Air Force Academy

Dec. 1, 2010

The Air Force wrestling team is back in action this weekend, Dec. 3-4, at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Meanwhile, another group of Falcons will take part in the FHSU-Bob Smith Open in Hays, Kan., on Dec. 4.

ABOUT THE CLIFF KEEN LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL...
The 29th-annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational is being held this year at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Teams from 36 schools are scheduled to participate in this weekend's tournament. Included in this year's field are 12 teams that are ranked in this week's NWCA/USA Today Coaches' Poll and three teams from the Western Wrestling Conference (Air Force, North Dakota State and Utah Valley).

Action begins Friday at 9:00 a.m. (PT), while quarterfinals and consolation rounds 2 & 3 are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Meanwhile, Saturday's action begins at 9:00 a.m., with the championship finals scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m.

LAST YEAR AT THE CLIFF KEEN LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL...
Five Falcons competed at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in 2009, with senior James Ciccone leading the way. Ciccone, who wrestled at 184 pounds, compiled a 3-2 record in the tournament. Also posting victories for Air Force were Joseph Stafford (165) and Tyler French, who knocked off the seventh-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds.

ABOUT THE FHSU-BOB SMITH OPEN...
The annual FHSU-Bob Smith Open will be held at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The top four wrestlers in each of 10 weight classes will be awarded during the day's competition. Action is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (CT).

LAST YEAR AT THE FHSU-BOB SMITH OPEN...
Derek Gillespie was the lone placewinner for the Falcons at the 2009 FHSU-Bob Smith Open, taking third place at 141 pounds with a 6-1 record.

Also placing in the Elite Division were Clayton Gable (174) and Josh Kreimier (149), who finished fourth and sixth, respectively.

Meanwhile, in the Amateur Division, freshmen Greg Rinker (125) and Carter Adams (165) led the way for the Falcons, each placing fourth, while Jesse Stafford took fifth place at 157 pounds.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS...
After two weeks of competition, 18 Air Force wrestlers have posted winning records. Freshman Jesse Stafford leads the team in total wins with 13, while 17th-ranked Cole VonOhlen has the Falcons' best winning percentage with a 9-1 overall record.

In addition, 20 different Falcons have notched falls early in the season, led by freshman Greg Rinker, who has recorded four pins. Rinker also has the fastest fall of the early season, registering a pin in just 31 seconds.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS...
Sophomore Cole VonOhlen, the Falcons' returning NCAA qualifier, is currently ranked 17th in the nation at 141 pounds in the latest Intermat poll. In addition, VonOhlen is rated 13th by Amateur Wrestling News, 16th by WrestlingReport.com and 18th by WIN Magazine and D1 College Wrestling.

UP NEXT...
The Falcons open up the 2010-11 dual slate next weekend, Dec. 10, as they host Coe and Western State. Air Force and Coe will take the mat at 2:00 p.m., followed by the Air Force-Western State match-up at 4:00 p.m.

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