AIR FORCE
GOLF
2009-10 MEDIA GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS/QUICK FACTS
QUICK FACTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . USAF Academy, Colo. Founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1954 Nickname . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Falcons Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blue and Silver Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,400 Affiliation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NCAA Division I Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mountain West Superintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lt. Gen. Michael C. Gould Athletic Director.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Hans J. Mueh Athletic Dept. Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (719) 333-4008
Quick Facts/Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 2009-10 Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 2010 Spring Outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 2008 Fall Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Head Coach George Koury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Meet the Falcons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-11 2008-09 Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 2009 Spring Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Mountain West Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Falcon History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Year-by-Year Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Falcon All-Americans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Falcon Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19 Eisenhower Golf Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Falcon Invitational . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Service Academy Golf Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Traveling with the Falcons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Air Force Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Academy Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Athletic Director Dr. Hans Mueh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Air Force Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Falcon Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
GOLF INFORMATION Head Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Koury Alma Mater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . USAFA ‘93 Office Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (719) 333-2280 Office Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (719) 333-0820 Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . george.koury@usafa.edu Year at Air Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eighth 2007-08 MWC Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eighth Volunteer Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hassan Campbell (USAFA ‘02) Officer Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Col. Dan Uribe Home Course. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eisenhower Course Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (719) 333-2606 ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS Assoc. A.D./Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Troy Garnhart Asst. Director (Golf SID) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melissa McKeown Office Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (719) 333-9025 Office Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (719) 333-3798 Cell Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (719) 331-8321 E-mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . melissa.mckeown@usafa.edu Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.goairforcefalcons.com Mailing Address:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2169 Field House Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . USAFA, CO 80840
CREDITS The 2009-10 Air Force golf media guide was written and designed by assistant athletic communications director Melissa McKeown. Editorial assistance provided by the athletic communications staff. Photos were provided by DenMar Services and Trevor Brown, Jr./NCAA Photos.
AIR FORCE GOLF PROGRAM RATED AMONG NATION’S BEST In the September 2007 issue of Golf Digest magazine, the Air Force golf program was rated among the nation's best, tabbed 44th in the nation in the overall ranking. As part of its third annual College Golf Guide, Golf Digest ranked the country's best colleges with NCAA men's and women's golf teams. The College Golf Guide was designed to help high school students find the right school for their needs. There are three separate rankings that comprise the Guide: Balanced ranking, for students who place equal emphasis on school and sports; Golf First ranking, for students with dreams of playing golf professionally; and Academics First ranking, for students who are focused on education but still desire to play competitive golf. The "Balanced" ranking is the best indicator for the majority of young men and women heading off to college. Air Force, one of just three Mountain West Conference schools rated in the top 50 in the Balanced ranking, leads the MWC in the Academics First ranking at 39. Meanwhile, the Falcons also rate in the top 100 in the Golf First ranking, coming in at 94. Five criteria form the basis of the rankings: a college golf team's adjusted scoring average, Player Growth while on the team, academics, climate and facilities/coaches. In establishing the rankings, Golf Digest rated almost 800 NCAA men's colleges and more than 500 women's colleges in the five categories mentioned above. The Falcons rate among the top 10 percent in the nation in facilities/coaches, the top 20 percent in academics and the top 30 percent in adjusted scoring average. • Balanced Ranking: 44th • Golf First Ranking: 94th • Academics First: 39th
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
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2009-10 ROSTER Name Kyle Bailey Robert Belz Mark Boyer Travis Deckert Wes Denny Tyler Downing Peter Guzowski Andrew Hoops Alex Horrell Brian Hwang Daniel Katz Caleb Leestma Tom Whitney
Yr. Jr. So. So So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Sr.
Head Coach: Volunteer Assistant Coach: Student Assistant Coach: Team Manager:
Wt. 150 200 175 157 180 145 185 185 155 170 175 155 225
Hometown (High School) Austin, Texas (Westwood) San Antonio, Texas (Health Careers) Hershey, Pa. (Hershey) Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Heights) Cincinnati, Ohio (Sycamore) Sturgis, Mich. (Sturgis) Tiffin, Ohio (Tiffin Columbian) Highland, Calif. (Redlands East Valley) Scottsdale, Ariz. (Pinnacle) Irvine, Calif. (Northwood) Encino, Calif. (Westlake-Harvard) Seabrook, Texas (Homeschooled) La Quinta, Calif. (La Quinta)
George Koury (USAFA, 1993) Hassan Campbell (USAFA, 2002) C1C Josh McFarland C1C Lucas Catalano
Robert
Mark
Lucas
Travis
BAILEY
BELZ
BOYER
CATALANO
DECKERT
Wes
Tyler
Peter
Andrew
Alex
DENNY
DOWNING
GUZOWSKI
HOOPS
HORRELL
Brian
Daniel
Caleb
Josh
Tom
HWANG
KATZ
LEESTMA
MCFARLAND
WHITNEY
Kyle
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Ht. 5-9 6-2 5-8 5-11 6-3 5-6 6-2 6-1 5-11 5-11 6-2 6-0 6-3
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
2010 SPRING OUTLOOK Meanwhile, making an impact during his rookie campaign has been freshman Andrew Hoops. The newcomer competed in all five events of the fall season and was second on the team with a 74.5 stroke average. After tying for sixth place at the SAGC, Hoops posted a seasonlow 215 (+2) at the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate.
ROBERT BELZ
While Whitney, Hoops, Belz, Deckert and Bailey saw the most action during the fall for Air Force, they will be challenged in the spring for a spot in the Falcons’ top five. Rounding out the class of 2010 are Peter Guzowski and Alex Horrell, both of whom have competed on the Falcons’ second team.
Following several strong performances in the fall season, the Air Force golf team will look for even greater improvement during the spring of 2010. While the Falcons’ varsity lineup remained consistent for the majority of the fall, there will be numerous opportunities in the spring for different golfers to make their marks, encouraging the development of younger players on the roster. Leading the fall lineup for Air Force was senior captain Tom Whitney, who has been the standout player for the Falcons throughout the season and his career. Whitney, who holds the Air Force records for lowest 18-hole, 36-hole and 54-hole tournament scores, was the Falcons’ top performer in four of the team’s five fall tournaments. He posted three top-three performances in the fall of 2009, including a runner-up finish at the Service Academy Golf Classic. Whitney is also on pace to break the school record for lowest season stroke average, a mark of 72.0 which he set during the 2008-09 season. Kyle Bailey, the lone junior on Air Force’s roster, has shown the ability to score low for the Falcons, earning his first career win at the Service Academy Golf Classic in October. His second-round 65 at the SAGC was the lowest round of the fall for the Falcons as he won the tournament by five strokes, finishing at 211 (-5). However, consistency is the key for Bailey, who has also struggled at times during the season. Sophomores Robert Belz and Travis Deckert competed in all five fall events for the Falcons. Belz posted the best finish of his career at the Service Academy Golf Classic, placing third overall. Meanwhile, Deckert scored the first top-20 finish of his career at the Falcon Invitational, finishing a 217 (+1) to tie for 20th place in the individual standings.
In the sophomore class, Caleb Leestma, younger brother of former Falcon standout Ben Leestma, will look to earn his way into Air Force’s starting lineup. The top performer for the Silver team at the Falcon Invitational, Leestma also competed for Air Force at the Service Academy Golf Classic. Meanwhile, Mark Boyer also participated in the Falcon Invitational as a member of the Silver team, firing a career-low 70 in the opening round. Joining Hoops in the freshman class are Wes Denny, Tyler Downing, Brian Hwang and Daniel Katz. Denny in particular has shown some promise, after competing early in the fall. Denny was part of the Falcons’ top five at the season-opening William H. Tucker Invitational, while playing as a member of the Silver team at the Falcon Invitational. Downing, who will also compete for a spot in the Air Force lineup, participated in the Falcon Invitational. Meanwhile, Hwang and Katz will add depth to the second team. The Falcons’ 2010 spring schedule features a lineup of solid tournaments, beginning with the annual UTSA Oak Hills Invitational, hosted by UTSan Antonio, Feb. 15-16. Air Force heads to Chandler, Ariz., for Washington State’s WSU Snowman Getaway, Feb. 22-23, before heading to the Border Olympics in Laredo, Texas, March 5-6. This season, the Falcons return to the Triumph at Pauma Valley, hosted by San Francisco, March 15-16, while competing at San Diego State’s Barona Collegiate Cup in Lakeside, Calif., March 25-26. Air Force will compete in two more tournaments hosted by conference rivals, heading to Scottsdale, Ariz., for Wyoming’s Cowboy Classic, April 5-6, before competing at BYU’s PING Golf Cougar Classic, April 23-24. The Falcons wrap up the season at the annual Mountain West Conference Championship, May 6-8, which are being held for the fourth-straight year in Tucson, Ariz.
2010 SPRING SCHEDULE DATE Feb. 15-16 Feb. 22-23 March 5-6 March 15-16 March 25-26 April 5-6 April 23-24 May 6-8
TOURNAMENT UTSA Oak Hills Invitational WSU Snowman Getaway Border Olympics Triumph at Pauma Valley Barona Collegiate Cup Cowboy Classic PING Golf Cougar Classic MWC Championship
LOCATION San Antonio, Texas Chandler, Ariz. Laredo, Texas Pauma Valley, Calif. Lakeside, Calif. Scottsdale, Ariz. Provo, Utah Tucson, Ariz.
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
HOST UTSA Washington State Houston San Francisco San Diego State Wyoming BYU MWC
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2009 FALL REVIEW
2009 FALL TEAM RESULTS Sept. 11-12 T3 T 85 T 90 T 94 T 102
Tucker Invitational Tom Whitney Andrew Hoops Robert Belz Travis Deckert Wes Denny Team Score
14th of 17 69+66+75=210 83+76+74=233 80+82+83=245 77+82+78=237 76+83+83=242 298+302+308=908
Sept. 19-20 T3 T 20 T 29 T 62 T 71 105 106
Falcon Invitational Tom Whitney Travis Deckert Robert Belz Andrew Hoops Kyle Bailey Tyler Downing (ind.) Alex Horrell (ind.) Team Score
T6th of 19 72+71+68=211 72+72+73=217 70+70+79=219 76+71+78=225 79+74+73=226 80+76+84=240 82+77+82=241 290+284+292=866
Sept. 19-20 T 47 T 56 T 74 T 79 T 85
Falcon Invitational (Silver) T12th of 19 Caleb Leestma 78+71+73=222 Mark Boyer 70+81+73=224 Wes Denny 75+73+79=227 Peter Guzowski 79+69+80=228 Aaron White 77+80+75=232 Team Score 300+293+300=893
Oct. 5-6 1 2 3 T6 T 12 15 21
Service Academy Golf Classic 1st of 4 Kyle Bailey 75+65+71=211 Tom Whitney 71+75+70=216 Robert Belz 75+75+69=219 Andrew Hoops 75+74+73=222 Travis Deckert 74+75+79=228 Mark Boyer 79+72+80=231 Caleb Leestma 81+86+81=248 Team Score * 295+286+283=864
Oct. 26-27 T 24 T 34 T 59 T 82 86 T 88
Wimberly Intercollegiate 15th of 17 Tom Whitney 75+67+71=213 Andrew Hoops 70+69+76=215 Robert Belz 76+70+75=221 Kyle Bailey 74+73+79=226 Peter Guzowski (ind.) 71+77+79=227 Travis Deckert 77+74+78=229 Team Score 295+279+300=874
Nov. 4-6 T 11 39 T 48 T 53 T 55
Turtle Bay Resort Invit. Tom Whitney Andrew Hoops Robert Belz Kyle Bailey Travis Deckert Team Score
Rounds: 15
Strokes: 4,414
The Air Force golf team started the 2010 fall season on the road at the annual William H. Tucker Invitational, hosted by New Mexico. The Falcons, led by senior Tom Whitney, tied for 14th in the team standings. Whitney got his senior campaign off to a strong start, posting a 6-under-par 210 to tie for third place. Freshman Andrew Hoops was the next best competitor for Air Force, followed by sophomores Robert Belz and Travis Deckert and freshman Wes Denny. The team continued its season by hosting the 41st-annual Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational. Air Force tied for sixth in the team standings with a score of 866, which ranks as the seventh-lowest in school history. Leading the way once more was Whitney, who tied for third place with a threeround score of 211 (-5). Meanwhile, Deckert scored the first top-20 finish of his career, tying for 20th at 217 (+1), while Belz tied for 29th at 219. Also competing for the varsity team were Hoops and junior Kyle Bailey, while sophomore Caleb Leestma tied for 47th overall to lead the Air Force Silver team, which tied for 12th place in the team standings. Next up for the Falcons was a return to the Service Golf Academy Classic, which had been on a two-year hiatus. Air Force picked up where it had left off, winning its 13th-consecutive title at the event, finishing 23 strokes ahead of second-place Army. Leading the Falcons was Bailey, who claimed the first medalist honors of his career at 5-under (211). Whitney placed second with an even-par 216, while Belz completed an Air Force sweep of the top three spots at 219 (+3). Also posting a top-10 showing was Hoops, who tied for sixth place at 222, while sophomores Travis Deckert, Mark Boyer and Leestma rounded out the group of Air Force competitors. The Falcons returned to the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate, hosted by New Mexico State, Oct. 26-27. Air Force finished 15th overall with a score of 874, which ranks as one of the 20 lowest team scores in school history. Whitney was once again the leader for the Falcons, tying for 24th overall with an even-par 213. Hoops was just two strokes behind with a season-best 215, tying for 34th place. Meanwhile, Belz, Bailey, Deckert and senior Peter Guzowski (individual) also competed in the tournament. The Falcons closed out the fall season at the Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational, hosted by the University of Hawaii, Nov. 4-6. Air Force placed 10th in the team standings, led once again by Whitney. Whitney finished one stroke under par (215) to tie for 11th place individually. Meanwhile, Hoops was next for the Falcons, placing 39th at 224 (+8). Rounding out the group for Air Force were Belz, Bailey and Deckert, respectively.
ANDREW HOOPS
10th of 12 72+76+67=215 76+74+74=224 75+81+74=230 75+83+78=236 79+83+75=237 298+314+290=902
Team Stroke Avg: 294.3
* adjusted score (low four scorers included)
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2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
HEAD COACH GEORGE KOURY
GEORGE KOURY Head Coach Eighth Season • USAFA ‘93 George Koury is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Academy's golf program.
THE KOURY FILE
Year at Air Force: Eighth Koury is no stranger to Air Force golf. Before becoming the head coach, he spent three seasons as an assistant, working Alma Mater: USAFA, 1993 with both the varsity and the junior varsity programs. He was also a member of the Falcon golf team from 1990-1993, College Athletics: serving as team captain and earning MVP honors his final year. Golf, USAFA 1990-1993 At the start of the 2002-03 season, Koury took over for legendary coach Gene Miranda, who had spent 25 years at the helm of the Falcons' program. The transition from assistant to head coach has been Coaching Experience: seamless for Koury. Head Coach, USAFA, 2002-pres. Assistant Coach, USAFA, 1999-2002 Koury has found success early in his stint with Air Force. He has helped the Falcons continue their unprecedented success at the annual Service Academy Golf Classic, bringing home the championship trophy in each season at the helm of the program. In the fall of 2005, he helped guide Air Force to a first-place finish at the season-opening Falcon Invitational, marking the team’s first outright championship at their own tournament since 1969. He has guided Air Force to a total of seven team wins, as well as a runner-up finish at the 2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate. Koury has also been successful in recruiting, bringing in several players that have started as freshmen, including 2007 graduate Tyler Goulding, who ranks among the most successful golfers in Academy history, and current senior Tom Whitney, a participant in both the 2009 U.S. Publinks and U.S. Amateur. Koury has guided both Goulding and Whitney to all-conference honors, as well as invitations to the NCAA Regionals. Koury has also coached a pair of All-America Scholars in Whitney and 2005 graduate Scott Redmond. Meanwhile, he has guided the Falcons to seven individual tournament wins, including four firstplace finishes at the Service Academy Golf Classic. His golfers also hold seven of the 10 lowest individual tournament scores in school history. Koury graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1993 with a degree in engineering mechanics and was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, serving as a research and development engineer for robotics technologies. In 1996, he moved to Okinawa, Japan, and served as a civil engineer prior to returning to the Academy in June of 1999. Koury is married to the former Jacki Thomas and has three children, David (8), Hannah (5) and Mary (1).
Head coach George Koury with standout golfer Tom Whitney
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
•5•
MEET THE FALCONS
PETER GUZOWSKI
ALEX HORRELL
Sr. • 6-2 Tiffin, Ohio (Tiffin Columbian)
Sr. • 5-11 Scottsdale, Ariz. (Pinnacle)
Fall 2009: Member of the the Silver team at the 2009 Falcon Invitational ... competed as an individual at the 2009 Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate. 2008-09: Member of the Silver team at the 2008 Falcon Invitational in the fall ... competed as an individual at the Wolf Pack Classic in the fall of 2008. 2007-08: Competed at the 2007 Falcon Invitational as a member of the Blue team. High School: Lettered in golf for three years ... coached by Derek Lewis ... also earned two letters in tennis. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 40 ... son of Bruce and Jeanette Guzowski ... siblings are Brian (27), John (24), Mary (22), Tommy (19), Jenny (16) and Sarah (11) ... plans to become a pilot ... hobby is tennis ... favorite course he has played on is the Old Course, St. Andrews ... would like to play at Augusta National ... favorite quote: "Do right. Do your best. Treat others as you want to be treated." - Lou Holtz.
Fall 2009: Competed as an individual at the 2009 Falcon Invitational. 2008-09: Competed in the 2008 Falcon Invitational as a member of the Silver team. Miscellaneous: Named a Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athlete for the 2008-09 season. High School: Lettered two years in golf ... coached by Jay Thomas ... team won two state championships ... two-time region and state academic athlete. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 17 ... son of Steve and Cathy Horrell ... has two brothers, Stephen (30) and Michael (27) ... majoring in systems aeronautical engineering ... would most like to play at Augusta National ... craziest ambition is to fly Air Force One ... person in history he’d most like to meet is Bobby Jones.
GUZOWSKI’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘07 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (Blue) Falcon Invitational (Silver) Wolf Pack Classic (ind.) Falcon Invitational (Silver) Wimberly Intercollegiate
Score 77-71-87=235 73-78-80=231 81-78-82=241 79-69-80=228 71-77-79=227
Varsity Rounds: 15 Strokes: 1,162 Average: 77.5
•6•
Finish T89 T71 75 T79 86
HORRELL’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘08 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (Silver) Falcon Invitational (ind.)
Score 79-78-85=242 82-77-82=241
Varsity Rounds: 6 Strokes: 483 Average: 80.5
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
Finish 94 106
MEET THE FALCONS
TOM WHITNEY Sr. • 6-3 La Quinta, Calif. (La Quinta) Fall 2009: Competed in all five events for the Falcons ... Air Force’s top performer at the Tucker Invitational, Falcon Invitational, Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate and Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational ... tied for third at Tucker Invitational to open the season, posting a score of 210 (-6), which ranks tied for 11th-lowest in school history ... tied for third at the Falcon Invitational at 211 (-5) ... was also the runner-up at the Service Academy Golf Classic (behind teammate Kyle Bailey) with an even-par 216 ... now has eight top-three finishes in his career. 2008-09: Led the Falcons in all six events during the 2008 fall season ... finished below par in five of six events ... captured four top-10 finishes in the fall ... best finish came at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate, where he tied for third with a score of 207 ... finished sixth at the Falcon Invitational and seventh at the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate ... score of 212 at both of those events was then ranked tied for 22nd in Air Force history ... also fired a score of 213 at both the Wolf Pack Classic and Sycuan Collegiate Invitational ... was again the top finisher in each of the Falcons’ six events in the spring of 2009 … won a pair of tournaments, finishing first at both the Argonaut Invitational and the Desert Shootout … score of 207 at the Argonaut Invitational ranks tied for fourth-lowest in the Academy record books … his score of 200 at the Desert Shootout is an individual school record … also set school records for lowest individual single score (64) and lowest score after 36 holes (133) … named the Mountain West Conference Golfer of the Month for the month of March … was also the Falcons’ top performer at the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational, Morris Williams Intercollegiate, PING Cougar Classic and MWC Championship … earned all-conference honors for the first time in his career … was selected to compete at the NCAA South Central Regional, where he placed 27th overall. 2007-08: Competed in all 12 events in the 2007-08 season ... led the Falcons in eight tournaments, including the Jim Colbert Intercollegiate, Shootout at Angel Park, Wolf Pack Classic, Agua Caliente, UTSA Intercollegiate, Ron Moore Invitational, PING Cougar Classic and MWC Championship ... score of 202 at Agua Caliente set a then-school record for lowest individual score, while tying for lowest individual round (65) ... posted four top-10 finishes, including tying for second at Wolf Pack Classic ... added four more top-20 finishes, including tying for 14th in first appearance at MWC Championship ... led the team in stroke average (73.5) for the season. 2006-07: Competed in all six events in the fall of 2006 ... led Air Force at the Falcon Invitational, finished tied for fourth at 211 ... took medalist honors at the Service Academy Golf Classic with a score of 210, which then ranked tied for seventh
in the Air Force record books ... shared the team lead at the District 7 Shootout, tying for 30th at 214 ... led the Falcons at the Wimberly Intercollegiate, finishing tied for 11th at 215 ... did not compete in the spring. Miscellaneous: Named to the MWC academic all-conference team for the 2008-09 season … also named a Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar by the GCAA during his junior year … during the summer of 2009, he qualified for his first career USGA championship events, competing in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and the U.S. Amateur … advanced to the second round of match play at the U.S. Publinks … has been named Air Force Athlete of the Week on three occasions in his career (March 24, 2008/Sept. 21, 2008/March 23, 2009). High School: Lettered four years in golf ... coached by Scott McGihon ... three-time team MVP ... earned Rookie of the Year honors ... finished eighth at CIF State Championship ... ranked seventh academically in graduating class of 600. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 10 ... majoring in social sciences ... son of Mike and J. Whitney ... brother, Bob, is a 2008 Air Force graduate and former member of the golf team ... engaged to Jessica Laco … greatest moment in sports was qualifying for both the U.S. Publinks and U.S. Amateur in the summer of 2009 ... hobbies include guitar, pool and music ... favorite course is Judge of the Robert Trent Jones Trail ... would most like to play at Augusta National ... favorite professional golfer is JB Holmes ... favorite class at the Academy is economics ... person in history he would most like to meet is Simon Peter ... craziest ambition is to win all four Majors. WHITNEY’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘06 Fall ‘06 Fall ‘06 Fall ‘06 Fall ‘06 Fall ‘06 Fall ‘07 Fall ‘07 Fall ‘07 Fall ‘07 Fall ‘07 Fall ‘07 Fall ‘07 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational Tucker Invitational Wolf Pack Classic District 7 Shootout Service Academy Classic Wimberly Intercollegiate Falcon Invitational Tucker Invitational Colbert Intercollegiate Shootout at Angel Park Wolf Pack Classic Sycuan Invitational Agua Caliente UTSA Intercollegiate Southern Highlands Ron Moore Invitational PING Cougar Classic MWC Championship Falcon Invitational Ron Moore Intercollegiate Tucker Invitational Wolf Pack Classic Sycuan Invitational Wimberly Intercollegiate UTSA Oak Hills Invitational Argonaut Invitational Desert Shootout Morris Williams Inter. PING Cougar Classic MWC Championship NCAA Regional Tucker Invitational Falcon Invitational Service Academy Classic Wimberly Intercollegiate Turtle Bay Invitational
Score 70-75-66=211 79-78-76=233 70-69-74=213 72-72-70=214 72-72-66=210 72-75-68=215 80-77-75=232 79-78-76=233 77-73-73=223 73-75-66=214 73-67-71=211 82-75-76=233 71-66-65=202 77-74-66=217 77-79-79=235 72-73-69=214 67-71-77=215 75-74-67=216 70-73-69=212 68-71-68=207 74-74-78=226 70-72-71=213 76-67-70=213 73-67-72=212 78-69-76=223 69-66-72=207 64-69-67=200 75-78-79=232 73-69-76=218 72-75-69=216 72-78-79=229 69-66-75=210 72-71-68=211 71-75-70=216 75-67-71=213 72-76-67=215
Finish T4 T84 T11 T30 1 T11 T79 T76 T8 T10 T2 T57 T11 T9 T63 T20 T14 T14 6 T3 T37 T10 T24 T7 T38 1 1 T47 T23 T20 27 T3 T3 2 T24 T11
Varsity Rounds: 108 Strokes: 7,814 Average: 72.4
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
•7•
MEET THE FALCONS
KYLE BAILEY
golf course is Great Hills Country Club ... would most like to play at Augusta National ... favorite professional golfer is Tiger Woods.
Jr. • 5-9 Austin, Texas (Westwood) Fall 2009: Captured first career victory by earning medalist honors at the Service Academy Golf Classic ... shot a career-low 65 in the second round ... finished the tournament at 5-under-par (211) ... tournament score is currently tied for 17th-lowest in school history ... also competed at the Falcon Invitational, Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate and Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational. 2008-09: Competed in all six events of the 2008 fall season ... recorded his best-ever finish at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate, tying for thirdplace to lead the team ... marked his first career top-20 showing ... score of 207 at the event ranks tied for fourth-lowest individual tournament score in school history ... turned in the lowest round of the fall for any Air Force golfer with a 66 in the final round of the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate … one of just three golfers to compete in all five events in the spring of 2009 … best finish of the spring was at the MWC Championship, where he placed tied for 37th. 2007-08: Competed on the Blue team at both the Falcon Invitational and Agua Caliente in 2007 ... led the Blue team at the Agua Caliente at an even-par 216 ... competed in all five events in the spring of 2008, including the MWC Championship ... best placement of the season came at the UTSA Intercollegiate, where he tied for 43rd place. Miscellaneous: Named to the Mountain West Conference all-academic team for the 2008-09 season. High School: Lettered four years in golf ... coached by Brent Pool ... finished second in the district as a senior ... placed sixth at the Starburst Junior Tournament in 2007 and ninth in 2006. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 6 ... son of Roger and Sheree Bailey ... has a sister, Kristin (18) ... majoring in computer science ... favorite
BAILEY’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘07 Fall ‘07 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Spg ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (Blue) Agua Caliente (Blue) UTSA Intercollegiate Southern Highlands Ron Moore Invitational PING Cougar Classic MWC Championship Falcon Invitational Ron Moore Intercollegiate Tucker Invitational Wolf Pack Classic Sycuan Invitational Wimberly Intercollegiate UTSA Oak Hills Invitational Argonaut Invitational Desert Shootout Morris Williams Inter. PING Cougar Classic MWC Championship Falcon Invitational Service Academy Classic Wimberly Intercollegiate Turtle Bay Invitational
Score 79-77-80=236 74-71-71=216 75-77-74=226 80-83-85=248 78-76-76=230 70-78-73=221 79-75-83=237 70-77-73=220 67-70-70=207 77-79-76=232 81-78-80=239 75-77-77=229 75-80-66=221 75-78-81=234 78-72-83=233 72-73-79=224 78-85-77=240 78-73-73=224 73-75-75=223 79-74-73=226 75-65-71=211 74-73-79=226 75-83-78=236
Finish T93 T44 T43 78 73 T45 45 T29 T3 T67 74 T101 T40 68 T47 T68 T80 T48 T37 T71 1 T82 T53
ROBERT BELZ So. • 6-2 San Antonio, Texas (Health Careers) Fall 2009: Competed in all five events during the fall ... recorded a career-best tournament score of 219 at the Falcon Invitational ... matched score of 219 at the Service Academy Golf Classic, posting a third-place finish, the best of his career. 2008-09: Competed in four events in the fall of 2008 ... led the Silver team at the Falcon Invitational with a season-best score of 228, tying for 60th place overall ... also competed at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate, William H. Tucker Invitational and Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate … competed in five of six events in the spring of 2009 … best finish of the season came at the Mountain West Conference Championship, where he placed tied for 30th at 219 (+6) … also competed at the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational, Argonaut Invitational, Desert Shootout and PING
Varsity Rounds: 69 Strokes: 5,239 Average: 75.9
•8•
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
MEET THE FALCONS Cougar Classic. High School: Lettered four years in golf ... coached by Leslie Tilley ... third-team FCWT All-American ... student council president ... member of National Honor Society. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 1 ... son of Michael and Esther Belz ... has two siblings, Jessica (29) and Christopher (25) ... plans to become a pilot ... greatest moment in sports was the U.S. victory at the 1999 Ryder Cup ... favorite golf courses are Torrey Pines/Oak Hills ... would most like to play at Pebble Beach ... person in history he’d most like to meet is Ronald Reagan ... craziest ambition is to become a NASCAR driver ... favorite inspirational quote: “Nothing is as good as it seems, or as bad as it appears.” BELZ’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (Silver) Ron Moore Intercollegiate Tucker Invitational Wimberly Intercollegiate UTSA Oak Hills Invitational Argonaut Invitational Desert Shootout PING Cougar Classic MWC Championship Tucker Invitational Falcon Invitational Service Academy Classic Wimberly Intercollegiate Turtle Bay Invitational
Score 78-75-75=228 79-75-79=233 80-82-83=245 78-79-76=233 84-81-80=245 76-77-77=230 71-76-76=223 74-75-76=225 73-76-70=219 76-78-81=235 70-70-79=219 75-75-69=219 76-70-75=221 75-81-74=230
Finish T60 T75 88 T88 74 T39 T62 T53 T30 T90 T29 3 T59 T48
TRAVIS DECKERT So. • 5-11 Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Heights) Fall 2009: Competed in all five fall events for the Falcons ... recorded first career top20 finish at the Falcon Invitational, tying for 20th place overall ... his score of 217 (+1) in the event was a career low ... also tied for 12th place at the Service Academy Golf Classic. 2008-09: Competed in the 2008 Falcon Invitational as a member of the Silver team ... also competed as an individual at both the 2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate and 2009 Desert Shootout. High School: Lettered four years in golf ... coached by Chris Asmussen ... three-time state qualifier ... regional champion ... city league golf champion ... twice won city league scoring average ... also lettered four years in track and cross country and three years in soccer ... third-place finisher in the state in track and soccer ... state qualifier in cross country ... class valedictorian. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 14 ... son of Don and Angie Deckert ... has one sister, Kristin, who is on the rowing team at the University of Kansas ... majoring in systems engineering management ... greatest moment in sports was shooting his first bogey-free round (66) in a tournament ... favorite golf course is the Desert Mountain in Arizona ... craziest ambition is to talk to a shark ... favorite inspirational quote: “The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.” –Vince Lombardi.
Varsity Rounds: 42 Strokes: 3,205 Average: 76.3
MARK BOYER So. • 5-8 Hershey, Pa. (Hershey) Fall 2009: Member of the the Silver team at the 2009 Falcon Invitational ... competed at the Service Academy Golf Classic. High School: Lettered two years in golf ... coached by Michael Hamilton ... team won back-to-back conference championships ... earned team and individual conference title in 2007 ... also lettered one year in baseball ... Distinguished Honor Roll all four years ... recipient of Rotary Leadership Award ... Eagle Scout. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 23 ... son of Philip and Lori Boyer ... has a brother, Shane (22) ... majoring in aeronautical engineering ... would like to become a pilot/engineer after graduation ... greatest moment in sports was hitting a walk-off double to beat his rival team in extra innings ... hobbies include skiing, scuba-diving and backpacking ... favorite book are by Dan Brown and Clive Cussler ... would most like to play at Augusta National ... favorite golf course is Old Head of Kinsale (Ireland) ... person in history he’d most like to meet is Isaac Newton ... craziest ambition is to play in a Major. BOYER’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (Silver) Service Academy Classic
Score 70-80-73=224 79-72-80=231
Varsity Rounds: 6 Strokes: 455 Average: 75.8
Finish T56 15
DECKERT’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘08 Fall ‘08 Spg ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (Silver) Ron Moore Inter. (ind.) Desert Shootout (ind.) Tucker Invitational Falcon Invitational Service Academy Classic Wimberly Intercollegiate Turtle Bay Invitational
Score 78-75-75=228 79-75-79=233 80-76-83=239 77-82-78=237 72-72-73=217 74-75-79=228 77-74-78=229 79-83-75=237
Finish T60 T75 T89 T94 T20 T12 T88 T55
Varsity Rounds: 30 Strokes: 2,326 Average: 77.5
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
•9•
MEET THE FALCONS
CALEB LEESTMA
WES DENNY
So. • 6-0 Seabrook, Texas (Homeschooled)
Fr. • 6-3 Cincinnati, Ohio (Sycamore)
Fall 2009: Led the Silver team at the Falcon Invitational, finishing tied for 47th at 222 ... fired a career-low 71 in the second round ... also competed at the Service Academy Golf Classic. 2008-09: Competed in the 2008 Falcon Invitational as a member of the Silver team … also competed as an individual at both the Argonaut Invitational and Desert Shootout in the spring of 2008. High School: Lettered one year in golf ... tied for first at Houston Golf Association (HGA) Junior Classic ... registered two top-10 finishes on the Texas Junior Golf Tour ... notched five top-three finishes in 15 HGA events ... owned a 76.75 stroke average in 2008 ... also lettered in basketball ... all-tournament selection at the state homeschool basketball championships in 2005 and 2006 ... 2007 MVP in the state homeschool basketball championships ... all-tournament selection at the national homeschool basketball championships from 2005-07. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 29 ... son of David and Patti Leestma ... has five siblings, Ben (29), Katie (27), Emily (26), Peter (22) and Mary (21) ... oldest brother, Ben, was a standout golfer at Air Force from 1998-2002 ... would like to become a fighter pilot after graduation ... greatest moment in sports was winning the HGA Father/Son event ... favorite book is The Lone Survivor ... favorite inspirational quote: “The greatest thing about tomorrow is that I will be better than what I am today.” –Tiger Woods.
Fall 2009: Competed at the season-opening William H. Tucker Invitational ... also competed at the Falcon Invitational as a member of the Silver team. High School: Lettered four years in golf … coached by Paul Phillips … team captain ... team won a conference championship … sectional champion and state qualifier … first-team all-city, all-conference, allsectional and all-district … also lettered one year in basketball … member of the National Honor Society … achieved High Honors. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 14 … son of John and Gayle Denny … has one sister, Grace (21) … both parents attended the Air Force Academy … father played football at the Academy, while mother was a swimmer for the Falcons … hobbies include snowboarding and music … favorite golf course is Whistling Straits … would most like to play at Augusta National … favorite professional golfer is Tiger Woods … craziest ambition is to make it big on the PGA Tour … favorite inspirational quote: “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” –Muhammad Ali. DENNY’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Tucker Invitational Falcon Invitational (Silver)
Score 76-83-83=242 75-73-79=227
Finish T102 T74
Varsity Rounds: 6 Strokes: 469 Average: 78.2
TYLER DOWNING Fr. • 6-3 Cincinnati, Ohio (Sycamore)
LEESTMA’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘08 Spg ‘09 Spg ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (Silver) Argonaut Invitational (ind.) Desert Shootout (ind.) Falcon Invitational (Silver) Service Academy Classic
Score 77-78-81=236 75-82-83=240 76-75-73=224 78-71-73=222 81-86-81=248
Varsity Rounds: 15 Strokes: 1,170 Average: 78.0
• 10 •
Finish T85 T63 T68 T57 21
Fall 2009: Competed at the Falcon Invitational as an individual. High School: Two-year team captain … coached by Mike Parkhurst … member of Spanish National Honor Society. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 17 … son of Jerry and Marti Downing … has one sister, Marissa (16) … planning to major in biochemistry … after graduation, would like to attend medical school and become a flight surgeon … favorite golf course is Harbor Town … would most like to play at Pebble Beach … favorite professional golfer is Anthony Kim … favorite book is The Scarlet Letter … craziest ambition is to become a mountain man. DOWNING’S CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘09
Event Falcon Invitational (ind.)
Score 80-76-84=240
Varsity Rounds: 3 Strokes: 240 Average: 80.0
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
Finish 105
MEET THE FALCONS
ANDREW HOOPS
BRIAN HWANG
Fr. • 6-1 Highland, Calif. (Redlands East Valley)
Fr. • 5-11 Irvine, Calif. (Northwood)
Fall 2009: Competed in all five events for the Falcons during the fall ... Air Force’s second-best performer at the Tucker Invitational, Wimberly Intercollegiate and Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational ... shot a 215 (+2) at the Wimberly Intercollegiate ... best finish came at the Service Academy Golf Classic, tying for sixth place at 222 (+6). High School: Lettered three years in golf … coached by Mark Hopson … team captain as a senior … CBI champion in 2007 and 2009 … CIF semifinal state qualifier … tied for fifth at 2008 Junior World Championship at Torrey Pines … also lettered in football for four years and baseball for one year … in football, was named special teams player of the year in 2009 … advanced to CIF semifinals in 2007 and quarterfinals in 2008 … two-time CBL champions … named Redlands East Valley Athlete of the Year in 2009 … member of Honor Court. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 12 … son of Rod and Monica Hoops … after graduation, would like to fly C-17s … uncle, Steve Kovensky, played baseball at Florida State, while cousin, Janna Kovensky, played softball for San Diego State … hobbies include snowboarding and video games … favorite course is Torrey Pines … would most like to play at Augusta National … favorite inspirational quote: “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” –Albert Einstein.
At the Academy: Has not seen varsity action. High School: Lettered four years in golf … coached by Alan Ochiai … golf team captain as a senior … winner of Top Gun Award and most improved award … also lettered one year in water polo … named to Principal’s honor roll for three years … Scholar Athlete. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 30 … son of Young and Kay Hwang … has an older sister, Jane (22) … sister was a 2009 graduate of the Academy and standout on the women’s swimming team, holding numerous school records … would like to become a pilot after graduation … hobbies include swimming, beach volleyball and watching movies … favorite movies are Sweeney Todd and Zoolander … favorite food is sushi … would most like to play at Nullarbor Links Course … craziest ambition is to fly an F-35.
DANIEL KATZ Fr. • 6-2 Encino, Calif. (Harvard-Westlake) At the Academy: Has not seen varsity action. High School: Lettered three years in golf … coached by Scott Wood … career golf highlights include shooting 2-under to beat his rival team by one and shooting 1-over as a senior to get his team into Sectionals … named to the honor roll. Personal: Member of cadet squadron 4 … son of Brian and Mary Katz … has one brother, Matt (21) … brother is a wrestler at Princeton … plans to major in aeronautical engineering … would like a career as a pilot or working in intelligence … hobbies include hiking, golfing, playing with his dog and hanging at the beach with friends … favorite golf course is Pebble Beach … would most like to play at Augusta National … person in history he’d most like to meet is Abraham Lincoln … craziest ambition is to fly fighter jets … favorite inspirational quote: “Pain is temporary, pride is forever.”
HOOPS’ CAREER RESULTS Date Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09 Fall ‘09
Event Tucker Invitational Falcon Invitational Service Academy Classic Wimberly Intercollegiate Turtle Bay Invitational
Score 83-76-74=233 76-71-78=225 75-74-73=222 70-69-76=215 76-74-74=224
Finish T85 T62 T6 T34 39
Varsity Rounds: 15 Strokes: 1,119 Average: 74.6
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
• 11 •
2008-09 RESULTS Date
Tournament
Location
Course (Par)
Sept. 6-7 Team Score/Finish:
Falcon Invitational 286+300+286=872 — 6th of 17 teams
USAFA, Colo.
Eisenhower Blue G.C. (72)
Sept. 15-16 Team Score/Finish:
Ron Moore Intercollegiate 281+285+293=859 — 2nd of 17 teams
Denver, Colo.
Green Valley Ranch G.C (72)
Sept. 27-28 Team Score/Finish:
William H. Tucker Invitational 299+308+315=922 — 14th of 16 teams
Albuquerque, N.M.
UNM Championship Course (72)
Oct. 6-7 Team Score/Finish:
Wolf Pack Classic 297+297+289=883— 12th of 13 teams
Reno, Nev.
Wolf Run G.C. (72)
Oct. 20-21 Team Score/Finish:
Sycuan Collegiate Invitational 296+285+294=875— 12th of 20 teams
El Cajon, Calif.
Willow Glen G.C. (72)
Oct. 27-28 Team Score/Finish:
Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate 295+301+283=879— T12th of 18teams
Las Cruces, N.M.
NMSU Golf Course (71)
Feb. 16-17 Team Score/Finish:
UTSA Oak Hills Invitational 311+306+312=929 — 14th of 14 teams
San Antonio, Texas
Oak Hills C.C. (71)
March 2-3 Team Score/Finish:
Argonaut Invitational 295+286+308=889— 5th of 11 teams
Pensacola, Fla.
Pensacola C.C. (72)
March 19-21 Team Score/Finish:
Desert Shootout 278+290+287=855— T7th of 14 teams
Goodyear, Ariz.
Palm Valley G.C. (72)
March 30-31 Team Score/Finish:
Morris Williams Intercollegiate 315+322+324=961— 18th of 18 teams
Austin, Texas
University of Texas G.C. (71)
April 24-25 Team Score/Finish:
PING Golf Cougar Classic 297+291+297=885 — 11th of 14 teams
Provo, Utah
Riverside C.C. (72)
April 30-May 2 Team Score/Finish:
MWC Championship 293+298+284=875 — 8th of 9 teams
Tucson, Ariz.
OMNI Tucson National G.C. (71)
TOP INDIVIDUAL FINISHERS Name Tom Whitney Kyle Bailey Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney Tom Whitney
• 12 •
Tournament Falcon Invitational Ron Moore Intercollegiate William H. Tucker Invitational Wolf Pack Classic Sycuan Collegiate Invitational Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate UTSA Oak Hills Invitational Argonaut Invitational Desert Shootout Morris Williams Intercollegiate PING Golf Cougar Classic MWC Championships
Score 70+73+69=212 67+70+70=207 68+71+68=207 74+74+78=226 70+72+71=213 76+67+70=213 73+67+72=212 78+69+76=223 69+66+72=207 64+69+67=200 75+78+79=232 73+69+76=218 72+75+69=216
TOM WHITNEY Finish 6 T3 T3 T37 T10 T24 T7 T38 1 1 T47 T23 T20
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
2009 SPRING REVIEW The 2009 spring season began Feb. 16-17, as the Falcons headed to the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational in San Antonio, Texas. Air Force recorded a team score of 929 to finish 14th overall. Junior Tom Whitney was the top performer for the Falcons, finishing tied for 38th place at 223 (+7). Meanwhile, junior Kyle Bailey, senior Shaun O'Bryant, senior Andrew Gibson and freshman Robert Belz rounded out the group of competitors for Air Force. The next event for the Falcons was the Argonaut Invitational, hosted by West Florida, March 2-3. While the team had a solid showing, finishing fifth with a three-round score of 889, Whitney was exceptional, earning his first medalist honors of the season. He matched his best score of the season, firing a three-round score of 207 (-9) to finish in first place, four strokes ahead of his closest competitor. It marked the second first-place showing of Whitney's career, as his first individual title came at the 2006 Service Academy Golf Classic. Next in the individual standings for the Falcons at the Argonaut Invitational was O'Bryant, followed by Belz, Bailey and Gibson. In addition, freshman Caleb Leestma competed at the event as an individual. The Falcons headed to Goodyear, Ariz., March 19-21, for Denver’s annual spring invitational, renamed the Desert Shootout this year. Air Force had an outstanding showing, firing a three-round total of 855 (-9) to finish tied for seventh in the team standings. The team score was the best of the season and ranks as third-lowest in the Air Force record books. However, an individual performance by Whitney was even more impressive, as the junior won medalist honors for the second-straight tournament. His three-round score of 200 (-16) was a school record, while he also set individual records for lowest 18-hole score (64) and lowest 36-hole score (133). With the win, Whitney became just the third Falcon in school history to earn medalist honors on three occasions and the first Air Force golfer since Ben Leestma (class of 2002) to win more than one career tournament. The Falcons also received a solid performance from O'Bryant, who fired a 69 in the final round to bring his three-round total to 214 (-2), tying for 27th overall. Also competing for Air Force were Gibson, Belz and Bailey, while Leestma and freshman Travis Deckert competed unattached.
round score of 885. Whitney once more led the way, tying for 23rd place with a 2-over-par 218. O’Bryant finished just one stroke behind in a tie for 25th place, while Bailey, Belz and White also competed for the Falcons. Air Force then headed to the 2009 Mountain West Conference Men’s Golf Championship, being held at the OMNI Tucson National Course in Tuscon, Ariz., April 30-May 2. Saving their best round for last, the Falcons eighth at the tournament, turning in a three-round score of 875 (+23), including a total of 284 in the final round. Air Force's eighth-place finish was its best since TCU joined the league in the 2005-06 season, while the team’s three-round score ranks tied for 14th-lowest in school history. Whitney, who garnered all-conference honors, led the way, finishing tied for 20th place at 216. Next in the individual standings for the Falcons were O'Bryant, Belz, Bailey and White. Following the conclusion of the conference championship, the field for the 2009 NCAA Regionals were announced, and Whitney was granted one of 45 individual bids nationwide to compete for a chance to advance to the NCAA Championship. Whitney, the first NCAA Regional participant from Air Force since 2005, was sent to the South Central Regional, where he placed 27th in the field of 74. Whitney carded a three-round total of 229 (+13) for the tournament. With his performance at the NCAA Regional, Whitney capped off an outstanding season, leading the team in all 12 tournaments, including the MWC Championships. Whitney recorded a 72.0 stroke average for the season, setting a school record in that category, and now owns nine of the 25 lowest individual scores in Air Force history, surpassing 2007 graduate Tyler Goulding, who has five. Whitney has also fired a 214 or lower in a 54-hole tournament 14 times , passing Goulding’s mark of 13. At the end of the season, O’Bryant was named the team MVP. One of the Falcons’ most consistent golfers, he played in every tournament for the Falcons during the season and posted a career-best stroke average of 74.8, the second-lowest on the team. O’Bryant’s top finish came at the season-opening Falcon Invitational, where he carded a 1-over-par 217 to place tied for 12th in the individual standings, while his three-round total of 214 (-2) at the Desert Shootout in March was a season low.
Following his performance at the Desert Shootout, Whitney earned Air Force Athlete of the Week honors for the second time on the season. Air Force faced a stout challenge in its next tournament, the Morris Williams Intercollegiate, hosted by Texas, March 30-31. The Falcons compiled a team score of 961 to finish 18th in the tournament, which featured eight of the top 20 teams in the nation. Again, Whitney was the top performer for the Falcons, posting a score of 237 to finish tied for 47th overall. Bailey was next in the individual standings for Air Force, followed by O'Bryant, junior Aaron White and Gibson. After winning medalist honors in two of three tournaments during the month of March, Whitney was named the Mountain West Conference Golfer of the Month. The honor marked the first MWC golfer of the month award for Whitney, and the first for an Air Force golfer since November 2004 when 2007 graduate Tyler Goulding captured the honor. The final regular season tournament for the Falcons was the annual PING Cougar Classic, hosted by BYU, April 24-25. Air Force finished 11th with a three-
SHAUN O’BRYANT
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE From its inception in 1999, the Mountain West Conference has been committed to excellence in intercollegiate athletics, while promoting the academic missions of its member institutions. Progressive in its approach, the MWC continues to cultivate opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level, while fostering academic achievement and sportsmanship. Now in its 11th year, the MWC has been assertive in its involvement with the NCAA governance structure and has taken a leadership role in the overall administration of intercollegiate athletics. The Mountain West Conference was conceived on May 26, 1998, when the presidents of eight institutions -- Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah and Wyoming -- decided to form a new NCAA Division I-A intercollegiate athletic conference. The split from the former 16-team conference re-established continuity and stability among the membership within the new league and signaled the continuation of its tradition-rich, long-standing athletic rivalries. Five of the MWC's eight members have been conference rivals since the 1960s (BYU, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado State), while San Diego State (1978) and Air Force (1980) were longtime members as well. UNLV entered the fold in 1996 and TCU began its first year of competition in 2005-06, completing the membership in the MWC as it stands today. The Mountain West Conference headquarters is located in Colorado Springs, Colo., and is under the guidance of commissioner Craig Thompson.
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP TUCSON NATIONAL-CATALINA COURSE Date: May 6-8, 2010 Par: 71 Yardage: 7,144 Telephone: (520) 297-2271 MWC Contact: Javan Hedlund Office Phone: (719) 488-4050 Honored by Golf Digest as one of the "75 Best Golf Resorts in America," Tucson National features two distinct courses, including the Catalina Course, designed by Robert Van Hagge and Bruce Devlin. This will mark the fourth year the MWC Championhip will be held at Tucson National. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa has been the home to countless PGA Tour and NCAA events including the prestigious Chrysler Classic of Tucson. One of two courses, the Catalina Course has been the host course of the PGA Tour and is known for its magnificent views traditional style layout with gentle contours and tree lined fairways. Characterized as a traditional course, the Catalina has long provided a fair test of golf to players of every caliber.
2009 Mountain West Tournament Tucson National-Catalina Course, Tucson, Ariz. (April 30-May 2) TOP 20 INDIVIDUAL SCORES: Fin. 1 2 T3 T3 T3 6 T7 T7 T7 T7 T11 T11 T13 T13 T13 T16 T16 T16 T16 T20 T20 T20
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Name Steve Saunders Ji Moon Johan de Beer Tom Hoge Bryan Martin Johan Carlsson Robbie Fillmore Phil Henzlik Alex Kang J.J. Spaun Zahkai Brown James Erkenbeck Derek Ernst Nick Geyer Eddie Olson Zen Brown Chance Cota Jordan Rodgers James Sacheck Alexander Knappe Colby Smith Tom Whitney
School UNM UNLV TCU TCU SDSU SDSU BYU Wyoming SDSU SDSU CSU UNM UNLV UNM UNLV CSU Utah BYU TCU TCU UNLV Air Force
Scores 69+64+71=204 (-9) 68+67+73=208 (-5) 69+66+74=209 (-4) 67+70+72=209 (-4) 68+69+72=209 (-4) 72+71+68=211 (-2) 74+67+71=212 (-1) 73+68+71=212 (-1) 73+67+72=212 (-1) 70+73+69=212 (-1) 74+70+69=213 (E) 71+70+72=213 (E) 73+68+73=214 (+1) 72+74+68=214 (+1) 73+65+76=214 (+1) 73+66+76=215 (+2) 75+68+72=215 (+2) 75+66+74=215 (+2) 71+70+74=215 (+2) 69+75+72=216 (+3) 75+73+68=216 (+3) 72+75+69=216 (+3)
TEAM SCORES: Fin. 1* 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
School TCU San Diego State UNLV New Mexico Colorado State BYU Wyoming Air Force Utah
Scores 276 280 283 280 289 271 284 279 291 272 291 277 295 284 293 298 291 292
288 281 285 285 291 288 294 284 296
844 (-8) 844 (-8) 845 (-7) 848 (-4) 854 (+2) 856 (+4) 873 (+21) 875 (+23) 879 (+27)
AIR FORCE SCORES: T20 T30 T30 T37 44
Tom Whitney Robert Belz Shaun O’Bryant Kyle Bailey Aaron White
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
72 73 75 73 75
75 76 74 75 74
69 70 70 75 83
216 (+3) 219 (+6) 219 (+6) 223 (+10) 232 (+19)
FALCON HISTORY CONFERENCE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS Year 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Champ/Score BYU/1080 BYU/872 BYU/894 BYU/840 UTEP/872 BYU/830 BYU/830 Utah/865 UNM/857 BYU/858 BYU/842 BYU/857 UNM/879 Fresno St./865 BYU/862
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
UNM/842 TCU/851 TCU/847 BYU/875 UNLV/845 BYU/890 UNLV/867 UNM/855 BYU/867 UNM/867 UNM/856 UNM/865 BYU/846
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
CSU/850 TCU/844 SDSU/844
Ind. Champ/School/Score Brandon Kop/Hawai’i - 212 Rick Fehr/BYU - 212 Robert Meyer/BYU - 220 Rick Fehr/BYU - 205 *Judd McGlohn/AFA - 218 Brent Franklin/BYU - 215 Eduardo Herrera/BYU - 204 Matt Johnson/Utah - 211 Kent Jones/UNM - 207 #Paul Stankowski/UTEP - 207 #Dean Wilson/BYU - 209 Brian Kortan/UNM - 210 #Tim Herron/UNM - 215 Joe Acosta/Fresno State - 210 Todd Pence/BYU - 209 Ryan Hietala/UTEP - 209 Mike Pavao/Hawai’i -203 Andy Miller/BYU - 208 #J.J. Henry/TCU - 205 Manuel Merizalde/BYU - 213 Michael Kirk/UNLV - 209 Jon Lepak/SDSU - 219 #Martin Laird/CSU - 212 #Michael Letzig/UNM - 210 #Ryan Moore/UNLV - 206
AF Place 6/7 5/9 5/7 6/8 5/9 6/9 8/9 9/9 T8/9 8/9 8/9 T7/9 4/9 9/10 10/10
AF Score 1,155 917 928 897 946 931 945 961 922 934 902 902 914 937 917
Host School/Course BYU/Riverside C.C. New Mexico/New Mexico-South Air Force/Eisenhower-Blue Utah/Hidden Valley C.C. Wyoming/Cheyenne C.C. Hawai’i/Waikoloa Beach G.C. Brigham Young/Riverside C.C. Brigham Young/Riverside C.C. New Mexico/New Mexico-South UTEP/Coronado C.C. Colorado State/Fort Collins C.C. San Diego State/Singing Hills G.C. Air Force/Eisenhower-Blue Fresno State/San Joaquin C.C. Utah/Wingpointe G.C.
CONF WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC WAC
7/10 13/16 14/16 12/16 8/8 8/8 7/8 8/8 8/8
877 920 896 934 921 947 881 923 929
Wyoming/Cheyenne C.C. Rice/Columbia Lakes C.C. Neutral/Poppy Ridge G.C. SJSU/Poppy Hills G.C. Neutral/PGA West Nicklaus G.C. Neutral/Sunriver Crosswater Neutral/Sunriver Crosswater Neutral/Sunriver Crosswater Neutral/Sunriver Crosswater
WAC WAC WAC WAC MWC MWC MWC MWC MWC
Nick Becker/BYU - 208 Jay Choi/UNM - 215 Robby Ormond/TCU - 207 Adam Porzak/SDSU - 207 Eddie Olson/UNLV - 209 Steve Saunders/UNM - 204
8/8 9/9 9/9
907 931 924
Neutral/Sunriver Crosswater Neutral/Sunriver Crosswater Neutral/Tucson National
MWC MWC MWC
9/9 8/9
890 875
Neutral/Tucson National Neutral/Tucson National
MWC MWC
*denotes 1985 All-WAC Team member; # - Denotes current PGA Tour Professionals
YEAR-BY-YEAR AVERAGES Year 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01
TSA 324.03 315.25 311.05 310.03 307.12 305.94 310.90 305.46 304.09 302.53 299.40 298.74 302.70 304.94
PMA 81.01 78.81 77.76 77.50 76.78 76.49 77.73 76.36 76.02 75.63 74.85 74.68 75.67 76.24
Year 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
TSA 299.67 304.36 301.91 298.77 300.06 298.59 299.25 296.78*
PMA 74.92 76.09 75.48 74.69 75.01 74.65 74.81 74.20*
TSA = Team Stroke Average PMA = Per Man Average * - School Record
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
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YEAR-BY-YEAR RESULTS Year 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
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Conf. Finish N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 6th 5th 5th 6th 5th 6th 8th 9th T-8th 8th 8th T-7th 4th 9th 10th 7th 13th 14th 12th 8th 8th 7th 8th 8th 8th 9th 9th 9th 8th
Head Coach Lt. Dean Smith Maj. George Hill Lt. Rox Shain Capt. Rox Shain Capt. Robert Slezak Maj. Ron Allen Maj. Ron Allen Maj. Ron Allen Lt. Col. Vic Kregel Vic Kregel Capt. Ric Garver Capt. Warren Simmons Capt. Ric Garver Maj. Ric Garver Maj. Ric Garver Capt. Gene Miranda Capt. Gene Miranda Maj. James Thomas Maj. Gene Miranda Maj. Gene Miranda Maj. Gene Miranda Maj. Gene Miranda Maj. Gene Miranda Lt. Col. Gene Miranda Lt. Col. Gene Miranda Lt. Col. Gene Miranda Lt. Col. Gene Miranda Capt. Bud Nevers Capt. Vic Summers Capt. Vic Summers Capt. Tom English Capt. Tom English Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda Gene Miranda George Koury George Koury George Koury George Koury George Koury George Koury George Koury
Team Captain Craig Miller Craig Miller Larry Karnowski Larry Karnowski Larry Karnowski John C. Swonson, Jr. Norm Schulze Jim McIntytre Al Lucki Jamie Gough Dick Neate Rick Colt Scott Bench/Ken Kohlmeyer John Disosway George Krasovec Chris Young Chris Young Kevin Bench Jeff Sogard Jeff Sogard Jack Kearney Vic Summers Tom English Pat Youngs Russ Greek Russ Greek Mack Thorn Steve Cliatt Judd McGlohn/Craig Hall The senior class Jeff Cliatt Lawrence Hoffman Dan Willson Chris Gough Chris Gough Brandon Doan George Koury Jim Fagan/Jason Vitas Joe Dingman Trey Treadwell Ryan Luecke Jason Jensen Jason Jensen Danny Visosky Ben Leestma Ben Leestma Brandon Daum Timothy Thoren Scott Redmond Tyler Goulding Tyler Goulding Shaun O’Bryant Shaun O’Bryant
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
Team MVP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rick Colt Rick Colt Ken Kohlmyer John Disosway Chris Young Chris Young Kevin Bench Kevin Bench Jeff Sogard Jeff Sogard Jack Kearney Vic Summers Rick Sargent Rick Sargent Russ Greek Lee Andersen Judd McGlohn Judd McGlohn Judd McGlohn Glenn Wiggy Jeff Cliatt Michael Francis Chris Gough Brandon Doan Chris Gough Charlie Wahl George Koury Jim Fagan Trey Treadwell Trey Treadwell Ryan Luecke Matt Peterson Jason Jensen Danny Visosky Ben Leestma Ben Leestma Adam Wasinger Timothy Thoren Tyler Goulding Tyler Goulding Tyler Goulding Bob Whitney Shaun O’Bryant
FALCON ALL-AMERICANS KEVIN BENCH
JEFF SOGARD
RICK SARGENT
1974 Honorable Mention
1976 Honorable Mention
1979 Honorable Mention 1980 Third Team
A two-time team MVP, Bench became the Falcons’ first All-American in 1974. A two-time NCAA Championship qualifier, Bench’s greatest moment came in 1974, when he won the Pacific Coast Invitational with a 221. Bench defeated some of the top players in the nation including USC’s Craig Stadler, the defending national amateur champion. He had an impressive 74.79 stroke average that year as well.
Sogard became the second Falcon to win the RMIGA Championship when he placed first in the 1976 tournament. His 75.48 stroke average was almost two strokes lower than anyone else on the team. In 1976, he had the Falcons’ lowest score in 10 tournaments or duals.
The Academy’s first two-time All-American in golf, Sargent placed second in the 1979 Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, earning him a trip to the NCAA Championships. In 1980, he earned another NCAA bid, this time winning the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate.
JUDD McGLOHN
CHARLIE WAHL
JASON VITAS
1982 Honorable Mention
1992-93 GTE Academic; 1993 NCAA Postgraduate Award
1993 GTE Academic
McGlohn, one of just two three-time team MVPs for Air Force, remains the only Falcon to ever win the WAC Championship. In his senior season in 1985, he shot a 218 (71-69-78) at the Cheyenne C.C. to lead the Falcons to a fifthplace finish. In 1982, McGlohn’s 76.71 stroke average was among the Falcons’ best as he qualified for the NCAAs as a freshman.
Wahl’s 3.67 grade point average and his 75.73 stroke average in 1992 allowed him to become the Air Force golf program’s first Academic All-American. On the links, Wahl had many impressive performances, setting the Academy 54-hole record with a six-under-par 210 at the 1991 Robert Holmes Intercollegiate, a score which now ranks tied for ninth in the Air Force record book.
A four-time WAC Scholar-Athlete, Vitas was cocaptain of the 1993-94 team. His 78.70 stroke average that year ranked him second on the team.
BEN LEESTMA
SCOTT REDMOND
TOM WHITNEY
2002 All-America Scholar
2005 All-America Scholar
2009 All-America Scholar
Leestma, named a 2002 Cleveland Golf AllAmerica Scholar by the GCAA, had one of the most prolific careers of any Air Force golfer. A finalist for the inaugural Byron Nelson Award in 2002, his seven tournament wins are an Academy record. Leestma also won an unprecedented four consecutive tournament titles at the Service Academy Classic. As a senior, he was ranked fourth in the Mountain West with a 72.5 per round stroke average. He was a two-time academic All-MWC honoree and was a two-time All-MWC selection.
Redmond was named a Cleveland Golf AllAmerica Scholar by the GCAA in 2005. The Falcons’ team captain as a junior, Redmond helped Air Force to victory in three Service Academy Golf Classics, as well as the team title at the 2005 Falcon Invitational. Redmond also was recognized as an academic All-MWC selection.
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
Whitney became the latest Air Force golfer to be named a Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar by the GCAA, earning the honor as a junior. Also earning all-conference honors and academic All-MWC accolades in 2009, Whitney enters the final semester of his senior season with numerous school records, including lowest tournament scores after 18 holes, 36 holes and 54 holes. He owns three career tournament wins and has finished in the top three eight times in his career.
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FALCON RECORDS TOP INDIVIDUAL FINISHES Place 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st T1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
Player, Year & Tournament John Disosway, 1969 BYU Cougar Classic Kevin Bench, 1974 Pacific Coast Invitational Chip Diehl, 1975 RMIGA Championships Jeff Sogard, 1976 RMIGA Championships Rick Sargent, 1980 RMIGA Championships Steve Kirkpatrick, 1981 RMIGA Championships Craig Hall, 1982 RMIGA Championships Craig Hall, 1983 RMIGA Championships Craig Hall, 1984 RMIGA Championships Judd McGlohn, 1985 RMIGA Championships Judd McGlohn, 1985 WAC Championships Owen Shipler, 1994 Service Academy Classic Brian Crawford, 1995 Falcon Invitational Trey Treadwell, 1995 Service Academy Classic Matt Peterson, 1997 Service Academy Classic Matt Peterson, 1999 Cougar Classic Ben Leestma, 1998 Service Academy Classic Ben Leestma, 1999 Service Academy Classic Ben Leestma, 2000 Service Academy Classic Ben Leestma, 2001 Service Academy Classic Ben Leestma, 2000 Falcon Invitational Ben Leestma, 2001 Falcon Invitational Ben Leestma, 2001 Louisiana Tech Invitational Adam Wasinger, 2002 Service Academy Classic Ben Jackman, 2004 Service Academy Classic Tyler Goulding, 2004 Troy Invitational Tom Whitney, 2006 Service Academy Classic Tom Whitney, 2009 Argonaut Invitational Tom Whitney, 2009 Desert Shootout Kyle Bailey, 2009 Service Academy Classic
Place 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd T2nd 2nd
Player, Year & Tournament George Krasovec, 1970 Rocky Mountain Invitational Chris Young, 1971 Rocky Mountain Invitational Kevin Bench, 1972 Rocky Mountain Invitational Jeff Sogard, 1974 Rocky Mountain Invitational Jim Fucillo, 1977 RMIGA Championships Rick Sargent, 1979 RMIGA Championships Steve Cliatt, 1984 RMIGA Championships Judd McGlohn, 1984 Tucker Invitational Glen Wiggy, 1986 RMIGA Championships Charlie Wahl, 1990 UAB Invitational Brandon Doan, 1990 Falcon Invitational Charlie Wahl, 1990 Rice Invitational Charlie Wahl, 1992 George Buzzini Invitational Brian Crawford, 1995 Service Academy Classic Jason Jensen, 1998 Service Academy Classic Jarett Hamamoto, 2003 Service Academy Classic Jarett Hamamoto, 2004 Wyoming Cowboy Classic Tyler Labrum, 2005 Service Academy Classic Tyler Goulding, 2006 Service Academy Classic Tom Whitney, 2007 Wolf Pack Classic Tom Whitney, 2009 Service Academy Classic
Place 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd
Player, Year & Tournament Kevin Bench, 1973 Sun Devil Classic Craig Hall, 1983 Falcon Invitational Judd McGlohn, 1984 Falcon Invitational James Edmondson, 1995 Kroger Intercollegiate Ryan Luecke, 1995 Kroger Intercollegiate James Edmondson, 1995 Service Academy Classic Danny Visosky, 1996 Falcon Invitational
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3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd T3rd T3rd T3rd T3rd T3rd T3rd T3rd 3rd T3rd T3rd T3rd T3rd 3rd
Danny Visosky, 1996 Service Academy Classic Ryan Luecke, 1996 Service Academy Classic Danny Visosky, 1997 Falcon Invitational Matt Peterson, 1998 USD/Ashworth Invitational Matt Peterson, 1998 Service Academy Classic Ben Leestma, 2000 Long Beach State Invitational Ben Leestma, 2001 Emerald Coast Invitational Tyler Goulding, 2003 Service Academy Classic Scott Redmond, 2003 Service Academy Classic Timothy Thoren, 2003 Service Academy Classic Jarett Hamamoto, 2004 Diablo Grande Intercollegiate Tyler Goulding, 2004 Service Academy Classic Kala’e Leong, 2004 Service Academy Classic Tyler Goulding, 2005 Falcon Invitational Tyler Goulding, 2005 Service Academy Classic Kyle Bailey, 2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate Tom Whitney, 2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate Tom Whitney, 2009 Tucker Invitational Tom Whitney, 2009 Falcon Invitational Robert Belz, 2009 Service Academy Classic
LOW INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENT SCORES (54 HOLES) 1. 2. 3. 4.
200, 202, 205, 207, 207, 207, 207, 8. 209, 209, 209, 11. 210, 210, 210, 210, 210, 210, 17. 211, 211, 211, 211, 211, 211, 211, 211, 211, 211, 27. 212, 212,
Tom Whitney, 2009 Desert Shootout Tom Whitney, 2007 Agua Caliente Jarett Hamamoto, 2004 Cowboy Classic Ben Leestma, 2001 Falcon Antigua Invitational Kyle Bailey, 2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate Tom Whitney, 2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate Tom Whitney, 2009 Argonaut Invitational Matt Peterson, 1999 Cougar Classic Ben Leestma, 2000 Service Academy Classic Tyler Goulding, 2007 Ron Moore Invitational Charlie Wahl, 1991 Robert Homes Invitational Ben Leestma, 2001 Louisiana Tech Invitational Tyler Goulding, 2006 PING Cougar Classic Tom Whitney, 2006 Service Academy Classic Shaun O’Bryant, 2007 Agua Caliente Tom Whitney, 2009 Tucker Invitational John Disosway, 1969 BYU Cougar Classic Joe Petrosky, 1998 Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Tyler Goulding, 2005 Pioneer Classic Tom Whitney, 2006 Falcon Invitational Tyler Goulding, 2006 Wolf Pack Classic Tyler Goulding, 2007 PING Cougar Classic Tom Whitney, 2007 Wolf Pack Classic Andrew Gibson, 2007 Agua Caliente Tom Whitney, 2009 Falcon Invitational Kyle Bailey, 2009 Service Academy Classic Tom Whitney, 2008 Falcon Invitational Tom Whitney, 2008 Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate
Bold denotes current golfer
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
FALCON RECORDS TOP TEAM TOURNAMENT FINISHES
LOW TEAM SCORES (54 HOLES)
Place
Tournament/Year
1.
840,
2007 Agua Caliente AF Invit., Palm Springs, Calif.
1st
Rocky Mountain Invitational, 1969
2.
851,
1998 Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate, Laramie, Wyo.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1975
3.
855,
2009 Desert Shootout, Goodyear, Ariz.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1977
4.
859,
2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate, Denver, Colo.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1978
5.
864,
2006 Falcon Invitational, USAFA, Colo.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1979
864,
2006 District 7 Shootout, Las Vegas, Nev.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1982
7.
866,
2009 Falcon Invitational, USAFA, Colo.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1983
8.
867,
2001 Falcon Invitational, USAFA, Colo.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1984
867,
2004 Wyoming Cowboy Classic, Scottsdale, Ariz.
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1986
10. 868,
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1990
11. 869,
2006 PING Cougar Classic, Provo, Utah
1st
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1991
12. 871,
1997 Falcon Invitational, USAFA, Colo.
1st
Grand Canyon/Thunderbird Invitational, 1995
13. 872,
2008 Falcon Invitational, USAFA, Colo.
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 1995
14. 873,
2008 PING Cougar Classic, Provo, Utah
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 1996
15. 874,
2009 Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate, Las Cruces, N.M.
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 1997
16. 875,
2006 Wolf Pack Classic, Reno, Nev.
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 1998
875,
1998 Falcon Invitational, USAFA, Colo.
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 1999
875,
2008 Sycuan Collegiate Invitational, El Cajon, Calif.
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2000
875,
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2001
20. 877,
1st
Falcon Invitational, 2001
877,
1998 Missouri Bluffs Intercollegiate, St. Joseph, Mo.
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2002
877,
2005 BYU Cougar Classic, Provo, Utah
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2003
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2004
1st
Falcon Invitational, 2005
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2005
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2006
1st
Service Academy Golf Classic, 2009
2005 Falcon Invitational, USAFA, Colo.
2009 MWC Championship, Tucson, Ariz. 1996 WAC Championships, Cheyenne, Wyo.
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS Low Score (18): 64, Tom Whitney, 2009 Desert Shootout Low Score (36): 133, Tom Whitney, 2009 Desert Shootout Low Score (54): 200, Tom Whitney, 2009 Desert Shootout Low Score (72): 290, Judd McGlohn, 1984 Tucker Invitational Low Score, Eisenhower: 66 -- four times Lowest Season Stroke Average: 72.0, Tom Whitney, 2008-09
Place
Tournament/Year
2nd
Rocky Mountain Invitational, 1970
2nd
Rocky Mountain Invitational, 1971
2nd
Rocky Mountain Invitational, 1972
2nd
Rocky Mountain Invitational, 1974
2nd
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1976
2nd
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1980
2nd
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1981
2nd
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1985
2nd
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1987
2nd
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1988
2nd
Rocky Mountain IGA Championships, 1989
2nd
Falcon Invitational Championship, 1990
2nd
Ron Moore Intercollegiate, 2008
2009- 1 0 A I R F O R C E G O L F
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EISENHOWER GOLF COURSE Eisenhower Golf Course at the Academy has won acclaim as being one of the best courses in Colorado. Nestled in the razorback foothills of the Rampart Range, the blue course was first opened in 1959. It is named after former President Dwight. D. Eisenhower, who took part in the dedication ceremony. Home to the annual Falcon Invitational (formerly the Pikes Peak Invitational), the course has been challenged by some of golf’s best players including Jay Don Blake, Hale Irwin, Tim Herron, Steve Jones, Jimmy Demaret, Tom Kite, Johnny Miller, Andy North, Mike Reid, Sam Snead, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods. Eisenhower has been recognized by a few major publications. Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest and Golf Week have all named Eisenhower as one of the 10 best golf courses on a college campus, while Golf Digest also ranked the blue course as the third-best course in Colorado. Chris Bowles is the Director of Golf at the Eisenhower Golf Club.
EISENHOWER BLUE COURSE A typical beautiful Robert Trent Jones, Sr., design with large greens, long teeing grounds and fairway bunkers requiring 250-yard carry, the blue course is much like other mountain courses having very fast greens with the dominant break and speed coming away from the mountains. The par 72 can be stretched to over 7,300 yards but the 7,000-foot elevation makes it play much shorter. Other unique characteristics include no out-of-bounds and only a few small water hazards. However, that does not mean that it is an easy course, as the tricky greens and steep slopes rarely allow many low scores, even by the best of players.
1 - 372 yds., par 4 2 - 440 yds., par 4 3 - 191 yds., par 3 4 - 403 yds., par 4 5 - 572 yds., par 5 6 - 424 yds., par 4 7 - 174 yds., par 3 8 - 453 yds., par 4 9 - 577 yds., par 5 Total - 3,606 yds., par 36
10 - 402 yds., par 4 11 - 557 yds., par 5 12 - 433 yds., par 4 13 - 181 yds., par 3 14 - 424 yds., par 4 15 - 480 yds., par 4 16 - 568 yds., par 5 17 - 216 yds., par 3 18 - 434 yds., par 4 Total - 3,695 yds., par 36 (7,301 yds., par 72)
EISENHOWER SILVER COURSE The Silver Course, designed by an excellent Colorado architect, Frank Hummel, is the newer of the two Eisenhower courses. It is shorter than the Blue but makes up for its lack of length with fast, tricky greens, narrow fairways and many hazards. It is built in a beautiful setting with many spectacular mountain views and a view of the cadet chapel. The course, a par 72 with no out-of-bounds, complements the Blue Course very well because it requires more accuracy than length off the tee.
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1 - 406 yds., par 4 2 - 331 yds., par 4 3 - 183 yds., par 3 4 - 504 yds., par 5 5 - 358 yds., par 4 6 - 351 yds., par 4 7 - 524 yds., par 5 8 - 191 yds., par 3 9 - 380 yds., par 4 Total - 3,228 yds., par 36
10 - 349 yds., par 4 11 - 429 yds., par 4 12 - 459 yds., par 5 13 - 181 yds., par 3 14 - 346 yds., par 4 15 - 356 yds., par 4 16 - 324 yds., par 4 17 - 211 yds., par 3 18 - 519 yds., par 5 Total - 3,174 yds., par 36 (6,402 yds., par 72)
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FALCON INVITATIONAL For more than 40 years, some of the best golfers in the college ranks have come to the Academy to participate in the annual Falcon Invitational. The 54-hole tournament is held in September on the Eisenhower (Blue) Course and features teams from all over the country. In 2003, the event was named the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, in honor of the legendary coach who headed up the Air Force program for 25 years. In 2005, the Falcons captured the team title, marking their first outright win since the inaugural event in 1969.
Gene Miranda, the namesake of Air Force’s annual golf tournament, spent 25 years as the Falcons’ varsity head coach. A 1962 graduate of San Jose State, Miranda joined the Air Force in 1963 and served as the Academy’s junior varsity coach from 1968-71. In 1971, Miranda took over the reins as the varsity coach, where he held the position until his retirement as a lieutenant colonel in 1983. After a five-year retirement, Miranda returned as head coach in 1988, remaining until 2002. During Miranda’s tenure, the Falcons posted a 180-5 dual record and won 12 tournaments. Inducted into the Golf Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998, Miranda currently serves as the Director of Instruction at Eisenhower Golf Course.
INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS Year 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
Name(s)/School %Jim English/Colorado %Murl Hendrickson/Colorado Paul Simson/New Mexico Dennis Gorelick/New Mexico %Blake Stirling/Colorado Mike Malaska/Weber State Wes Campbell/Troy State Pat McGowan/Brigham Young Mike Gove/Weber State Mike Gove/Weber State Keith Banes/Utah State Jay Don Blake/Utah State Tom Eubak/UNLV Joel Kranz/Weber State Don Hurter/New Mexico Matt Potter/New Mexico Joel Kienle/New Mexico Chris Hudson/Texas Tech John Lindberg/Colorado Mike Glaesel/Colorado Ben Furth/California %John Nyuli/Colorado Alvario Ortiz/Texas Wesleyan John Hess/Kansas Jason Hill/Baylor Jonathan Kaye/Colorado 1993 Kory Bowman/Baylor 1994 Chris Brockway/Minnesota 1995 Chad Brandt/Baylor Brian Crawford/Air Force 1996 Jamie Broce/Ball State 1997 Jamie Rogers/Nebraska 1998 Steve Friesen/Nebraska 1999 Michael Harris/Michigan 2000 %Ben Leestma/Air Force 2001 Ben Leestma/Air Force 2002 Dan Swanson/UTEP 2003 Mike Mezei/UTSA 2004 Jeff Franks/Wyoming (unattached) 2005 Graham Delaet/Boise State 2006 Jason Kokrak/Xavier 2007 Ryan Spears/Wichita State 2008 Bryce Hanstad/Colorado State 2009 Steve Bidne/Northern Colorado % - Tournament shortened due to bad weather ^- Denotes tournament record for 54 holes
Score 75 152 230 218 148 223 216 214 224 213 210 214 215 214 215 220 219 219 212 222 212 145 219 215 215 215 215 219 213 213 212 210 209 207 140 207 210 207 209 206 204 203^ 205 206
TEAM CHAMPIONS Holes 18 36 54 54 36 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 36 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 36 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54
Year Team Winner Score Holes 1969 %Air Force 318 18 1970 %Colorado 624 36 1971 New Mexico 948 54 1972 New Mexico 922 54 1973 %Arizona State 609 36 1974 Weber State 907 54 1975 Brigham Young 877 54 1976 Brigham Young 874 54 1977 Weber State 916 54 1978 Weber State 883 54 1979 Colorado 877 54 1980 Utah State 884 54 1981 Weber State 897 54 1982 Weber State 874 54 1983 Weber State 882 54 1984 New Mexico 910 54 1985 *New Mexico 1,119 54 1986 *New Mexico 1,121 54 1987 *New Mexico 1,118 54 1988 Wyoming 917 54 1989 California N/A 54 1990 %Rice 613 36 1991 Colorado 897 54 1992 Colorado 883 54 1993 Colorado 889 54 1994 Minnesota 887 54 1995 #Rice/California 878 54 1996 Nebraska 875 54 1997 California 865 54 1998 California 852 54 1999 Notre Dame 868 54 2000 %San Diego 585 36 2001 Air Force/New Mexico (JV) 867 54 2002 UTEP 864 54 2003 Texas San Antonio 859 54 2004 Southern Utah 869 54 2005 Air Force 868 54 2006 Xavier 845 54 2007 #Wichita State/Iowa State 852 54 2008 Colorado State 837^ 54 2009 Colorado State 855 54 * - Best five scores out of six; # - Won on a tiebreaker % - Tournament shortened due to inclement weather ^ - Denotes tournament record for 54 holes
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SERVICE ACADEMY GOLF CLASSIC Simply put, Air Force has dominated the competition in the Service
academies.
Academy Golf Classic, an event that is the equivalent to the battle for
Also playing key roles in the tournament’s survival are Jerry Ah-
the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in football. With its victory in 2009,
mann, who was a classmate of Reemtsma’s in the Air Force class of ‘63,
the Falcons have won the Reemtsma Trophy, awarded to the service
Dave Brigman (AF class of 1970) and former USAFA athletic director Ken
academies’ champion, for 13 consecutive years (excluding a two-year
Schweitzer. Ahmann, who lettered two seasons in football for the Fal-
hiatus in 2007 and 2008).
cons (1962-63) and Brigman are airline pilots living in the Dallas area.
At the 2009 SAGC, Air Force golfers claimed the top three spots and
Several service academy dignitaries are also involved with the Clas-
four of the top 10 individual finishes, to finish 23 strokes ahead of sec-
sic, including 1998 chairpersons Doc Blanchard, USMA ‘47; Glen Davis,
ond-place Army. Capturing medalist honors was junior Kyle Bailey,
USMA ‘47 and Chad Hennings, USAFA ‘88. Navy graduate and former
who won the first tournament of his career with a mark of 211. Senior
Dallas Cowboy great Roger Staubach presented Air Force with the
Tom Whitney, the 2006 champion, was the runner-up, posting a mark of
Reemtsma Trophy at the 1998 awards banquet.
216, while sophomore Robert Belz finished third at 219 to help lead the Falcons to their 13th-straight title at the SAGC. Bill Reemtsma, a 1963 Air Force Academy graduate, conceived the idea for the Service Academy Classic. Reemtsma passed away after the
The Classic, held in the Dallas area for its first 14 years, was moved to Andrews AFB, Md., in 2009 in an effort to expand the event. Those wanting more information on the event should visit www.sagc.org on the Internet.
second tournament was played in 1994 but supporters of the tournament that he launched have developed it into a major event on the Air Force golf schedule. Among those who played integral roles in continuing the tournament in Reemtsma’s name were his wife Joy, his children, Maj. Gen. Edmund Rafalko (former athletic director at the Air Force Academy), former Air Force golfer Jeff Wilson and alumni from the other service
SERVICE ACADEMY GOLF CLASSIC Year 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2009
Year 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Junior Kyle Bailey captured medalist honors at the 2009 Service Academy Golf Classic.
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2005 2006 2009
YEAR-BY-YEAR RESULTS Champion AFA finish Army 2nd Army 2nd Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st Air Force 1st INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS Champion Team Trey Owen Army Owen Shippler Air Force Trey Treadwell Air Force Jim Davis Navy Matt Peterson Air Force Ben Leestma Air Force Ben Leestma Air Force Ben Leestma Air Force Ben Leestma Air Force Adam Wasinger Air Force Billy Hurley Navy Scott Manley Army Ben Jackman Air Force Patrick Beverly Army Tom Whitney Air Force Kyle Bailey Air Force
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TRAVELING WITH THE FALCONS This season, the Air Force golf team has had the opportunity to take advantage of Military Airlift for most of its travel needs. Using MilAir affords the team flexibility in its travel, helping reduce missed class time for the cadets. This year, most of the travel has been provided by Detachment 33 of the Colorado Army National Guard.
Members of Detachment 33 CW4 Tim Ames, Commander CW4 Matt Dorram, Operations Officer CW4 Brian Robinson, Standardization Instructor Pilot/Safety Officer CW2 Larry Ciancio, Pilot CW2 Tom McCleerey, Pilot CW2 Ian VanAbel, Pilot SFC Mary Ladebush, Operations NCO SSG Barbara Mullen, Admin NCO
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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY The United States Air Force Academy offers a fouryear program of instruction and experience designed to educate, train and inspire men and women to become officers of character, motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation. Each cadet graduates with a bachelor of science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. COURSE OF STUDY Cadets are exposed to a balanced curriculum that provides the knowledge, skills and responsibilities essential to a career Air Force officer. The entire USAFA experience is integrated and mapped to achieve a set of desired outcomes in every graduate. The core academic curriculum includes courses in basic sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. Cadets take additional elective courses to complete requirements for one of 32 major areas of study. About 50 percent of the cadets complete majors in science and engineering; the remainder graduate in the social sciences and humanities. Some of the most popular majors include management, aeronautical engineering, foreign area studies, history, behavioral science, civil engineering, astronautical engineering, electrical engineering and engineering mechanics. FACULTY COMPOSITION The majority of the Academy's faculty members, more than 500 total, are Air Force officers. They are selected primarily from career-officer volunteers who have established outstanding records of performance and dedication. Each has at least a master's degree and more than 55 percent have doctorates or other terminal degrees in their field of study. About 30 percent of the faculty are civilians who bring great depth of disciplinary and educational expertise and provide academic stability and continuity. Faculty members are intensely focused on cadet learning as an integral part of their officer development. The Air Force Academy has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for the most accessible and involved faculty for four years in a row. To provide greater contributions by a diverse faculty, the Academy has several distinguished visiting professors and endowed professors who serve one or more years. Officers from other services, as well as officers from allied countries are also members of the faculty. Distinguished civilian and military lecturers also share their expertise with the cadets during the academic year. ATHLETIC PROGRAM The Academy's athletic program is designed to improve physical fitness, teach athletic skills and develop leadership qualities. To achieve its goals, the Academy offers some of the most extensive physical education, intramural sports and intercollegiate athletic programs in the nation. Cadets take at least three different physical education courses each year.
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MILITARY EDUCATION AND TRAINING An air, space and cyberspace-oriented military education, training and leadership program begins with basic cadet training and continues throughout the four years. Seniors are responsible for the organizational leadership of the cadet wing, while juniors and sophomores seek to develop team and interpersonal leadership and instructional skills. Cadets are projected into as many active leadership roles as possible to prepare them to be effective Air Force officers. Fundamental concepts of military organization -drill, ethics, honor, Air Force heritage and physical training -- are emphasized the first summer during basic cadet training. Freshmen then study the military role in United States society as well as the mission and organization of the Air Force. Sophomores receive instruction in communication skills and juniors study the combat and operational aspects of the Air Force. The Academy offers courses in flying, navigation, soaring and parachuting, building from basic skills to instructor duties. Some cadets may fly light aircraft with the Cadet Flying Team. Summer training for cadets is divided into three, three-week training periods. There are a variety of programs available and each cadet is required to complete two training periods each summer with leave during the other period. All new cadets take six weeks of basic cadet training in their first summer. Combat survival training is a required three-week program during cadets' second summer. For other second-summer training periods, cadets have options such as working with Airmen in an operational unit at an Air Force installation, airborne parachute training, soaring or basic free-fall parachute training. During their last two summers, all cadets are offered leadership training as supervisors or instructors in the summer programs listed above. Extracurricular activities also are an integral part of the education program. The cadet ski club, drum and bugle corps, cadet chorale and forensics are a few of the programs available. NOMINATIONS Nominations to the Academy may be obtained through a congressional sponsor or by meeting eligibility criteria in other categories of competition established by law. For information on admission procedures, write to HQ USAFA/RRS; 2304 Cadet Drive, Suite 200; USAF Academy, CO 80840-5025.
www.usafa.edu
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HISTORY OF THE ACADEMY In 1948, a board of leading civilian and military educators was appointed to plan the curriculum for an academy that would meet the needs of the newly established Air Force. The board determined that Air Force requirements could not be met by expanding the other service academies and recommended an Air Force Academy be established without delay. In 1949, then Secretary of the Air Force W. Stuart Symington appointed a commission to assist in selecting a site and on April 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized creation of the United States Air Force Academy. After considering 580 sites in 45 states, the commission narrowed the choice to three locations. The summer of 1954, Secretary of the Air Force Harold Talbott selected a site near Colorado Springs, Colo. Colorado contributed $1 million toward purchase of the property. In July 1955, the first Academy class entered interim facilities at Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, while construction began. It was sufficiently completed for occupancy by the cadet wing in late August 1958. Initial construction cost was $142 million. Women entered the Academy on June 28, 1976, as members of the class of 1980.
ACADEMY LEADERSHIP Lt. Gen. Michael C. Gould is Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. He directs a four-year academic, military training, athletic and character development program leading to a bachelor’s degree and commission as an Air Force officer. The general is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Class of 1976. His career encompasses a wide range of assignments, ranging from head football coach of the Air Force Academy Preparatory School, to serving as Air Force aide to the President of the United States. He has held numerous command positions at the group, wing and numbered air force level, and was commander of Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center during 9/11. Prior to his return to the Academy, he was Director of Operations and Plans, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Gen. Gould is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours in the T-38, T-41, KC-10, C-5, C-17, C-21, C-141 and KC-135R. The general’s military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
VICE SUPERINTENDENT Col. Paul C. Ackerman
COMMANDANT OF CADETS Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Cox
DEAN OF FACULTY Brig. Gen. Dana H. Born
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COMMANDER, 10TH AIR BASE WING Col. Rick J. LoCastro
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ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DR. HANS MUEH
Dr. Hans J. Mueh is in his sixth year as the director of athletics at the Air Force Academy. A retired Air Force brigadier general, Mueh was vice dean of faculty for two years prior to his retirement from active duty in the summer of 2004. Mueh was heavily involved in Academy athletics before becoming director of athletics. He was the Academy's faculty athletics representative from 1996-2004 and was a long-time member of the board of directors for the Air Force Academy Athletics Association. Since becoming the director of athletics, Mueh has led the Academy to some remarkable feats. In 2007, the Academy was one of only three schools (Michigan State and Boston College) to reach post-season play in football (2007), men’s basketball and ice hockey (200607). It marked the first time a service academy has ever had a team compete in the post-season in all three sports. In addition, under Mueh’s watch the men’s basketball team has played in an NCAA tournament and the National Invitational Tournament’s Final Four. Mueh hired current head coach Jeff Reynolds and helped him continue Air Force’s winning tradition. The ice hockey team has won three straight conference championships and made three straight appearances in the NCAA tournament. Mueh was on the selection committee that hired current head coach Frank Serratore and led the Academy’s move into the Athletic Hockey Association. The women’s basketball program has shown steady improvement and tied a school record with four league wins in 2006-07. The football program, the Academy’s flagship sport, went through a major overhaul. Mueh led the transition from the retirement of the legendary Fisher DeBerry after 23 years at the helm to hiring current head coach Troy Calhoun, a 1989 Academy graduate. Calhoun’s impact was immediate, leading the Falcons to a 9-4 overall mark and a second-place finish in the Mountain West Conference in 2007. The Falcons qualified for their first bowl game in five years, playing in the Armed Forces Bowl in 2007 and 2008. Mueh has been just as successful behind the
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scenes with the administration of the department. Mueh restructured the department with an internal/external model that has streamlined resources and made the department more effective from top to bottom. In addition, he has the department on course to become a federally chartered non-profit organization which will lead to more fund-raising opportunities.
in the department of chemistry from 1970-72. He also served as assistant soccer coach and played semi-pro soccer with the Aurora Internationals in Denver during those two years, leading the Internationals to the Colorado state title in 1971. He volunteered for duty in Vietnam and served as an intelligence officer in Saigon, Republic of Vietnam and at Nakhon Phanom RTAB, Thailand, in 1972 and 1973.
Mueh has also been active within the conference and the NCAA. He was recently selected to be part of the NCAA Division I Amateurism Cabinet and has been active on the NCAA’s academics/eligibility compliance cabinet, the men’s golf committee and the region 7 postgraduate scholarship committee. Mueh has been equally active within the conference on various leadership committees. He is currently on the awards and recognition committee and has previously served on the joint council executive committee, and committees on championships, television and sportsmanship.
After earning his doctorate degree, Mueh returned to the Academy in 1976 as an associate professor of chemistry. He remained at the Academy except for a stint in 1985-86 as the special assistant for technical matters at the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.
Before assuming his duties as vice dean at the Academy, Mueh was permanent professor and head of the department of chemistry at the Academy, a position he held since October 1987 where he oversaw the annual design and instruction of 25 undergraduate courses for 1,500 cadets annually. Mueh was born Jan. 8, 1944, in Celle, Germany, and emigrated to the United States in 1951. He entered the Air Force in 1962 as a member of the Academy's eighth graduating class, and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry in 1966. While at the Academy, Mueh was a two-year letterwinner in soccer as a goalie. He still holds the Academy record for saves in a game with 30, accomplishing it twice in 1965 against North Carolina and Benedictine. In his junior and senior years, Mueh helped the Falcons to the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Soccer League championship and quarterfinal berths in the NCAA tournament. Following graduation, Mueh completed two assignments in intelligence before attending the University of Wisconsin where he earned his master's degree in chemistry in 1970. He later earned a doctorate degree in chemistry from Wisconsin in 1976 as a distinguished graduate. He has also completed Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College and Air War College. Between earning the two degrees, Mueh returned to the Academy as an instructor
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In 1986, he assumed the position of acting head, department of chemistry, before being selected for his position of permanent professor and head of the department of chemistry in 1987. As faculty athletics representative, he was active in both the Western Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference, and was the Academy's representative on the transition team to form the new MWC, the only faculty athletics representative on the team. He competes in golf, racquetball, handball and tennis, and has promoted Air Force Academy intercollegiate sports throughout his tenure, beginning with work as chairman of the hockey eligibility committee, officer representative to the men's golf team and five years as the officer representative to the football team. Mueh is married to the former Sally Flax of Cincinnati, Ohio. They have three children: Kristine, Kurt and Deborah.
AIR FORCE ATHLETICS Few schools in the country have an athletic program as extensive as the Air Force Academy's. The goals of the athletic program are to enhance the physical conditioning of all cadets, to develop the physical skills necessary for officership, to teach leadership in a competitive environment and to build character. There are three subdivisions of the athletic program: intercollegiate athletics, intramurals and physical education. The intercollegiate program has 17 men's and 10 women's NCAAsanctioned teams, facing some of the top competition in the nation. 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, rifle, indoor and outdoor track, swimming and diving, soccer, tennis and volleyball. In addition, the Academy sponsors two nonNCAA programs; boxing and cheerleading. The majority of the Academy’s men’s and women’s programs compete at the NCAA Division I level in the Mountain West Conference. The Falcons compete in this conference against teams from Brigham Young, New Mexico, Colorado State, San Diego State, TCU, Wyoming, Utah and UNLV. All sports also compete against non-conference opponents, including many nationally ranked teams. The football team competes annually for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, which is emblematic of service academy football supremacy.
Deputy AD/Head, Physical Education Col. Billy Walker
Vice Director of Athletics Brad DeAustin
Associate AD, Recruiting Support William Carpenter
The Falcons have won the trophy 16 times, which is more than Army and Navy combined. The winner of the annual rivalry visits the White House to have the trophy presented by the President of the United States. The USAFA Cadet Field House is one of the most impressive buildings in the country. It’s a modern, versatile structure with seemingly endless uses. The $5.6 million building is five stories high and 396 feet by 426 feet, the size of three football fields laid side by side. The structure is divided into three areas--basketball arena, ice hockey arena and multipurpose area. The three sections have a combined seating capacity of 11,000. Clune Arena seats 5,834. The Cadet Ice Rink has a seating capacity of 2,502, while the multipurpose area seats 1,000 fans for track and field competitions.
Associate AD, Finance John Coulahan
Senior Associate AD, External Affairs Jim Trego
Associate AD, Support Wayne Kellenbence
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Associate AD/SWA, Intercollegiate Programs Marti Gasser
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FALCON CONTRIBUTORS
LIFETIME HONORARY GOLF TEAM MEMBERS Pierson Plummer - San Francisco, Calif. Reed Funsten - San Francisco, Calif. John Zoller - Pebble Beach, Calif. Ed Haber - Carmel, Calif. Paul Spengler - Pebble Beach, Calif. Bill Reemstma - Dallas, Texas
Kjell Qvale - San Francisco, Calif. Bill Bentley - San Francisco, Calif. Tex & Kay Chandler - Santa Cruz, Calif. James Barash - Colorado Springs, Colo. Paul Kennedy - The Olympic Club, Calif.
2009-10 MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FALCON GOLF PROGRAM Rick Colt, Class of ‘68 Service Academy Golf Classic Eisenhower Golf Club Cleveland Golf • Mike Dunphy • Andy Dawson • Scott Kawaguchi Nike Golf • Michael Henry • Rob Terry Maj. Chris Gough, Class of ‘91 Ryan Luecke, Class of ‘97
Mary Jean Koury David and Kelly Koury Lt. Col. Brandon Doan, Class of ‘92 Gen. Randy and Jan Cubero, Class of ‘61 Dan and Donna O’Bryant Mike and J. Whitney Roger and Sheree Bailey Gene and Joan Miranda Mike and Esther Belz Rod and Monica Hoops Brian and Mary Katz
Special thanks goes out to the board of directors, managers and golf professionals of the below world class golf courses that have so generously hosted our cadet golfers over the past 30+ years. Cypress Point Club - Pebble Beach, Calif. The Sanctuary - Castle Rock, Colo. Pebble Beach Golf Links - Pebble Beach, Calif. Spy Glass Hill Golf Club - Pebble Beach, Calif. Spanish Bay Golf Links - Pebble Beach, Calif. Poppy Hills Golf Course - Pebble Beach, Calif. Monterey Peninsula C.C.- Pebble Beach, Calif. The Olympic Club - San Francisco, Calif. Carmel Valley Country Club - Carmel, Calif. San Francisco Golf Club - San Francisco, Calif. Tahama - Carmel, Calif. Fort Ord - Monterey, Calif. The Reserve - Palm Desert, Calif.
Brook Hollow - Dallas, Texas Castle Pines Golf Club - Castle Rock, Colo. Broadmoor Golf Club - Colorado Springs, Colo. The C.C. of Colorado - Colorado Springs, Colo. Kissing Camels Club - Colorado Springs, Colo. Preston Trail Country Club - Dallas, Texas Shady Oaks Golf Club - Ft. Worth, Texas Rancho Canada - Carmel, Calif. Pasatiempo Golf Club - Santa Cruz, Calif. Carmel Valley Ranch - Carmel, Calif. The Valley Club - Santa Barbara, Calif. Oakland Hills - Birmingham, Mich. Colorado Springs C.C. - Colorado Springs, Colo.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR AIR FORCE GOLF BY JOINING THE FALCON PRIDE CLUB! When you donate to the Falcon Pride Club, you are directly enhancing the experience of our cadet-athletes. 100% of the funds you contribute will go directly towards the sport of your choice. The Falcon Pride Club will help give our coaches and cadet-athletes the resources they need to compete on the highest level in college athletics. When you're a fan of Air Force Athletics, you're a part of our team. That's why we invite you to join the Falcon Pride Club. Your generous donation to Falcon Pride will also help ensure the long-term stability of all 27 varsity sports. The athletic experience is a major part of the Academy's mission, helping our cadet-athletes become leaders on and off the playing field. You will help leave a legacy that will benefit future generations of cadet-athletes. • 100% of your donation will be applied as directed, allowing you to support the team of your choice. • All donations to the Falcon Pride Club are tax deductible. • Annual memberships begin at only $100. For more information on the Falcon Pride Club, visit goairforcefalcons.com/falcon-pride.
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2010 SPRING SCHEDULE DATE
TOURNAMENT
LOCATION
FEB. 16-17 FEB. 22-23 MARCH 5-6 MARCH 15-16 MARCH 25-26 APRIL 5-6 APRIL 23-24 MAY 6-8
UTSA OAK HILLS INVITATIONAL WSU SNOWMAN GETAWAY BORDER OLYMPICS TRIUMPH AT PAUMA VALLEY BARONA COLLEGIATE CUP COWBOY CLASSIC PING COUGAR CLASSIC MWC CHAMPIONSHIP
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS CHANDLER, ARIZ. LAREDO, TEXAS PAUMA VALLEY, CALIF. LAKESIDE, CALIF. SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. PROVO, UTAH TUCSON, ARIZ.