Photo by: Tyler McFarland, NCAA Photos
Texas Tanner Repeats as MW Field Performer of the Meet
5/21/2025 11:07:00 AM | Track and Field
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the second time in as many years, Texas Tanner was named the Men's Field Performer of the Meet at the Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Air Force junior was one of 10 Falcons recognized by the conference office this morning (May 21), as they formally announced the award winners and all-conference honorees from last week's championship meet.
Backed by two Meet Record performances, Tanner successfully defended his Mountain West titles in the discus throw and hammer throw. Although he would have won the discus by more than two meters off his opening attempt of 59.83, Tanner improved his distance out to a career-best 63.59 meters (208'7") by the fifth round – a mark that reset his own Air Force and Service Academy Records, broke the Facility Record, added more than two meters to a Meet Record that had stood since 2007, and accounted for the fourth-best throw in Mountain West history. While any of his four countable throws in the hammer would have won the meet by more than two meters, it was his third attempt heave of 72.23 meters (240'3") that distanced himself from the field by more than six meters, crushed the Facility Record he set last year, and added more than two meters to a Championship Meet standard that had stood since 2003. The junior, who added a fourth-place throw of 18.02 meters (59'1½") in the shot put, finished the weekend with 25 of the Falcons' 107 points.
Tanner is the second Falcon to earn Performer of the Meet honors more than once in a career, joining former standout Jamiel Trimble, who picked up the honor in 2016 and 2017.
In addition to the major championship awards, the Mountain West also recognized the individuals and relays that captured all-conference status by placing within the top three of their respective events at the championship meet. Backed by MW titles from Tanner, Joe Nizich, and the men's 4x100-meter relay, the Falcons combined for 11 all-conference accolades.
Senior Joe Nizich had a stellar return to the javelin runway last weekend, recording the second-best throw in Air Force history (69.91 meters, 229'4") on his final attempt to secure his second-straight Mountain West championship. Nizich, who made his season debut at the conference meet after dealing with injury throughout the season, is the first member of the men's team to win back-to-back titles in the javelin since Tim Fritz (2002-03).
The men's 4x100-meter relay of senior Javin Bostic, freshman Asher Jenkins, sophomore James Warmbrod IV, and freshman Brayden Richards rounded out the Falcons' list of conference champions, as they accounted for the program's first outdoor relay title in three years. Bostic and Richards claimed multiple all-conference honors over three three-day meet, with Bostic accounting for a full set of medals on Championship Saturday. In addition to leading off the winning relay, the senior finished third in the 100-meter dash and clocked the second-fastest time in Academy history (20.56) to place second in the 200-meter dash. Richards
Seniors Jason Renze and Cooper Stroka capped their conference careers with third-place finishes in the 3000-meter steeplechase and hammer throw, respectively, to round out the men's list of all-MW representatives. Renze, who battled injury in the weeks leading up to MW Outdoors battled to his second-straight podium finish in the steeplechase, while Stroka captured his second medalist finish in the hammer throw (2023) and marked the second year in a row that Air Force has accounted for two of the top-three finishes in that event.
On the women's side, sophomore Ella Johnson and senior Ally Peterson represented Air Force on the podium in the two longest races of the outdoor season. Johnson earned her first Mountain West medal (silver) following a thrilling 10,000-meter race that saw just 0.01 seconds separate the top-two finishers, while Peterson placed third in the 5000-meter run to make a return trip to the outdoor podium and account for her third-straight all-MW honor in that distance (2024 outdoor, 2025 indoor, 2025 outdoor).
Backed by two Meet Record performances, Tanner successfully defended his Mountain West titles in the discus throw and hammer throw. Although he would have won the discus by more than two meters off his opening attempt of 59.83, Tanner improved his distance out to a career-best 63.59 meters (208'7") by the fifth round – a mark that reset his own Air Force and Service Academy Records, broke the Facility Record, added more than two meters to a Meet Record that had stood since 2007, and accounted for the fourth-best throw in Mountain West history. While any of his four countable throws in the hammer would have won the meet by more than two meters, it was his third attempt heave of 72.23 meters (240'3") that distanced himself from the field by more than six meters, crushed the Facility Record he set last year, and added more than two meters to a Championship Meet standard that had stood since 2003. The junior, who added a fourth-place throw of 18.02 meters (59'1½") in the shot put, finished the weekend with 25 of the Falcons' 107 points.
Tanner is the second Falcon to earn Performer of the Meet honors more than once in a career, joining former standout Jamiel Trimble, who picked up the honor in 2016 and 2017.
| MW CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS |
| Texas Tanner, Men's Field Performer of the Meet |
In addition to the major championship awards, the Mountain West also recognized the individuals and relays that captured all-conference status by placing within the top three of their respective events at the championship meet. Backed by MW titles from Tanner, Joe Nizich, and the men's 4x100-meter relay, the Falcons combined for 11 all-conference accolades.
Senior Joe Nizich had a stellar return to the javelin runway last weekend, recording the second-best throw in Air Force history (69.91 meters, 229'4") on his final attempt to secure his second-straight Mountain West championship. Nizich, who made his season debut at the conference meet after dealing with injury throughout the season, is the first member of the men's team to win back-to-back titles in the javelin since Tim Fritz (2002-03).
The men's 4x100-meter relay of senior Javin Bostic, freshman Asher Jenkins, sophomore James Warmbrod IV, and freshman Brayden Richards rounded out the Falcons' list of conference champions, as they accounted for the program's first outdoor relay title in three years. Bostic and Richards claimed multiple all-conference honors over three three-day meet, with Bostic accounting for a full set of medals on Championship Saturday. In addition to leading off the winning relay, the senior finished third in the 100-meter dash and clocked the second-fastest time in Academy history (20.56) to place second in the 200-meter dash. Richards
Seniors Jason Renze and Cooper Stroka capped their conference careers with third-place finishes in the 3000-meter steeplechase and hammer throw, respectively, to round out the men's list of all-MW representatives. Renze, who battled injury in the weeks leading up to MW Outdoors battled to his second-straight podium finish in the steeplechase, while Stroka captured his second medalist finish in the hammer throw (2023) and marked the second year in a row that Air Force has accounted for two of the top-three finishes in that event.
On the women's side, sophomore Ella Johnson and senior Ally Peterson represented Air Force on the podium in the two longest races of the outdoor season. Johnson earned her first Mountain West medal (silver) following a thrilling 10,000-meter race that saw just 0.01 seconds separate the top-two finishers, while Peterson placed third in the 5000-meter run to make a return trip to the outdoor podium and account for her third-straight all-MW honor in that distance (2024 outdoor, 2025 indoor, 2025 outdoor).
| MW OUTDOOR ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES |
| Men's 100-Meter Dash: Javin Bostic (third-place finish) |
| Men's 200-Meter Dash: Javin Bostic (second-place finish) |
| Women's 5000-Meter Run: Ally Peterson (third-place finish) |
| Women's 10,000-Meter Run: Ella Johnson (second-place finish) |
| Men's 3000-Meter Steeplechase: Jason Renze (third-place finish) |
| Men's 4x100-Meter Relay (MW champion) |
| Men's Discus Throw: Texas Tanner (MW champion) |
| Men's Hammer Throw: Texas Tanner (MW champion) |
| Men's Hammer Throw: Cooper Stroka (third-place finish) |
| Men's Javelin Throw: Joe Nizich (MW champion) |
| Men's Decathlon: Brayden Richards (second-place finish) |
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Steeplechase, Distance
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
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