Air Force Falcons
University	United States Air Force Academy
Conference	Mountain West Conference Atlantic Hockey National Collegiate Boxing Association Western Wrestling Conference
NCAA	Division I
Athletics director	Hans J. Mueh
Location	Colorado Springs, CO
Varsity teams	29 (including 2 non-NCAA)
Football stadium	Falcon Stadium
Basketball arena	Clune Arena
Other arenas	Cadet Fieldhouse
Mascot	The Bird
Nickname	Falcons
Fight song	"Falcon Fight Song" (unofficial: "The U.S. Air Force")
Colors	Blue and Silver
Homepage	Official Air Force Athletics site

The Air Force Falcons are the collegiate athletic teams from the United States Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The intercollegiate program has 17 men's and 10 women's NCAA sanctioned teams. Men’s teams are football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, cross-country, fencing, golf, gymnastics, indoor and outdoor track, lacrosse, rifle, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo and wrestling. The Academy fields women's teams in basketball, cross-country, fencing, gymnastics, indoor and outdoor track, swimming and diving, soccer, tennis and volleyball. In addition, the Academy sponsors two non-NCAA programs: boxing and cheerleading.

The current athletic director is Hans J. Mueh. The team mascot is "The Bird".

Contents 1 Team Name Origin 2 Baseball 3 Basketball 3.1 Men's Basketball 3.2 Women's Basketball 4 Boxing 5 Football 6 Ice hockey 7 Rugby 8 Wrestling 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Team Name Origin

The falcon mascot was selected by popular vote of the Academy's Class of 1959, the first class to graduate from the Academy.

[edit] Baseball

Air Force enjoyed some success on the baseball diamond in their early years, earning six berths to NCAA playoffs (1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969). However, the Falcons never advanced beyond the district/regional rounds. The closest they have come to earning a NCAA berth since 1969 was in 2000, when the Falcons lost to San Diego State in the MWC tournament championship game (which would have earned an automatic berth).

[edit] Basketball

[edit] Men's Basketball

The men's basketball team has had strong showings in the last several years, qualifying for the NCAA tournament and, most recently, making the final four of the 2007 National Invitational Tournament.

NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1960, 1962, 2004, 2006

NIT Tournament Appearances: 2007 (semifinals)

Mountain West Conference Champions: 2004 Regular Season

[edit] Women's Basketball

The women's basketball team competed at the Division II level in both the AIAW and NCAA from 1976-1996. Since then, the team has competed at the Division I level.

NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1985, 1990

AIAW National Tournament Appearances: 1979, 1980

Conference Champions: 1978, 1979 (tie), 1984, 1985, 1990, 1991

[edit] Boxing

The Air Force boxing team has had astonishing success. Led for 31 years by Coach Ed Weichers, the team has won 18 National Collegiate Boxing Association championships, and until 2009, had never finished lower than second in the nation. In 2009, the team finished third in the Nation.

[edit] Football

[edit] Ice hockey

From 2007-2009, the men's hockey team won three straight Atlantic Hockey conference tournaments, and made three straight appearances in the NCAA Division I hockey tournament. Their 2007 appearance in the NCAA tournament was the first ever by a service academy. In the East Regional of the 2009 NCAA Tournament, Air Force upset top seed Michigan 2-0, and just missed going to the Frozen Four in a 3-2 double overtime loss to Vermont.

[edit] Rugby

[edit] Wrestling

The Falcon wrestling team began competition in 1957 and currently competes in the Western Wrestling Conference (since the Mountain West doesn't sponsor wrestling). Home wrestling events are held at either the Cadet East Gym or at Clune Arena. The team is currently coached by Joel Sharratt, a former national champion for the University of Iowa and legendary coach Dan Gable.

• WAC Team Championships: 1 (1991)
• All-Academy Wrestling Championships: 4 (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002)
• NCAA National Champions: 1
• NCAA All-Americans: 11
• WWC/West Regional Champions: 9
• WAC Champions: 18
• MIWA Champions: 18

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Athletic Site

v • d • e United States Air Force Academy Academics FalconLaunch • FalconSAT • Robert F. McDermott • Prep School Athletics Boxing • Commander-in-Chief's Trophy • Football • Rugby Campus Cadet Area • Cemetery • Chapel • Clune Arena • Eisenhower Golf course • Ice Arena • Falcon Stadium • Fieldhouse • Jacks Valley • Soccer stadium History Academy History • Air Training Officers • Lowry Air Force Base Military Training Freefall Parachuting • SERE People Alumni • Air Officer Commanding • Commandants • Superintendents • Lance P. Sijan Traditions The Bird • Contrails • The Dodo • Honor Code • Insignia • Jabara Award • KAFA • Prop and Wings Units Wings: 10 ABW • 34 TRW Groups: 306 FTG Squadrons: 1 FTS • 70 FTS • 94 FTS • 98 FTS • 557 FTS

v • d • e Mountain West Conference (MWC) Air Force Falcons • BYU Cougars • Colorado State Rams • New Mexico Lobos • San Diego State Aztecs • TCU Horned Frogs & Lady Frogs • UNLV Rebels • Utah Utes • Wyoming Cowboys & Cowgirls MountainWest Sports Network (mtn.)

v • d • e Atlantic Hockey Air Force Falcons (Cadet Ice Arena) • American International Yellow Jackets (Olympia Ice Center) • Army Black Knights (Tate Rink) • Bentley Falcons (John A. Ryan Arena) • Canisius Golden Griffins (Buffalo State Sports Arena) • UConn Huskies (Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum) • Holy Cross Crusaders (Hart Center) • Mercyhurst Lakers (Mercyhurst Ice Center) • RIT Tigers (Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena) • Sacred Heart Pioneers (Milford Ice Pavilion) NCAA • List of champions • Blue Cross Arena (conference tournament site)