Air Force Academy

Dec. 9, 2009

The Air Force wrestling team opens its home slate this Friday, Dec. 11, when it hosts Ohio and Colorado School of Mines in a pair of non-conference duals. The Falcons will take on Ohio at 1:00 p.m., followed by a match against Colorado School of Mines at 2:30 p.m. In addition, the Bobcats and Orediggers are slated to compete at 4:00 p.m. All matches are being held in Clune Arena.

Falcons On the Web...
Fans who are unable to make it to Clune Arena this weekend 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 competed in two events last weekend, the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the FHSU-Bob Smith Open.

Senior James Ciccone was Air Force's top performer at the prestigious Las Vegas Invitational, compiling a 3-2 record at 184 pounds. Meanwhile, junior Derek Gillespie led the Falcons at the Bob Smith Open, capturing third-place in the 141-pound division with a 6-1 record on the day.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force opens its dual slate this weekend with its matches against Ohio and Colorado School of Mines. Leading the Falcons in total victories through the first month of competition are junior Derek Gillespie and freshman Tyler Spangler with 10 wins each.

Twenty-one Air Force wrestlers have recorded falls on the season, led by Dake Williams, who has notched six falls on the year. His six falls already match the team-leading total from the 2008-09 season. Meanwhile, sophomore Alec Williams has posted the fastest fall of the season, recording a pin in a time of 1:00.

Scouting the Bobcats...
Ohio currently holds a 3-0 dual record. The Bobcats, who defeated The Citadel, Appalachian State and Cleveland State last weekend, will face Northern Colorado Wednesday evening.

Nick Purdue (184) currently has a team-best 10 victories on the year, followed by Andy Hartshorn (HWT) with nine wins. Meanwhile, Seth Morton has compiled an 8-1 record at 149 pounds.

Scouting the Orediggers...
Colorado School of Mines also opens its 2009-10 dual slate this weekend. The Orediggers are coming off an appearance at the FHSU-Bob Smith Open, where Jesse Snider led the way with a runner-up finish at 149 pounds.

Snider and Jordan Larsen (165) lead the Orediggers with 12 and 10 victories on the season, respectively. Meanwhile, Chad Lousberg (125) has a team-best five falls on the year.

Up Next...
Air Force is on the road next weekend, Dec. 18, for a pair of dual meets. The Falcons will travel to Corvallis, Ore., to take on host Oregon State, currently ranked 24th in the nation, as well as Southern Oregon.

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