Air Force Academy

March 4, 2009

The Air Force wrestling team heads to Greeley, Colo., for the NCAA West Regional this weekend, March 7. The regional, which will also double as the Western Wrestling Conference Championships, is being hosted this year by Northern Colorado. The action in slated to begin at 10:00 a.m., while finals are scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m.

Ticket prices for the event are $12 for adults and $7 for students/youth. For more ticket information, visit uncbears.com.

About the NCAA West Regional...
The NCAA West Regional serves as a qualifying tournament for the NCAA Championships, which will be held March 19-21 in St. Louis, Mo.

Due to a change in the qualifying process, the West Regional will receive 13 automatic qualifiers--the champion in each of the 10 weight classes will receive automatic bids to the national championships, while the second-place finishers at 149, 184 and 197 pounds will also earn automatic bids. After all of the qualifying events have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet in-person to select the remaining 52 at-large qualifiers, which will be announced on March 11.

The field for this year's regional includes Air Force, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State and Wyoming. Utah Valley, the final member of the WWC, is in its final year of provisional status at the Division I level and is ineligible for post-season competition until 2010.

Last Year At the NCAA West Regional...
Northern Iowa won its 23rd consecutive West Regional title in 2008, finishing with six individual titles.

Meanwhile, Air Force took second place, its best finish since 2003, with a pair of champions in Jake Kriegbaum (141) and Tyler French (174), as well as three runners-up (Tony Dorward, 157; Stephen Crozier, 165; and Jacob Devlin, 184). Kriegbaum, French, Crozier and Devlin all earned bids to the NCAA Championships.

Watch It on the Web...
To follow the action at the NCAA West Regional on the web, visit Tournament Central at uncbears.com. Complete coverage of the event, including live stats and video streaming, will be available.

Celebrate with the Falcons...
The Air Force wrestling team would like to invite all friends and family for a post-match meal/social gathering, following the conclusion of Saturday's events. The team will be dining at the Texas Roadhouse in Greeley, beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m.

Last Time Out...
The Falcons dropped their final two matches of the regular season, falling to Wyoming, 37-3, while dropping a 36-6 contest to Utah Valley.

Junior James Ciccone was the lone winner for the Falcons against Wyoming, picking up a 9-7 sudden victory decision over Mikel Hoopes at 197 pounds. Meanwhile, senior captain Stephen Crozier and junior Stephen Larson each registered decisions to lead Air Force against Utah Valley.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force finished its dual slate with a 4-12 overall record and 1-5 mark in the WWC, finishing sixth in the conference regular-season standings.

Leading Air Force with 22 total victories on the year is senior captain Stephen Crozier, who has split time at 165 and 174 pounds. Crozier also has a team-best 11-5 dual mark. Meanwhile, sophomore Andrew Zwirlein ranks second on the team with 15 total victories.

Scouting the Bison...
North Dakota State concluded the regular season with a 5-10-1 dual mark and 2-4 record in the WWC, finishing fifth in the conference standings.

Among the leaders for the Bison is returning NCAA qualifier Ryan Adams, who has a team-best 24-9 overall record at 149 pounds. Meanwhile, Gabriel Mooney ranks second on the team with 18 total victories on the season.

Scouting the Bears...
Northern Colorado posted a 5-11-1 overall record and 3-3 ledger in the Western Wrestling Conference in the regular season to finish fourth in the conference.

Among the leaders for the Bears this season are returning NCAA qualifier Tony Mustari, who has compiled a 25-7 record on the season, and freshman Mitchell Polkowske, who has notched a team-high 26 wins on the year.

Scouting the Panthers...
Northern Iowa, currently ranked 21st in the nation, finished the regular season with a 10-6 overall record and 4-0 mark in the WWC to earn a share of the conference regular-season title.

The Panthers return four NCAA qualifiers from 2008 to this year's lineup, including regional champions Tyson Reiner, Moza Fay and Andrew Anderson. Fay, an All-American in 2008, is currently ranked fifth in the nation at 165 pounds, while Anderson is rated 13th at 197 pounds. Alex Dolly, also an NCAA qualifier last season, is ranked 15th nationally at 184 pounds, while redshirt freshman Christian Brantley is the 14th-ranked heavyweight in the nation.

Scouting the Jackrabbits...
South Dakota State compiled a 9-11-1 overall record in the regular season and an 0-6 mark in the WWC to place seventh in the conference.

The Jacks are led by Tyler Sorenson, who is currently ranked 14th in the nation at 197 pounds. Sorenson holds a 12-1 overall record in limited action this season. Meanwhile, heavyweight Jason Stripling has compiled a team-best 31-10 overall record.

Scouting the Cowboys...
Wyoming concluded the regular season with a 15-3 overall record and 5-0 ledger in the WWC to earn a share of the conference's regular-season title.

Two of the Cowboys' wrestlers are currently ranked in the national polls, with Joe LeBlanc rated eighth at 184, while Shane Onufer is ranked 18th in the nation at 174 pounds. Onufer has notched a team-best 39 wins on the season, while LeBlanc is second with 38 victories. In addition, Wyoming returns one NCAA qualifier in Cory VomBaur (133), who captured second place at the 2008 West Regional.

Up Next...
Qualifiers from this weekend's NCAA West Regional will compete at the NCAA Championships, being held in St. Louis, Mo., March 19-21.

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