Air Force’s Cole VonOhlen is 22-2 and ranked No. 3 nationally at 149 pounds this season. U.S. Air Force Academy photo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Sleep and free time are precious commodities for Air Force junior Cole VonOhlen.

Especially during wrestling season.

VonOhlen’s typical day at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs goes a little something like this:

His alarm rings before the sun comes up and he heads in for a morning workout. He is in his first class by 7:50 a.m., and after a full morning of classes, he grabs lunch.

He then takes part in meetings, briefings or marching as part of his role at the Academy.

The biology major then squeezes in a little homework before heading to afternoon practice. Following dinner, more homework follows until about 11 p.m.

“I’ve been doing it for a few years now, and I have a pretty good handle on it,” VonOhlen said. “It can get a little stressful at times, but I make sure I am disciplined so I have time to do my homework and get my workouts in.”

That discipline has paid off in a big way for VonOhlen, who excels on and off the mat. The junior is ranked No. 3 nationally and is 22-2 this season at 149 pounds. He is now just three wins shy of 100 for his career.

VonOhlen led the Falcons with a 4-0 record at the Lone Star Duals last Saturday, registering a fall, a technical fall and a pair of decisions. Among his wins was an 11-5 decision over Harvard’s previously undefeated Corey Jantzen. 

“That was a pretty big win for me,” VonOhlen said. “He pinned me at the Midlands in 2008, the year I was at the Academy Prep School. He is tough on his feet and he is a real good wrestler.”

VonOhlen moved up to 149 after wrestling at 141 the previous two seasons. He went 0-2 at the 2010 NCAA Championships. He dropped a close 11-8 decision to eventual runner-up Montell Marion of Iowa in the first round before falling in his next bout.

He entered the 2011 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia as the No. 9 seed at 141.

VonOhlen, who led the nation with 44 wins last season, went 2-2 at the NCAA tournament last March and fell short of placing.

“It was disappointing,” VonOhlen said. “I wanted to be on the podium, and I thought I was capable of being up there. Your whole year comes down to that one tournament, and it’s a little stressful and there is a lot of pressure. I just need to focus on what I can do and perform the way I know I can.”

The move up to 149 has worked out well for VonOhlen, a two-time state champion from Jackson, Minn.

“I got bigger over the summer and I decided to try it at 149,” he said. “I was a little worried I might be small, but it’s turned out really well. I am full of energy and I don’t have to worry as much about managing my weight now. I can focus on my technique more and what we are working on in practice. Moving up to 149 has been really beneficial.”

VonOhlen wrestles an aggressive style where he puts points on the board.

“Cole’s style of wrestling has been very effective at 149,” Air Force coach Joel Sharratt said. “His foot speed is better at 149 than it was at 141, and his horsepower is better. He is very competitive in that weight class.

“Cole has improved in a lot of areas. He has continued to improve as far as his strength where he works to turn people on top. He is looking for points and he is looking to transition from points to pinning people.”

VonOhlen has benefited from being able to train with many of the nation’s top wrestlers at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He has wrestled with past World Team member Shawn Bunch along with past NCAA All-Americans Chase Pami and Moza Fay.

He said he may pursue freestyle wrestling, after he completes college, as part of the World Class Athlete Program.

“It’s a really great situation at the Olympic Training Center,” he said. “I try to get down there as much as I can. You see all kinds of styles and competitors, and it broadens your horizons and helps you improve. It’s been huge for me to be able to train there.”

For now, VonOhlen is focused on the final two months of the college season.

Air Force has a number of home meets coming up, including the All-Academy Championships on Feb. 5 in Colorado Springs. The Falcons host Utah Valley on Thursday before facing Cal Poly and New Mexico Highlands on Saturday at home.

VonOhlen is looking to become Air Force’s first All-American since 2003.

“It would mean a lot to me and it would mean a lot to our program,” he said. “We have a great coaching staff, and they are trying to kick start the program and put it in the right direction.”

VonOhlen said he thinks his two previous NCAA experiences will benefit him at this March’s NCAA Championships in St. Louis.

“I won’t have any jitters like I did the first time I went there,” he said. “I just need to stay relaxed and focus on what I can do. I know all the guys in my weight class. I just have to go out there and perform.”

VonOhlen hasn’t backed away from setting lofty goals for this season.

“The ultimate goal is to win an NCAA title,” he said. “I know I am capable of being right there with any of those guys. There is no reason that I can’t be a national champion.”

VonOhlen said he has enjoyed his experience at the Air Force Academy.

“I had never really been around any military at all until I first came out here,” he said. “I didn’t know how I would like it. I was a real structured person in high school and thought it might be a good fit for me. I really like the environment here and I like Colorado a lot. It’s turned out well. I like it a lot here. It’s been great.”

VonOhlen’s impact can be seen when he was elected a team captain despite not being a senior.

“Cole’s the first underclass team captain at Air Force since 1972,” Sharratt said. “That’s a compliment to him in his leadership and his performance. He is a leader in all facets of the Academy. He’s done a great job academically.

“He is going to be a great officer in the Air Force. He is a person of integrity and someone you can trust. If you ask him to do something, you don’t have to ask him twice. He’s a proven competitor who is going to do great things in his life.”