Author: Brent Briggeman
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Briggeman: Air Force loses a rare gem as Mike Kazlausky exits baseball coaching role
Nobody in college baseball pulled off the combo of respectability and unpredictability quite like Air Force’s Mike Kazlausky. Losing Kaz from his coaching position is a hit to the public-facing personality of the academy. He’ll continue to make an impact as he moves to his role as director of leadership and institutional strategy, but he’ll…
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Dismissed Air Force athletic director Nathan Pine issues statement, notes ‘arduous’ past two years
Two weeks after news broke of his dismissal as Air Force athletic director, athan Pine released a public statement that included not-so-subtle hints at the situation that led to his ouster. “I’ll look back fondly on most of my time at Air Force,” Pine wrote on social media. “The last 2 years have been arduous…
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Air Force football releases preseason depth chart that previews some crowded position battles
LAS VEGAS – Air Force football released its preseason depth chart in conjunction with Mountain West Media Days this week. The main surprise was the extent of the information revealed, as most positions were listed as four-deep. The same depth chart released a year earlier included two players at each position. As for the information…
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‘Elder statesman’: Air Force’s Calhoun towers over Mountain West coaches in tenure
LAS VEGAS — Nevada coach Jeff Choate, who celebrated his 56th birthday on Wednesday, contemplated Troy Calhoun’s reputation in the Mountain West. “You know, he’s grandpa now,” Choate said of the longtime Air Force coach, whose experience in the conference dwarfs that of the other coaches. Choate was joking about the grandpa part (for the…
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Mountain West braces for the challenge North Dakota State football figures to bring to the conference
LAS VEGAS – North Dakota State safety Darius Givance listed a long list of challenges he anticipates facing when traveling to Air Force in September for the Bison’s first game as a member of the Mountain West. There’s the discipline required to defend the triple option under the ever-present threat of one mistake leading to…
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Air Force pair earn Preseason All-Mountain West football honors
LAS VEGAS — Air Force linebacker Blake Fletcher and running back Owen Allen earned spots on the 2026 Preseason All-Mountain West Football Team that was announced Wednesday. The league opted not to conduct a preseason order-of-finish poll. “After a lot of analysis, discussion with ADs and coaches, we decided that although preseason polls are fun…
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New era arrives for Mountain West as media days begin with new membership
LAS VEGAS — The only helmets and uniforms present were for display purposes only, but Wednesday marked the public debut of the new-look Mountain West. The conference — minus the five departing programs and plus the three newcomers — hosted its football media days at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Four players represented…
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Transcript: Tidbits of Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez’s annual meeting with media
LAS VEGAS – Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez addressed media on Wednesday, welcoming three new school members and introducing a new trophy for the conference’s football champion. This is a transformational year for Mountain West football, as it loses members Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State and adds North…
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Sam Barber leaving role as Air Force wrestling coach after 18 years
Air Force wrestling coach Sam Barber is leaving his post after 18 years and will instead help lead strategic initiatives across the academy’s athletic department. Barber helped Air Force to NCAA top-25 finishes in 2023 (18th), 2024 (21st) and 2026 (25th) and guided three All-Americans. It was under Barber that the Falcons landed Wyatt Hendrickson,…
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Air Force baseball’s Mike Kazlausky exits after 16 years of coaching, moves to role in athletic department
Longtime coach Mike Kazlausky is leaving his role with Air Force baseball and moving to a leadership role within the athletic department. Kazlausky has led the Falcons program for the past 16 years, taking an afterthought of a program to Mountain West regular-season and tournament championships and landing Major League Baseball superstar Paul Skenes as…