Texas Tanner, Zachary DeWalt Honored by Mountain West
4/21/2026 1:00:00 PM | Track and Field
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Air Force senior Texas Tanner was named the Mountain West Men's Field Athlete of the Week this afternoon (April 21), marking the program-record 10th time that he has captured the league's weekly athlete honor. Tanner was one of two Falcons recognized by the conference office today, as Zachary DeWalt collected his third MW Freshman of the Week award of the year.
Tanner had a stellar weekend in the throws at Long Beach State, setting the American Collegiate Record in the hammer throw, breaking Mountain West Records in two events (discus, hammer), and collecting his final Air Force Record by knocking off the program's 10-year-old record in the shot put. The Sheridan, Wyo., native posted NCAA-leading marks in the discus and hammer, while winning three of four throwing titles – and claiming the top collegiate finish (second overall) in the other – between the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and Beach Invitational.
Headlining the weekend was a 78.87-meter (258'9") throw in the hammer throw – the best throw ever by an American-born thrower and the No. 2 mark in NCAA history (best since 1995). That distance, which won the 58-thrower event, added 10 feet to the Mountain West, Service Academy, and Air Force records that he set last year. That throw came one day after he recorded a Mountain West Record distance of 66.30 meters (217'6") in the discus to earn the top collegiate finish (second overall out of 61 throwers) at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. That throw, which added nearly two meters to a conference standard that had stood since 2000, was followed a record-setting performance in the shot put, as Tanner launched a winning 19.24 meters (63'1½") throw to reset an Air Force Record that had stood since 2016 and a Service Academy Record that had stood since 2021. The senior concluded his weekend with a victorious discus throw of 64.92 meters (213'0") – a mark that only trails his throw from the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate in terms of the 2026 national standings.
DeWalt, who is now tied for the most MW Freshman of the Week awards by a Falcon, also had a tremendous weekend at Long Beach State. The native of Corpus Christi, Texas, clocked the fifth-fastest 200-meter time in Air Force history (20.85) to finish third out of 63 at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and break the program's Freshman Class Record. Currently the top-ranked Freshman in the conference at 200 meters with that finish (No. 6 overall), DeWalt also accounted for the league's No. 8 time at 400 meters following a career-best 47.46 finish at the Beach Invitational – a mark that is the No. 20 time in Air Force history. The freshman also ran the third leg of the 4x100-meter relay that used the seventh-fastest finish in Academy history (40.32) during a runner-up finish.
The Falcons are back in action this week, when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for the 116th Drake Relays.
Tanner had a stellar weekend in the throws at Long Beach State, setting the American Collegiate Record in the hammer throw, breaking Mountain West Records in two events (discus, hammer), and collecting his final Air Force Record by knocking off the program's 10-year-old record in the shot put. The Sheridan, Wyo., native posted NCAA-leading marks in the discus and hammer, while winning three of four throwing titles – and claiming the top collegiate finish (second overall) in the other – between the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and Beach Invitational.
Headlining the weekend was a 78.87-meter (258'9") throw in the hammer throw – the best throw ever by an American-born thrower and the No. 2 mark in NCAA history (best since 1995). That distance, which won the 58-thrower event, added 10 feet to the Mountain West, Service Academy, and Air Force records that he set last year. That throw came one day after he recorded a Mountain West Record distance of 66.30 meters (217'6") in the discus to earn the top collegiate finish (second overall out of 61 throwers) at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. That throw, which added nearly two meters to a conference standard that had stood since 2000, was followed a record-setting performance in the shot put, as Tanner launched a winning 19.24 meters (63'1½") throw to reset an Air Force Record that had stood since 2016 and a Service Academy Record that had stood since 2021. The senior concluded his weekend with a victorious discus throw of 64.92 meters (213'0") – a mark that only trails his throw from the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate in terms of the 2026 national standings.
DeWalt, who is now tied for the most MW Freshman of the Week awards by a Falcon, also had a tremendous weekend at Long Beach State. The native of Corpus Christi, Texas, clocked the fifth-fastest 200-meter time in Air Force history (20.85) to finish third out of 63 at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and break the program's Freshman Class Record. Currently the top-ranked Freshman in the conference at 200 meters with that finish (No. 6 overall), DeWalt also accounted for the league's No. 8 time at 400 meters following a career-best 47.46 finish at the Beach Invitational – a mark that is the No. 20 time in Air Force history. The freshman also ran the third leg of the 4x100-meter relay that used the seventh-fastest finish in Academy history (40.32) during a runner-up finish.
The Falcons are back in action this week, when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for the 116th Drake Relays.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
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