Air Force Academy

LET'S GET IT STARTED: After traveling nearly 8800 miles for competitions, the Air Force women's gymnastics team closes out the 2006 season at home, hosting the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on Friday, March 24. The Falcons will welcome Alaska-Anchorage, Seattle-Pacific and UC-Davis to the Cadet West Gym this weekend.

WHO'S WHO: With just four teams in the women's lineup this year, the conference title is up for grabs. Air Force is ranked 10th in the North Central Region, while its competition from UC-Davis, Seattle-Pacific and Alaska-Anchorage are ranked 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively in the West Region.

TICKET INFORMATION: The women's championships are slated to begin at 5 p.m., on Friday (March 24). The doors will open at 3 p.m., for ticket sales. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children (ages 12 and under).

YOU LOOK FAMILIAR: The Falcons have faced all three of their MPSF opponents this season, including four meetings with Alaska-Anchorage. Air Force opened the season with a pair of duals in Anchorage and closed out the regular season with another pair of meets against the Seawolves at the Academy. In addition, the Falcons finished February in Seattle, while opening March at UC-Davis.

LAST TIME OUT: Air Force closed out the regular season hosting a tri-meet with local foe Denver and MPSF rival Alaska-Anchorage on March 20. Nationally-ranked Denver swept through the individual events and the all-around to win the meet with a score of 195.850. Alaska-Anchorage finished second with a mark of 190.000, while Air Force placed third with a score of 182.950. Christine Powers was the Falcons' lone top-five finisher of the night, but her season-best 9.750 on the balance beam broke a DU stranglehold on the top of the standings. Powers was the only non-Denver athlete to finish within the top six, as she tied for fifth on the event. Sashonna Iwaniec was the team's top scorer on the vault, scoring a 9.525 to tie for ninth. She also closed out the night with an Air Force-best 9.600 on the floor to finish seventh. Lauren Robison led the squad on the uneven bars with a score of 9.600 to tie for eighth, while also scoring a 37.675 in the all-around to finish sixth.

ROAD WARRIORS: The Falcons opened the season with four straight weeks on the road, traveling to such states as Alaska, Louisiana and Texas. In fact, Air Force spent eight of the first nine weeks away from the Academy. Behind trips to Denver and Washington, the Falcons also visited California and Kentucky.

THE MILEAGE TRACKER
To and From Anchorage, Alaska -- 3290 miles
To and From Shreveport, La. -- 914 miles
To and From Denton, Texas -- 691 miles
To and From Denver, Colo. -- 69 miles
To and From Seattle, Wash. -- 1402 miles
To and From Davis, Calif. -- 1266 miles
To and From Lexington, Ky. -- 1171 miles
Total Miles Traveled in 2006 -- 8803 miles

UP NEXT: As the current 10th-ranked team in the North Central Region, Air Force will await word to see if any Falcons will advance to the NCAA Regional Championships on April 8. The North Central Regionals will be held in Ames, Iowa, on the campus of Iowa State. The NCAA will announce its list of regional qualifiers on Monday, March 27.