Editing United States Air Force Academy (section)

==Athletics==
{{Main|Air Force Falcons}}
[[File:AFA The Bird chute.jpg|thumb|upright|United States Air Force Academy mascot]]
[[File:Thorfalcon.jpg|thumb|right|Echo, one of USAFA's trained prairie falcon mascots]]

All cadets at the academy take part in the school's extensive athletic program. The program is designed 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.<ref name="Athletic Fact Sheet">{{cite web|url=http://www.usafa.af.mil/superintendent/pa/factsheets/athletic.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109022528/http://www.usafa.af.mil/superintendent/pa/factsheets/athletic.htm|url-status=dead|title=''Athletics,'' USAFA Fact Sheet, April 2006|archive-date=9 January 2009}}</ref> The primary elements of the athletic program are intercollegiate athletics, intramural athletics, [[physical education]], and the physical fitness tests.

===Physical education===
Cadets are required to take physical education courses in each of their four years at the academy. All fourth-class cadets are required to take [[Boxing]] and Physical Development. All third-class cadets are required to take Swimming (or Basic Swimming), Water Survival, and an individual sport elective such as tennis, racquetball, golf, indoor rock climbing, or Warrior Enhancement Yoga. Second-class cadets are required to take Combatives I & II (unarmed combat) and a team sports elective such as volleyball, basketball, softball, or soccer. First-class cadets are required to take two open elective courses such as Introduction to Combatives, Functional Fitness, Team or Individual Sport Elective(s), Independent Exercise (C1C/C2C cadets only) or Cadet Instructor (C1C/C2C cadets only).<ref>{{cite web|title=Physical Education|url=https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/2018/6/21/ot-afa-phys-ed-html.aspx|website=Air Force Academy Athletics|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30|archive-date=30 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530042250/https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/2018/6/21/ot-afa-phys-ed-html.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> Cadets participating in inter-collegiate sports typically have a modified course schedule for completing their required PE courses.

===Physical fitness tests===
Each semester, cadets must pass two athletic fitness tests, the AFT and PFT: a {{convert|1.5|mi|km|abbr=on}} run to measure [[VO2 max|aerobic fitness]], and a 15-minute, 5-event, physical fitness test consisting of [[Chin-up bar|pull-ups]], a [[standing long jump]], [[sit-up (exercise)|sit-up]]s, [[Press up|push-ups]] and a {{convert|600|yd|m|abbr=on}} [[sprint (running)|sprint]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.academyadmissions.com/the-experience/athletics/physical-fitness/|title=Physical Fitness|work=Air Force Academy|access-date=20 May 2015|archive-date=24 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424100811/http://www.academyadmissions.com/the-experience/athletics/physical-fitness|url-status=live}}</ref> Failure to pass a fitness test usually results in the cadet being assigned to a reconditioning course until they can pass the test. Repeated failures can lead to disenrollment by the Physical Education Review Committee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Governance|url=https://www.usafa.edu/about/governance/|website=United States Air Force Academy|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref>

===Intramural athletics===
All cadets are required to compete in [[intramural]] athletics for their entire time at the academy, unless they are on-season for intercollegiate athletics. Intramural sports put cadet squadrons against one another in many sports, including basketball, [[cross country running|cross-country]], [[flag football]], [[ice hockey]], [[racquetball]], [[flickerball]], [[rugby union]], [[boxing]], soccer, [[mountain biking]], [[softball]], [[team handball]], tennis, [[Ultimate (sport)|Ultimate]], [[wallyball]] and volleyball. Winning the Wing Championship in a given sport is a particular source of pride for a cadet squadron.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lowryfoundation.org/lowryafb/air_force_academy_extended.htm|title=air_force_academy_extended|website=Lowryfoundation.org|access-date=2020-01-27|archive-date=27 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127125234/https://www.lowryfoundation.org/lowryafb/air_force_academy_extended.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Intercollegiate athletics===
{{See also|Air Force Falcons}}
[[File:Bunt (16872768421).jpg|thumb|right|An [[Air Force Falcons baseball]] player attempts a [[bunt (baseball)|bunt]] during a 2015 game]]
The academy's intercollegiate program has 17 men's and 10 women's NCAA sanctioned teams, nicknamed the ''Falcons.''<ref name="Athletic Fact Sheet" /> Men's teams compete in [[college football|football]], baseball, basketball, ice hockey, [[Cross country running|cross-country]], [[collegiate fencing|fencing]], golf, gymnastics, indoor and outdoor track, [[lacrosse]], soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo and [[collegiate wrestling|wrestling]]. In 1991 the wrestling team won the WAC championship, which was the first ever by any USAFA sports team. Women's teams include basketball, cross-country, fencing, gymnastics, indoor and outdoor track, swimming and diving, soccer, tennis and volleyball. The academy fields a coeducational team in [[Shooting sports|rifle]]. In addition, the academy also sponsors two non-NCAA programs: [[cheerleading]] and [[boxing]]. The academy also has several club sports, such as rugby, that compete at an intercollegiate level outside of the NCAA.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usafa.edu/cadet-life/clubs/ |title=Clubs • United States Air Force Academy |website=United States Air Force Academy |access-date=4 November 2021 |archive-date=2 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102045921/https://www.usafa.edu/cadet-life/clubs/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The men's and women's programs compete in [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]'s Division I, with the football team competing in [[Division I FBS]]. Most teams are in the [[Mountain West Conference]]; however, the wrestling team competes in the [[Big 12 Conference]], the men's gymnastics and coeducational fencing teams compete in the [[Mountain Pacific Sports Federation]]; the men's [[Association football|soccer]] team competes in the [[Western Athletic Conference]];<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205894860 |title=WAC Adds Men's Soccer |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=9 January 2013 |access-date=20 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119075534/http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205894860 |archive-date=19 January 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> the men's [[ice hockey|hockey]] team competes in [[Atlantic Hockey America]], the [[water polo]] team competes in the [[West Coast Conference]], the coeducational rifle team competes in the [[Patriot Rifle Conference]], and the men's lacrosse team competes in the [[Atlantic Sun Conference]]. The men's [[boxing]] team competes in the [[National Collegiate Boxing Association]]. For a number of years, only the men's teams competed in Division I. Women's teams competed in Division II and were once members of the Continental Divide Conference, then the Colorado Athletic Conference. With new NCAA legislation, beginning in 1996, women's teams started competing in Division I.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}

[[File:Trump presents CINC Trophy to USAFA 03.jpg|thumb|Presentation of the Commander in Chief's Trophy to the Air Force Falcons, 2 May 2017]]

Air Force has traditional service academy rivalries with [[United States Naval Academy|Navy]] and [[United States Military Academy|Army]]. The three service academies compete for the [[Commander-in-Chief's Trophy]] in [[American Football|football]] each year. [[Air Force Falcons football]] has had the best showing of the three, winning the trophy 18 of its 34 years. The academy also has an in-state rivalry with [[Colorado State Rams football|Colorado State University]], which is located in [[Fort Collins]] and is a fellow member of the [[Mountain West Conference]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://themw.com/index.aspx?path=colos|title=Mountain West Conference|website=themw.com|language=en|access-date=2018-02-26|archive-date=26 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211631/http://themw.com/index.aspx?path=colos|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}

The [[Air Force Falcons boxing|boxing team]], led for 31 years by Coach [[Ed Weichers]], has won 18 national championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://goairforcefalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-box/mtt/weichers_eddie00.html |title=Profile: Coach Ed Weichers, USAFA Sports Site |publisher=Goairforcefalcons.cstv.com |access-date=2012-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510183426/http://goairforcefalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-box/mtt/weichers_eddie00.html |archive-date=10 May 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Zoomie Rugby Football Club|Academy's men's and women's rugby teams]] have each won multiple national championships and the women's side recently had two players selected for the United States national team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airforcerugby.com/AboutUs|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070929011647/http://www.airforcerugby.com/AboutUs|url-status=dead|title=Air Force Academy Rugby|date=29 September 2007|archive-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> The [[Air Force Falcons football|football team]] has played in 17 [[bowl game]]s and the [[Air Force Falcons men's basketball|basketball team]] has had strong showings in the last several years, qualifying for the NCAA tournament and, most recently, making the final four of the [[2007 National Invitation Tournament|2007 NIT Tournament]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://goairforcefalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032807aaa.html |title="Comeback Effort Falls Just Short, 68–67," AP Wire Story |publisher=Goairforcefalcons.cstv.com |date=27 March 2007 |access-date=2012-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015054028/http://goairforcefalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032807aaa.html |archive-date=15 October 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Air Force Falcons men's ice hockey|men's ice hockey team]] won the last two Atlantic Hockey conference tournaments, made the first ever appearance by a service academy in the NCAA hockey tournament in 2007, and made a repeat appearance in 2008. The Air Force Academy's Men's Hockey team recently lost in the "Elite Eight" of hockey in double overtime. This marked the farthest they had gone in the post-season in school history and the longest an Atlantic Hockey Association team has made it into the post-season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=2802614 |title=David Albright, "Gophers Earn NCAA Hockey No. 1 Overall Seed," ESPN.com, accessed Apr. 9, 2007 |publisher=ESPN |date=18 March 2007 |access-date=2012-02-20 |archive-date=20 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250220085506/https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=2802614 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The track and field team has had national and international success. Three women won Division II NCAA titles before the women's team moved to Division I competition: Gail Conway (outdoor [[400 metres|400 meters]] in 1983, outdoor [[800 metres|800 meters]] in 1984); Jill Wood (indoor [[1500 metres|1500 meters]] in 1988); and Callie Calhoun (indoor and outdoor [[3000 metres|3000 meters]] and outdoor [[5000 metres|5000 meters]] in 1990, indoor 3000 meters and outdoor [[10,000 metres|10,000 meters]] in 1991).<ref>{{cite web|title=Air Force Track and Field 2020–2021 Information Guide|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/goairforcefalcons.com/documents/2020/12/4/Information_Guide_for_2021.pdf|access-date=2021-06-13|archive-date=29 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029141012/https://s3.amazonaws.com/goairforcefalcons.com/documents/2020/12/4/Information_Guide_for_2021.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Three athletes have also won Division I NCAA outdoor titles: Jim Murphy in the 5000 meters in 1964, [[Dana Pounds]] in the [[Javelin throw|javelin]] in [[2005 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2005]] and [[2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2006]], and Mahala Norris in the [[3000 metres steeplechase|steeplechase]] in [[2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2021]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=A new Space Force officer is the surprise NCAA champion in the steeplechase|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2021/06/13/ncaa-steeplechase-champion-space-force/|access-date=2021-06-13|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> 1983 alumnus [[Alonzo Babers]] won [[Olympic medal|gold medals]] in the 400 meters and the [[4 × 400 metres relay|4x400 meter relay]] at the [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Alonzo Babers|url=https://www.coloradosports.org/hall-of-fame/athletes/2020-inductees/alonzo-babers/|access-date=2021-06-13|website=Colorado Sports Hall of Fame|language=en-US|archive-date=18 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618171422/https://www.coloradosports.org/hall-of-fame/athletes/2020-inductees/alonzo-babers/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014, Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson responded to reports of allegations of sexual assault and drug use at a December 2011 party by calling for a review of the athletic department by the inspector general.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://gazette.com/air-force-academy-superintendent-orders-investigation-of-athletic-department-after-gazette-inquiry/article/1534906 |title=Air Force Academy superintendent orders investigation of athletic department after Gazette inquiry |last1=Roeder |first1=Tom |date=2 August 2014 |website=gazette.com |publisher=Colorado Springs Gazette |access-date=3 August 2014 |archive-date=3 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803173131/http://gazette.com/air-force-academy-superintendent-orders-investigation-of-athletic-department-after-gazette-inquiry/article/1534906 |url-status=live }}</ref>