AFA interested in wrestling league
Col. Billy Walker, associate athletic director at the Air Force Academy, confirmed Wednesday that the school’s intercollegiate wrestling program is interested in joining a proposed new Division I league that would include Northern Colorado and Wyoming. Air Force currently competes as an independent because the Mountain West Conference doesn’t have wrestling.
“We’re interested because of the advantage in scheduling and competition that are results of belonging to a league,” Walker said. “It would give our wrestlers an opportunity of being recognized as a league champion before advancing to the NCAA championships.”
Walker will become the NCAA wrestling chairman next month for a two-year term.
The proposed league includes North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Utah Valley State, Fresno State, Air Force, UNC and Wyoming. Wyoming and Air Force already are full-fledged Division I programs. All of the other schools except Utah Valley State are going through a reclassification period to join the Division I ranks. Wrestlers from those schools will be eligible to compete in the Division I national championships during the 2006-07 season. Utah Valley State has yet to enter a reclassification period.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
Riding for the required eight seconds, Bryce Miller of Kaycee, Wyo., scored an 87, one shy of the arena record, and staked a claim to a share of the $83,200 saddle bronc payoff.
In bareback broncs, top- ranked Ryan Gray of Cheney, Wash., turned in a solid 78-point effort. Gray was born in Laramie and spent much of his youth in Cheyenne.
Cody Dutton, 49, of Boerne, Texas, moved into contention for the steer roping title with a run of 24.2 seconds.
Eagles host Bucks in CHL opener
The defending CHL champion Colorado Eagles will begin their season Oct. 21 against the Laredo Bucks. The 7:05 p.m. game will be played at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland. The rest of the schedule will be announced in the near future.
