This Week: Air Force heads to the West Coast to take part in the Fullerton Tournament, Fri.-Sat., Sept. 11-12, in Fullerton, Calif. The Falcons take on Redlands, Chapman, CSUF and Concordia (Irvine).
Video Stream: ESPN+ for CSUF game only.Livestats: All four games will have livestats via theFosh.net.
Air Force Cal State Fullerton Tournament ScheduleFriday, Sept. 112:30 pm PT | vs. Redlands7 pm PT | vs. Chapman
Saturday, Sept. 129 am PT | vs. Cal State Fullerton3 pm PT | vs. Concordia (Irvine)
Series History vs. Opponentsvs. Redlands - Air Force leads 35-12. Last meeting, won 15-11 on Oct. 5, 2025.vs. Chapman - Air Force leads 26-2. Last meeting, won 20-9 on Oct. 4, 2025 at Gary Troyer Tournament.vs. CSUF - Air Force leads 6-4. Last meeting, Air Force won 14-12 on Sept. 6, 2025 at Fullerton Invite.vs. CUI - Air Force leads 10-8. Last meeting, CUI won 15-14 on Sept. 13, 2025 at Fullerton Invite.
Recapping Iona/Navy Open:Air Force went 4-1 last week, including a 3-1 run through the Navy Open. The Falcons opened the weeks with a 19-16 win over Iona in a neutral-site game in Greenwich, CT. The Falcons opened the Navy Open with a 20-9 setback to #12 Princeton, before rallying to defeat Johns Hopkins 15-14 in sudden-death triple overtime. Air Force defeated Mount St. Mary's 17-13 and George Washington 19-18 in double overtime.
Richards Earns WCC POW:Senior Jack Richards was named the KAP7 West Coast Conference Men's Water Polo Player of the Week for games played the week of Sept. 1-7, announced today by the conference office. Richards (Walnut Creek, Calif,) tallied 19 goals and nine assists, good for 28 points in leading the Falcons to a 4-1 record last week. Richards also had six drawn exclusions, five steals and three field blocks.Richards scored six goals in a 19-16 win over Iona. He added two assists against #12 Princeton. The attacker scored three goals and had three assists in the 15-14 triple-overtime win over Johns Hopkins. Richards had six goals and three assists in the 17-13 win over Mount St. Mary's and then scored four goals with an assist in the 19-18 double-overtime win over George Washington.Richards is the second-consecutive Falcon to earn WCC POW honors. Senior Tom Leggett earned the honor last week.
Recapping 2025: Air Force went 17-15 last season for its third winning season in the last four. The Falcons faced a ranked opponent 12 times, including 8 of its last 10 games to cap the season. Junior UT Tom Leggett led the nation in goals and points scored for the second straight season with 148 goals and 198 points, which were both school records. Leggett earned ACWPC All-America second team honors.
Who's Back: Air Force returns 19 letterwinners, including its top three scorers from 2025. The Falcons return Leggett and second-leading scorer, Jack Richards, who scored 84 goals and 143 points as a junior. Air Force also returns its third-leading scorer in junior Brady Kopperud, who netted 55 goals and 92 points.
Who's Gone: Air Force lost six seniors to graduation. The Falcons lost four-year starter Luca Smith in goal (242 saves and 14 wins), center Jake Dixon (37 goals, 61 points) and attacker Jackson Carter (20 goals, 57 points).
Who's New: Air Force welcomes 13 freshmen from the class of 2030. The group represents players from five different states, with eight hailing from California and one from the Czech Republic.
Cayden Bartusek - GK - Prague, Czech Republic (Jesuit Dallas)Pierce Bateman - CD - Columbus, OH (St. Charles Prep)John Cowles - D - Sierra Madre, CA (Loyola HS)Brandon Hansen - UT - Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Etiwanda HS)Nolan Hicks - UT - Clovis, CA (Clovis North HS)Tobin Hunt - AT - Los Angeles, CA (Loyola HS)Wesley Musgrove - AT - Western Springs, IL (Lyons Township HS)William Stewart - AT - Dallas, TX (Prosper HS)Sam Storrs - D - Moraga, CA (Campolindo HS)Wyatt Sturgeon - GK - Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit HS)Colin Sullivan - C - Walnut Creek, CA (De La Salle HS)Brandon Walton - UT - Las Habra, CA (La Serna HS)Matthew Woodroof - UT - Lake Elsinore, CA (Murrieta Valley HS)
Team Captain: Senior Tom Leggett is the team captain for 2026.
Leggett Chasing NCAA Goals and Points HistorySenior utility Tom Leggett is one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA history. Entering his senior season, Leggett ranks third all-time in NCAA Div. I for points (531) and goals (452).
NCAA Record Holders Entering 2026 Season* Goals1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 5862. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 5273. Terry Schroeder (Pepperdine) 1976-90 - 4444. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-26 - 452
Points1. Scott Schulte (Bucknell) 1977-80 - 8542. Roade Joksimovic (Bucknell) 2016-19 - 7144. Tom Leggett (Air Force) 2023-26 - 555(*Records based on research of NCAA Div. I programs' record-books.)
Tom Leggett notes:- NCAA leader for goals in points in 2024 and 2025 and was second in goals in 2023 as a freshman.- 143 goals and 183 points as a sophomore in 2024.- 148 goals and 198 points as a junior in 2025.- ACWCP All-American (2nd team in 2025, 3rd team in 2024, HM in 2023)- 3x All-WCC and 3x Preseason All-WCC- School single season and all-time record holder for goals and points.- Trained with USA Men's National Water Polo Team during the summer of 2026, scoring two goals in a 16-8 win over China.
Seniors Get Assignments:The Air Force senior class of 2027 recently got their first assignments upon graduation from the Academy. Upon graduation, the seniors commission into the Air Force or Space Force as 2nd Lieutenants.
Nicolas Cuenco - Space Force OfficerOwen Imasaki - Civil EngineerTom Leggett - Acquisitions OfficerJack Richards - Civil EngineerJonah Vander Veen - Civil EngineerAlex Zarcu - Space Force Officer
Up next: Air Force hosts the Rare Air Challenge, Sat.-Sun., Sept. 26-27, at the Cadet Natatorium/Heidmous Pool. The Falcons host Biola and UC Santa Barbara on the 26th and Wagner and Austin College on the 27th.