College Sports
Air Force Academy Athletics
NCAA Championship Play-in AIR FORCE FALCONS (8-7, 4-1 ASUN) at ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS (11-5, 6-1 NEC) 5 p.m. ET, Wednesday, May 7 Joe Walton Stadium – Moon Township, Pa. For the first time since 2017, the Falcons are making an NCAA Championship Tournament appearance, this time taking on Robert Morris in the play-in at […]
NCAA Championship Play-in
AIR FORCE FALCONS (8-7, 4-1 ASUN)
at ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS (11-5, 6-1 NEC)
5 p.m. ET, Wednesday, May 7
Joe Walton Stadium – Moon Township, Pa.
For the first time since 2017, the Falcons are making an NCAA Championship Tournament appearance, this time taking on Robert Morris in the play-in at Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.
Follow Along
Wednesday’s match will be streamed through ESPN+. Fans can follow along with live stats through StatBroadcast on the Robert Morris page here.
The History
Wednesday’s matchup will mark the 11th all-time meeting between the two programs, with the series currently tied at five wins apiece. The rivalry began in 2010 and featured non-conference meetings in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2021. The series resumed in 2022 when both schools joined the ASUN, with RMU defeating Air Force 9-7 in the semifinals en route to the conference title. At Joe Walton Stadium. Air Force holds a narrow 3-2 edge.
Common Opponents
The only shared opponent this season is Bellarmine. Air Force earned an 18-6 victory while RMU fell to the Knights 13-10.
A Look at Air Force
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, here is how the Falcons stack up against the 18 teams in the dance:
-Shot percentage: .336 (2nd in the NCAA)
-Man-up offense: .500 (7th in the NCAA)
-Man-down defense: .700 (15th in the NCAA)
-Scoring Offense: 12.53 (18th in the NCAA)
–Caelan Driggs: 3.53 goals per game (4th in the NCAA), .442 shot percentage (18th)
–Ryan Stadelmaier: .457 shot percentage (13th in NCAA)
–Josh Yago: 2.07 assists per game (15th in the NCAA)
A Glance at the Colonials
Robert Morris will take the field under the command of coach Craig McDonald in his fourth season. McDonald has guided the Colonials to consistent success, including an impressive return to the Northeast Conference (NEC) in 2025, capturing the regular season title with a 6-1 record, the tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
NEC Player of the Year Bo Columbus became the fourth Colonial to earn the honor. Columbus set the RMU single-season record with 223 faceoff wins, including a 20-win performance against Mercyhurst—the most by any NEC player this season. His 123 ground balls also set a single-season record with 247 career ground balls, Columbus ranks second in program history.
NEC Offensive Player of the Year David Burr is just the second Colonial to receive the honor. Burr recorded 31 goals, a career-high 24 assists, 55 points, and 21 ground balls. He posted 12 multi-point games and recorded points in 15 of 16 contests this season.
Air Force Postseason Awards
Six Falcons earned spots across the All-Conference teams highlighted by Offensive Player of the Year, Specialist of the Year, and Coach of the Year accolades.
Air Force team captain Josh Yago is the Falcons’ leading point scorer and was named the 2025 ASUN Offensive Player of the Year. Yago, the league’s top assister, has 31 assists this season with 13 in conference play. He has five hat tricks and four seven-point showings this season highlighted by a career-best five goal game against Marist. Yago also earned his second All-ASUN nod in 2025, this year’s being unanimous.
The Falcons’ Cole Cunningham secured the Specialist of the Year accolade. He was second in the league in ground balls per game (5.25) and has picked up a career best eight ground balls on three occasions. He is eighth in the league in caused turnovers per game (1.15) and caused a career best five turnovers five turnovers against Queens.
ASUN Coach of the Year Bill Wilson turned around an 0-4 start to the season to a six-game winning streak heading into the national tournament. He guided the Falcons to a share of the ASUN Regular Season title while knocking off previous conference undefeated Utah. This season’s Air Force squad has the league’s best shot percentage (.333) and averages the second-most goals per game with 12.46.
Yago and Cunningham alongside Wes Peene won All-ASUN First Team nods while AF goals leader Caelan Driggs earned a spot on the second team. Freshman LSM Aidan Chairs represented the Falcons on the All-Freshman team.
Three Falcons earned spots on the 2025 Academic All-ASUN team in seniors Wes Peene and Daniel Haimes, and junior Cole Cunningham. The academic honors mark the first for Air Force since joining the league in 2022.
Dynamic Duo
Josh Yago (65) and Caelan Driggs (63) combine for 125 points this season, marking the first time AF has had two 50-point-plud scorers for the first time since 2022 where Brandon Dodd (70) and Brenden Crouse (52) combined for 122 points.
Etching into the Record Book
–Josh Yago’s 149 career points is sixth most in the record book. His 73 career assists are fourth highest overtaking former teammate Brandon Dodd (2020-23) who is now fifth with 70. Chris Walsch is third with 75 (2015-17). Yago’s 31 single season assists overtakes his 2024 mark for second-most in program history.
–Caelan Driggs’ 53 single-season goals is the most in program history, overtaking Mike Crampton’s previous single-season goals record with 48 in 2015. His 90 career goals is sixth most in the record book.
–Wes Peene has played in 62 career games, the sixth most by any Falcon.
–Jake Marek’s 22 saves against Utah are the second-most single-game saves in the record book. Tim Morris (1996) holds the record (26).
Gone Streaking
-The Falcons are on a six-game winning streak heading into the tournament.
–Caelan Driggs has scored a goal in every game this season. He is on a seven-game hat trick streak and has 12 hat tricks this season.
–Josh Yago has scored a goal in every game this season and dished at least one assist in all but two game this year.
–Cole Cunningham has led the Falcons in ground balls in every conference game this season and a total of six-straight games.
Coming Up
The winner of the play-in game will travel to College Park, Maryland, to take on the No. 2 seed Terps on Sunday, May 11, at SECU Stadium. Action is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Last Time Out
Air Force claimed the Atlantic Sun Conference lacrosse tournament championship title in a hard-fought win against back-to-back league champions Utah, 11-10, Sunday afternoon at Rock Stadium. The Falcons, now making their sixth all-time NCAA Championship Tournament appearance, have battled to a winning record at 8-7 overall.
Junior attack man Calean Driggs, for the 12th time this season and seventh game in a row, put up a hat trick performance, this time scoring four goals on 11 shots. Driggs remains in the top five of all NCAA goal scorers with 53 goals (3.5 gpg). The Falcons displayed their ability to move the ball as they were credited for eight assists in the 11 goals. Junior midfielders Ryan Stadelmaier and Luke Vrsansky put up two goals each, while sophomore teammate Mana Wilhelm dished two assists with one goal of his own.
AIR FORCE FALCONS (8-7, 4-1 ASUN)
at ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS (11-5, 6-1 NEC)
5 p.m. ET, Wednesday, May 7
Joe Walton Stadium – Moon Township, Pa.
For the first time since 2017, the Falcons are making an NCAA Championship Tournament appearance, this time taking on Robert Morris in the play-in at Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.
Follow Along
Wednesday’s match will be streamed through ESPN+. Fans can follow along with live stats through StatBroadcast on the Robert Morris page here.
The History
Wednesday’s matchup will mark the 11th all-time meeting between the two programs, with the series currently tied at five wins apiece. The rivalry began in 2010 and featured non-conference meetings in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2021. The series resumed in 2022 when both schools joined the ASUN, with RMU defeating Air Force 9-7 in the semifinals en route to the conference title. At Joe Walton Stadium. Air Force holds a narrow 3-2 edge.
Common Opponents
The only shared opponent this season is Bellarmine. Air Force earned an 18-6 victory while RMU fell to the Knights 13-10.
A Look at Air Force
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, here is how the Falcons stack up against the 18 teams in the dance:
-Shot percentage: .336 (2nd in the NCAA)
-Man-up offense: .500 (7th in the NCAA)
-Man-down defense: .700 (15th in the NCAA)
-Scoring Offense: 12.53 (18th in the NCAA)
–Caelan Driggs: 3.53 goals per game (4th in the NCAA), .442 shot percentage (18th)
–Ryan Stadelmaier: .457 shot percentage (13th in NCAA)
–Josh Yago: 2.07 assists per game (15th in the NCAA)
A Glance at the Colonials
Robert Morris will take the field under the command of coach Craig McDonald in his fourth season. McDonald has guided the Colonials to consistent success, including an impressive return to the Northeast Conference (NEC) in 2025, capturing the regular season title with a 6-1 record, the tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
NEC Player of the Year Bo Columbus became the fourth Colonial to earn the honor. Columbus set the RMU single-season record with 223 faceoff wins, including a 20-win performance against Mercyhurst—the most by any NEC player this season. His 123 ground balls also set a single-season record with 247 career ground balls, Columbus ranks second in program history.
NEC Offensive Player of the Year David Burr is just the second Colonial to receive the honor. Burr recorded 31 goals, a career-high 24 assists, 55 points, and 21 ground balls. He posted 12 multi-point games and recorded points in 15 of 16 contests this season.
Air Force Postseason Awards
Six Falcons earned spots across the All-Conference teams highlighted by Offensive Player of the Year, Specialist of the Year, and Coach of the Year accolades.
Air Force team captain Josh Yago is the Falcons’ leading point scorer and was named the 2025 ASUN Offensive Player of the Year. Yago, the league’s top assister, has 31 assists this season with 13 in conference play. He has five hat tricks and four seven-point showings this season highlighted by a career-best five goal game against Marist. Yago also earned his second All-ASUN nod in 2025, this year’s being unanimous.
The Falcons’ Cole Cunningham secured the Specialist of the Year accolade. He was second in the league in ground balls per game (5.25) and has picked up a career best eight ground balls on three occasions. He is eighth in the league in caused turnovers per game (1.15) and caused a career best five turnovers five turnovers against Queens.
ASUN Coach of the Year Bill Wilson turned around an 0-4 start to the season to a six-game winning streak heading into the national tournament. He guided the Falcons to a share of the ASUN Regular Season title while knocking off previous conference undefeated Utah. This season’s Air Force squad has the league’s best shot percentage (.333) and averages the second-most goals per game with 12.46.
Yago and Cunningham alongside Wes Peene won All-ASUN First Team nods while AF goals leader Caelan Driggs earned a spot on the second team. Freshman LSM Aidan Chairs represented the Falcons on the All-Freshman team.
Three Falcons earned spots on the 2025 Academic All-ASUN team in seniors Wes Peene and Daniel Haimes, and junior Cole Cunningham. The academic honors mark the first for Air Force since joining the league in 2022.
Dynamic Duo
Josh Yago (65) and Caelan Driggs (63) combine for 125 points this season, marking the first time AF has had two 50-point-plud scorers for the first time since 2022 where Brandon Dodd (70) and Brenden Crouse (52) combined for 122 points.
Etching into the Record Book
–Josh Yago’s 149 career points is sixth most in the record book. His 73 career assists are fourth highest overtaking former teammate Brandon Dodd (2020-23) who is now fifth with 70. Chris Walsch is third with 75 (2015-17). Yago’s 31 single season assists overtakes his 2024 mark for second-most in program history.
–Caelan Driggs’ 53 single-season goals is the most in program history, overtaking Mike Crampton’s previous single-season goals record with 48 in 2015. His 90 career goals is sixth most in the record book.
–Wes Peene has played in 62 career games, the sixth most by any Falcon.
–Jake Marek’s 22 saves against Utah are the second-most single-game saves in the record book. Tim Morris (1996) holds the record (26).
Gone Streaking
-The Falcons are on a six-game winning streak heading into the tournament.
–Caelan Driggs has scored a goal in every game this season. He is on a seven-game hat trick streak and has 12 hat tricks this season.
–Josh Yago has scored a goal in every game this season and dished at least one assist in all but two game this year.
–Cole Cunningham has led the Falcons in ground balls in every conference game this season and a total of six-straight games.
Coming Up
The winner of the play-in game will travel to College Park, Maryland, to take on the No. 2 seed Terps on Sunday, May 11, at SECU Stadium. Action is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Last Time Out
Air Force claimed the Atlantic Sun Conference lacrosse tournament championship title in a hard-fought win against back-to-back league champions Utah, 11-10, Sunday afternoon at Rock Stadium. The Falcons, now making their sixth all-time NCAA Championship Tournament appearance, have battled to a winning record at 8-7 overall.
Junior attack man Calean Driggs, for the 12th time this season and seventh game in a row, put up a hat trick performance, this time scoring four goals on 11 shots. Driggs remains in the top five of all NCAA goal scorers with 53 goals (3.5 gpg). The Falcons displayed their ability to move the ball as they were credited for eight assists in the 11 goals. Junior midfielders Ryan Stadelmaier and Luke Vrsansky put up two goals each, while sophomore teammate Mana Wilhelm dished two assists with one goal of his own.