History of the Falcons

The Air Force Falcons are one of history's most historic and successful NCAA sports teams. With an impressive record spanning over 80 years, the Falcons have consistently been a top-tier team competing for championships in several different sports. Air Force has proven itself a powerhouse in collegiate athletics, from football to basketball to ice hockey.

Air Force's success began with its football program in 1956 when it won its first conference championship and debuted at the Orange Bowl that same year. Since then, they've won three more conference titles (1960, 1998 & 2002) and two bowl games (1985 Liberty Bowl & 2004 Emerald Bowl). The Falcons also boast seven Hall of Fame inductees, including Heisman Trophy winner Chad Hennings, who played defensive end from 1985-1988 before becoming an All-Pro NFL player with the Dallas Cowboys from 1989–2000.

Over the years, Air Force's basketball program has seen similar success, winning five regular season championships since joining Division I play back in the 1973–74 season, along with four NCAA tournament appearances throughout its history, most recently making it all way up the Sweet Sixteen round during 2017–18 campaign where they were eventually eliminated by eventual champions Villanova Wildcats despite putting up a valiant effort against a much taller opponent. They also had multiple players drafted into the NBA, such as Mike Phelps, who was selected by Atlanta Hawks's 1991 draft out of a college career, which saw him score 1 788 points while averaging double digits each of his four seasons playing for Falcon squad.

Outside the hardwood court, the hockey team has been another source of pride in school, having appeared in Frozen Four six times since joining the WCHA league in 1957; although never able to capture the national title, it still managed to make deep runs on a few occasions losing semifinal matchups on both 1984 2005 respectively. Lastly, the soccer club is no slouch either, having earned 10 trips to Big Dance between 1996 and 2018 while boasting numerous All-Americans throughout its storied tenure campus Colorado Springs facility known as Clune Arena, home to many athletic events held on university grounds annually, drawing large crowds of passionate fans cheering support favorite teams every game day weekend long!