World University Games Await Decorated Air Force Falcons Gymnast

The Air Force Academy recently announced that Patrick Hoopes will be headed to Germany after spending four years dominating for their gymnastics program. 

The FISU World University Games start next month in Essen, Germany. The Games are 12 days of action, starting on July 16, in six different cities.

He will be representing the U.S. alongside Illinois’ Tate Costa, Nebraska’s Alex Nitache, and a pair from Stanford: Kai Uemura and Colt Walker. 

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Hoopes has a lengthy list of accolades that are quite impressive. He already has two World Cup medals and finished his collegiate career as a back-to-back national champion on the pommel horse.

After only competing in two meets his freshman year, he went on to dominate the rest of his collegiate career. His sophomore year he was named an NCAA All-American on the pommel horse. He was also the very first Falcon to break the 15 point barrier in this event.

When his junior year came around he claimed his first national title, but that wasn't all that season. He also attended the Olympic Trials and left as the victor. Then went on to compete at the U.S. National Championship where he won a silver medal.

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At the Olympic Trials, he won gold on pommel horse and was selected as a non-traveling reserve for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

He finished out his last year at the academy in the same strong fashion, winning another national tittle. He continued to get better and better each year. Hoopes just received his diploma in management and he plans to eventually be an acquisitions officer.

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