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USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force men’s gymnastics entered the nation’s top 10 this week, with the release of the GymInfo National Rankings on March 19. The Falcons, who closed out the regular season with two of their three highest scores of the year, are currently ranked 10th with a four-score average of 424.783.

Air Force, which became just the eighth team in the nation to surpass the 430-point total in a win over No. 19 Washington on March 16, moved up one place in the national standings to collect its first top-10 finish of the year. The national rankings are currently determined by the Four-Score Average, which includes taking the four highest scores (counting no more than two home meets), dropping the highest and averaging the three remaining marks.

The Falcons’ placement marks the first time since February 2012 that Air Force has been ranked in the GymInfo Top 10. Air Force earned the program’s first-ever top-10 placement in March 2011 and since that time, the Falcons have been listed there 11 additional weeks, including five under the Four-Score Average, which annually begins in mid-March.

Air Force is also ranked among the nation’s top 10 on three events, including the still rings (73.233, seventh), vault (72.917, eighth) and parallel bars (71.133, ninth). Individually, five Falcons are listed among the GymInfo Top-20. Sophomore Gared Chapman is ranked eighth on the vault (14.933) and tied for 19th on the still rings (14.917), while senior Tory Brown is ranked 11th on the vault (14.833) and 19th on the floor exercise (14.900). In addition, sophomore Greg Chaput is ranked 11th on the parallel bars (14.733), junior Tyler Huebner is ranked 17th on the still rings (15.000) and classmate Nick Owen is ranked 19th on the pommel horse (14.533).

The Falcons are off from competition this week, as they train for the 2013 USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships. Over the March 29-30 weekend, Air Force, the three-time defending team champions, will travel to Williamsburg, Va., for the annual national meet.