Dec. 2, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
2009 Air Force Classic
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 4-5, 2009
Friday, Dec. 4
Chicago State vs. Air Force, 5 p.m.
Drake vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 5
Chicago State vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 2 p.m.
Drake vs. Air Force, 4:30 p.m.
Location: USAF Academy, Colo.
Arena: Clune Arena (5,939)
Live Stats: www.goairforcefalcons.com
Internet Radio:
- None for Chicago State game.
- godrakebulldogs.com for AF-Drake game Saturday.
Falcons Host 14th Annual Air Force Classic
The Air Force women's basketball team hosts the 2009 Air Force Classic, this Fri.-Sat., Dec. 4-5, in Clune Arena at the Air Force Academy. The Falcons take on Chicago State on Friday at 5 p.m., followed by Drake taking on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 7:30 p.m. Saturday kicks-off with Chicago State taking on TAMUCC at 2 p.m., followed by Drake vs. Air Force at 4:30. Live stats will be available for all four games.
Air Force Classic History
- Air Force is 11-15 all-time in the Air Force Classic.
- Air Force has never won the Classic in its 13 years of existence.
- Air Force's first-ever win as a Div. I program came in the First game of the first-ever Air Force Classic. The Falcons defeated Army, 66-60, on Dec. 6, 1996.
Year Champion
2008 Miami (Ohio)
G1 Air Force 68, North Carolina Central 47
G2 Miami (Ohio) 66, Texas Pan-American 44
G3 NCCU 62, UTPA 57 (OT)
G4 Miami (Ohio) 66, Air Force 56
2007 Utah Valley
G1 Air Force 85, Hampton 84 (OT)
G2 Utah Valley 81, Ohio 79
G3 Ohio 70, Hampton 64
G4 Utah Valley 78, Air Force 68
2006 Western Michigan
G1 Air Force 67, Yale 55
G2 Western Michigan 95, UT-Pan American 77
G3 Yale 62, Texas-Pan American 49
G4 Western Michigan 71, Air Force 54
2005 Stephen F. Austin
G1 Air Force 58, Bucknell 41
G2 Stephen F. Austin 82, High Point 81
G3 Bucknell 71, High Point 60
G4 Stephen F. Austin 67, Air Force 63
2004 Louisiana-Lafayette
G1 Montana State 74, Air Force 73, OT
G2 Louisiana-Lafayette 72, UC Davis 71
G3 Air Force 75, UC Davis 61
G4 Louisiana-Lafayette 57, Montana State 39
2003 Texas-Pan American
G1 Texas-Pan American 68, Air Force 67
G2 Dayton 73, Boise State 71
G3 Boise State 71, Air Force 66
G4 Texas-Pan American 63, Dayton 57
2002 Minnesota
G1 Air Force 78, Winthrop 71
G2 Minnesota 85, New Orleans 75
G3 Winthrop 71, New Orleans 64
G4 Minnesota 88, Air Force 75
2001 Binghamton
G1 Binghamton 54, Air Force 46
G2 Binghamton 63, Drexel 57
G3 Drexel 77, Air Force 76
2000 North Texas
G1 North Texas 67, UAB 54
G2 Air Force 68, Lamar 57
G3 UAB 77, Lamar 60
G4 North Texas 66, Air Force 43
1999 Penn
G1 Loyola-Chicago 64, Air Force 58
G2 Penn 83, Lafayette 73
G3 Air Force 78, Lafayette 56
G4 Penn 91, Loyola-Chicago 78
1998 Western Michigan
G1 Wyoming 65, Loyola Marymount 53
G2 Western Michigan 87, Air Force 67
G3 Western Michigan 84, Wyoming 71
G4 Air Force 83, Loyola Marymount 72
1997 Idaho State
G1 Air Force 59, Weber State 53
G2 Idaho State 79, Wyoming 73
G3 Wyoming 68, Weber State 63
G4 Idaho State 79, Air Force 58
1996 Wyoming
G1 Air Force 66, Army 60
G2 Wyoming 57, Cal State Fullerton 56
G3 Cal State Fullerton 71, Air Force 50
G4 Wyoming 79, Army 53
Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 2-5 on the season after losses last week at Army and Stony Brooke. Junior guard Raimee Beck leads the team offensively, scoring 16.0 points per game to go with 9.0 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Anna Gault ranks fourth in the confernce, averaging 4.0 assists per game. Air Force is averaging 54.5 points per game and allowing 68.3.
Scouting Chicago State
Chicago State is 3-5 on the season after dropping a game to Western Michigan and defeating Valparaiso. The Cougars, members of the Great West Conference, are averaging 57.5 points per game and allowing 67.1 ppg. Chicago State is by the sister duo of senior guard Alyssa and junior forward Courtney Waldon. Courtney leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.4 points per game and Alyssa is second, averaging 11.1 ppg.
Scouting Drake
Drake is 3-2 on the season after defeating Chicago State and Iowa State last week. The Bulldogs, from Des Moines, Iowa and members of the Missouri Valley Conference, are averaging 73.4 points per game and allowing 69.2 ppg. drake is led by senior guard Jordann Plummer, who leads the team with 16.6 points and 5.0 assists per game.
Scouting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Texas A&M Corpus-Christi is 4-1 on the season after falling to #14 georgia and defeating Jackson State. The Islanders are averaging 69.4 points per game and allowing 63.8 ppg. TAMUCC is led by junior guard Jade Davis, who leads the team with 13.8 points and 3.0 assists per game.
Series History vs. Opponents
- Air force is 0-1 all-time vs. Chicago State and has never played Drake before.
- Air Force lost 51-47 at Chicago State a year ago on Nov. 20.
Last Meeting vs. Chicago State
The Air Force women's basketball team dropped a 53-41 game at Texas-Pan American Wednesday, Nov. 26, at the UTPA Field House in Edinburg, Texas.
Utilizing a stifling trap-defense, UTPA scored the first 15 points of the game and held Air Force to just two shot attempts in the first six minutes of the game. Air Force did not scored till the 9:58 mark in the first period, when Raimee Beck hit a jump shot.
The Falcons made just 4-of-20 shot attempts in the first-half and trailed 35-12 at the half. The Lady Broncs meanwhile canned seven of their nine three-point baskets in the first half.
The Falcons went to a zone defense in the second half, neutralizing UTPA's three-point scoring, and clawed their way back into the game. Air Force also began to figure out the trap-defense and eventually whittled the margin down to within six points, trailing 47-41 after a Brooke Cultra three-pointer with 3:11 left in the game.
The big first-half deficit was too much to overcome however, as the Lady Broncs held on for the win. Teshay Winfrey led UTPA with game-high's of 17 points and 14 rebounds. Maria Erlingsdottir also had 17 points to go with four rebounds.
Cultra led Air Force with 16 points, all coming in the second-half. Kim Kreke added nine points and 13 rebounds. It was Kreke's fourth-consecutive game with 11-or-more rebounds this year. Stevie Puentes also played well for the Falcons, with eight points and a team-leading five assists in 32 minutes off the bench.
Stony Brook Game Recap
The Air Force women's basketball team lost at Stony Brook, 72-60, Friday night at Pritchard Gymnasium. The Falcons fall to 1-5 on the season, while the Seawolves improved 1-4.
Despite struggling to get its offense going, and trailing by as many as 23 points, the Falcons made a furious late-game rally to make things close.
Trailing 57-41 at the 3:41 mark, things looked bleak for Air Force after leading scorer Raimee Beck fouled out. At that point freshman guard Alicia Leipprandt took over, leading the Falcons on a 14-4 run in a little under two minutes to make it a six point game at 61-55 with 1:47 left to play. Leipprandt scored 10 points in that run, including eight in a row to start.
The clock ran out on the Falcons' rally, however, as Stony Brook sealed the game by sinking nine free throws in the last 90 seconds of the game. In a closely called game by the referee's, the teams combined for 57 fouls and 65 free throw shots.
After a slow start of just 18 first-half points, the Falcons scored 42 in the latter half. Stony Brook led 25-18 at halftime.
Air Force started off well in the second-half, pulling to within four points early, but then struggled once Stony Brook went to a full-court press. After getting the score to 27-23 at the 18:03 mark, the Seawolves went on a 16-2 run to make it a 43-25 game at the 12:09 mark. That lead was further extended to 23 as Stony Brook went up 55-32 at the 7:41 mark.
Beck led Air Force with 12 points and eight rebounds before fouling out for the first time in her career. Leipprandt notched a career-high 12 points as well.
Freshman forwards Dymond James and Katie Hilbig also played well for the Falcons. James notched career-high's with 10 points and six rebounds and Hilbig had six points and a career-high seven rebounds.
Sophomore Kira Gonzalez and freshman Bethany Gross also played their first-career games for Air Force.
Army Game Recap
The Air Force women's basketball team lost at service academy rival Army, 60-42, Wednesday night at Christl Arena. The Falcons fall to 1-4 on the season, while the Black Knights improved 3-2.
Laura Baranek led Army with 24 points, including five of the team's seven three-point baskets. Erin Anthony also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Black Knights.
Senior forward Kathleen Schjodt led Air Force with a team-high 12 points, adding eight rebounds. Junior guard Raimee Beck, who was held scoreless in the first-half, finished with eight points and nine rebounds for the Falcons. Freshman forward Kelsey Berger added a career-high eight points and freshman forward Katie Hilbig chipped in with seven points and five rebounds.
With the Falcon offense struggling to get points, Army entered halftime with a 27-19 lead. Despite struggling from the field, Air Force stayed in the game by out-rebounding Army 26-19 in the half, including a 12-4 edge on the offensive boards. Schjodt nearly recorded a double-double in the first-half alone, with nine points and eight first-half rebounds.
The Falcons pulled to within five points early in the second half, before the Black Knights went on a 12-0 run to pull away. With the score 25-30 at the 16:11 mark, Army went ahead 42-25 with 12:57 to play. Air Force could not get the game under double-digits the rest of the way.
Beck Off To Strong Start
Junior guard Raimee Beck is off to a strong start so far in 2009-10. Beck had led Air Force in scoring all but once and had led the team in rebounding every game. She amongst the MWC top 10 in several categories.
Freshmen Make Immediate Impact
Four Falcon freshmen are already already making immediate impacts for the Falcons. Four of Air Force's top six scorers are freshmen. Rookies Alicia Leipprandt, Katie Hilbig, Dymond James and Kelsey Berger, rank second-through-sixth in scoring for the Falcons.
Four Regular Season Games on TV
Four Air Force women's basketball regular season games will be televised. All Four games will be televised on the Mountain West Sports Network (Mtn.). Air Force could also have games televised at the MWC Championships.
Air Force To Broadcast 11 Regular Season Games
At least 12 Air Force women's basketball games will be broadcast for the 2009-10 season. Eleven regular season contests, including two road games, and all Mountain West Conference Tournament games will be broadcast online and locally in Colorado Springs on 1300 AM.
Team Captains
Senior Kathleen Schjodt and junior Raimee Beck have been named team co-captains for the 2009-10 season. Schjodt is a three-year letterwinner at forward. Beck is a two-year letterwinner and returning starter at guard.
Six Letterwinners and Three Starters Return
Six letterwinners and three starters return for the Falcons.
Juniors Raimee Beck and Liz Dunsworth and sophomore Anna Gault are Air Forces returning starters.
Senior Kathleen Schjodt, junior Candice Chase and sophomore Jamela Satterfield round out the other returners. In addition, sophomore Kira Gonzalez, who did not play in any game as a freshman, also returns.
Falcons Welcome Nine Newcomers
Air Force welcomes nine freshmen in 2009-10, its largest rookie class in school history.
F Kelsey Berger (Mentor, Ohio)
G Bethany Gross (Alexandria, S.D.)
F Katie Hilbig (Castle Rock, Colo.)
F Dymond James (Brambleton, Va.)
G Alicia Leipprandt (Ubly, Mich.)
G Megan Muñiz (Rio Rancho, N.M.)
G Danielle Sorrera (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
G Austyn Wilson (Dallas, Texas)
G Desiree Wilson (Morrow, Ga.)
Up Next
Air Force hosts Denver on Wed., Dec. 9. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.
