<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0HMccy_0wCkphvz00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0HMccy_0wCkphvz00" width="1600" height="1066" >This Week: #5 Air Force men's water polo hosts #5 Pepperdine this Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Cadet Natatorium. The game starts at noon MT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.Air Force vs. #5 PepperdineSunday, Oct. 20 - Cadet Natatorium - USAFA, CO - 12 pm MTWatch: ESPN+Livestats: FoshNotable:The Air Force coaching staff will be wearing pink for Breast Cancer Awareness as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Staff will also be wearing ribbons to promote cancer awareness.Series History- Air Force trails 4-46. Last meeting, lost 16-11, on Oct. 29, 2023. - The Falcons have dropped 17 consecutive games to Pepperdine.- The last win was Nov. 10, 1996, in a 8-7 win at Pepperdine.Recapping Last Week: Air Force was off from competition last weekend. The Falcons went 2-3 across five games the weekend before, going 2-2 at the Troyer Invite and then dropping a contest at #13 UC San Diego.NCAA Rankings (As of 10/16/24)Goals - Tom Leggett - 1st/97Points - Tom Leggett - 1st/122Points - Jack Richards - 9th/71Assists - Jacob Yi - 1st/46Sprint Wins - Jacob Yi - 9th/17Steals - Jacob Yi - 1st/34Steals - Luca Smith - 2nd/35Saves - Luca Smith - 2nd/159Recapping 2023: Air Force went 17-16 last year and 1-5 in the first year as member of the West Coast Conference. Freshman Tom Leggett led the team with 114 goals and 143 points.Who's Back: Air Force returns 15 letterwinners, including 9 of its 10 top scorers from 2023. The Falcons return UT Tom Leggett, who led the WCC and ranked second in the nation with 114 goals as a freshman. He also ranked fourth in the nation with 143 points. Sophomore Jack Richards was second on the team with 59 goals last season. Junior Luca Smith started 17 games in goal for the Falcons last season, recording 125 saves.Who's Gone: Air Force lost four seniors to graduation. Ian Christie was the second-leading scorer for the Falcons with 92 points and a team-leading 59 assists. He graduates as Air Force's all-time assists leader with 214. The Falcons also graduated Sam De La Cruz, Cole Kopperud and Joey Schell.Who's New: Air Force welcomes 10 freshmen from the class of 2028. The freshmen come from four different states, with six from California and two from Washington.Aiden Blatt - AT - Bellevue, WA/Newport HSGavin Carter - AT - Broomfield, CA/Stargate Charter HSBrady Kopperud - UT - Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Damien HSGavin Honken - C - Elmhurst, IL/York CommunityLuke Logan - C - Seattle, WA/Kennedy Catholic HSAlexander Lyukmanov - AT - Santa Monica, CA/Redondo Beach HSDante Nocetti - AT - Sacramento, CA/JesuitJay Pyle - GK - Huntington Beach, CA/Huntington Beach HSOwen Steckmest - AT - San Jose, CA/Valley Christian HSBenny Swanson - C - Detroit, MI/Walled Lake Central HS2024 Honors:So. UT Tom Leggett- 2024 WCC Preseason All-Conference Team- Air Force Athletics Athlete of the Week (Sept. 9)- WCC Player of the Week (Sept. 24)- WCC Player of the Week (Oct. 8)Air Force Record Book Watch:Most goals in a season:1. Grant Snyder, 2022 - 1232. Ben Phillips, 1972 - 1203. Tom Leggett, 2023 - 1144. Tom Leggett, 2024 - 97Most points in a season:1. Grant Snyder, 2022 - 1812. Ian Christie, 2022 - 1703. Ben Phillips, 1972 - 1454. Tom Leggett, 2023 - 1435. Tom Leggett, 2024 - 122Most goals career: 1. Ben Phillips (1971-74) - 3392. Grant Snyder (2019-22) - 2833. Tom Leggett (2023-24) - 265Up next: Air Force plays four games next weekend. The Falcons travel to current-#1 Stanford on Friday, Oct. 25. Air Force then plays in the Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament Oct. 26-27. The Falcons play Fresno Pacific and Pomona-Pitzer on the 26th and Fordham on the 27th. All three games for the Fraser Memorial Tourney will be played at SRAC Pool in San Jose, Calif.Miscellanous Team Notes:Air Force is in its 54th season of men's water polo ... The Falcons are in their second season at members of the West Coast Conference ... The Falcons were previously members of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) from 1987-2022 ... sophomore UT Tom Leggett ranked second in the nation in goals (114) and fourth in points (143) as a freshman, earning ACWPC All-American Honorable Mention honors ... Leggett led the WCC in goals and points in 2023 ... freshman Brady Kopperud is the second member of his family to play Air Force water polo. His brother, Cole, was a four-year letterwinner and 2024 USAFA graduate.</div></body>

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Air Force Water Polo Hosts #5 Pepperdine

This Week: #5 Air Force men's water polo hosts #5 Pepperdine this Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Cadet Natatorium. The game starts at noon MT and will be broadcast on ESPN+. Sunday, Oct. 20 - Cadet Natatorium - USAFA, CO - 12 pm MT. Watch: ESPN+. Livestats: Fosh. Notable:. The...