from the 2008-09 season. Meanwhile, sophomore Tanner Weltzin has registered the Falcons' fastest fall of the year, recording his only pin in a time of 37 seconds.

Scouting the Wolverines...
Utah Valley, which will also begin its conference schedule this week, currently has a 5-1 dual record. The Wolverines were last in action at the Lone Star Duals on Jan. 16, where they defeated Brown and Harvard while falling to No. 23 Arizona State.

The Wolverines are led by junior Ben Kjar, who is ranked 13th in the nation at 125 pounds with a 21-6 overall record. Meanwhile, Brad Darrington (174) has a 15-6 overall record and perfect 6-0 dual ledger on the season.

Scouting the Jackrabbits...
South Dakota State enters this weekend with a 1-7-1 overall record and 0-1 mark in the Western Wrestling Conference. The Jackrabbits are coming off a 35-6 loss to conference foe Northern Iowa.

Leading South Dakota State is senior Tyler Sorenson (197), who has compiled a 20-5 overall record and a 7-2 mark in dual competition, while redshirt freshman Aaron Pickrel (125) has added 19 victories on the year.

Scouting the Bison...
North Dakota State enters this weekend with an 8-4 dual record and 1-0 mark in the WWC. The Bison have won five straight duals, including matches against East  Stroudsburg, Boston University and Sacred Heart last weekend.

North Dakota State has three wrestlers with more than 20 wins on the season. Senior Ryan Adams (141) leads the way with a 24-6 overall record, while sophomores Tyler Johnson (165) and Justin Solberg (125) have compiled 23 and 21 victories, respectively.

Quick Hits...
• Of freshman Cole VonOhlen's five losses this season, four have come against ranked wrestlers (including a nationally ranked Division II wrestler) -- the other loss was against NDSU's Ryan Adams, a 1-0 decision
• Heavyweight Stephen Larson has won four of his last five matches and holds a 6-3 record in dual competition

In the National Rankings...
With an overall record of 20-5, Air Force freshman Cole VonOhlen is currently ranked 16th in the nation at 141 pounds in the latest Intermat poll. VonOhlen is also rated 22nd by WrestlingReport.com.

Coaches' Panel Rankings...
Freshman Cole VonOhlen is currently ranked 18th at 141 pounds in the first of three coaches' panel rankings for the 2009-10 wrestling season. The final rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine the qualifiers for the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches' rankings to earn spots for the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The coaches' rankings are compiled by a vote of coaches across the nation. Each qualifying tournament has five coaches rank the top 33 wrestlers in two weight classes. For ranking purposes, coaches must select a wrestler as a starter at a designated weight class. In addition, coaches may only select one wrestler per weight class.

Up Next...
The Falcons head to Annapolis, Md., next weekend, Feb. 6, for the annual All-Academy Championships, hosted by Navy.

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