Air Force Academy

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - The Air Force men's and women's swimming and diving team will look to finish the season on a strong note at the 2006 Mountain West Conference Swimming & Diving Championships, Feb. 22-25, at the Oklahoma City Community College Aquatic Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Up-to-the minute information regarding the Championships will be available through the Mountain West Conference web site: www.themwc.com.

The Falcon men went 8-4-1 overall in dual meets for the 2005-06 season and went 3-2 in conference meets, placing third. The Air Force women's team went 7-10 overall and 2-6 in league, placing seventh. Last year at the MWC Championships, the Falcon men placed fifth and the women seventh.

The Air Force men's team will be led by defending MWC men's Swimmer of the Year Chris Knaute, who won the 400 IM, 500 and 1650 free events at the championships as a sophomore last year. The Falcon men's divers will be led by junior Brady Lindberg.

In the sprint free events, juniors Ryan Moss and Nick Uzelac and sophomore TJ Cowling will lead the way. Junior Andrew Bergman is the top Falcon swimmer in the breaststroke events, and junior Matt Sievers will lead the way in the butterfly events.

The Falcons will be deep in the individual medley and distance free events, led by juniors Knaute, Paul Parmenter and Justin Lapin. Parmenter and Lapin will also be counted on to score points for Air Force in the backstroke events.

Knaute and senior Matt Karmondy will anchor the distance free events for the Falcons.

On the women's side, the Falcons will look for a solid group effort to improve upon last year's finish.

Air Force's strongest events will be the breast, back and IM events. Junior Blair Leake and senior Carly Omizo will lead the way in the breast events. Freshman Jane Hwang will be the top fly swimmer for the Falcons and may also swim some sprint free and IM events.

Senior Colleen Smith will be called upon to score points in the free, IM and backstroke events. Freshman Laken Stogner has been the Falcons' top sprint free swimmer and sophomore Tiffany Biddle and senior Ginny Miller will anchor the distance free events. Junior Lindsey Kirchhoff will also be counted on to perform well in the back and sprint free events.

A wild card for the Falcons will be junior Lauren White. White has not competed in any duals in the past two months due to a ruptured disc in her back, but could be back to swim some distance free events for Air Force.

The Falcon divers are led by junior Lauren Bursey, with sophomore Danielle Dowds and freshman Ashleigh Peck looking to contribute as well.