Air Force field event athletes began their 2026 season at the Potts Indoor Invitational in Boulder, Colorado, on January 16. The opening day was marked by notable performances, particularly from junior Paige Birch, who delivered a personal-best throw of 17.18 meters (56’4½”) in the women’s weight throw. This achievement placed her fourth in the event and moved her to No. 4 on the Academy’s all-time list for this discipline.
Birch’s improvement exceeded three feet over her previous best. She was joined by senior Massimo Grisotto, who made his debut at No. 16 on the men’s all-time standings with a seventh-place finish and a throw of 17.59 meters (57’8½”).
Freshman Max McFarlane also made an impact by tying for No. 21 on Air Force’s all-time pole vault list after clearing 5.15 meters (16’10¾”), which earned him second place in the event. Another freshman, Max Austin, finished fourth with a clearance of 4.85 meters (15’11”). Chris Atunku, also a freshman, secured fifth place in the high jump with a height of 1.96 meters (6’5″).
In other results, junior Arden Jenkins finished tenth in the weight throw with a distance of 16.56 meters (54’4″). In shot put competition, senior Texas Tanner took second place among twenty competitors with an effort of 18.48 meters (60’7¾”), while sophomore Trevin Jordan placed eighth after achieving a season-best mark of 15.49 meters (50’10”).
On the women’s side, sophomore Morgan Glaser was the top collegiate finisher in the high jump at 1.71 meters (5’7¼”), followed closely by freshman Zoe Heizer at 1.66 meters (5’5¼”). Together they claimed first and second place within the college division and second and third overall.
The women’s long jump saw Air Force secure four spots among the top seven performers out of eighteen competitors: sophomore Alese Banks reached third place with a leap of 5.66 meters (18’7″), junior Kayla Beach was fourth at 5.54 meters (18’2¼”), sophomore Ryan McFadden finished sixth at 5.32 meters (17’5½”), and classmate Sarah Reynolds took seventh at 5.23 meters (17’2″).
Freshman Mackenzie Fah rounded out Air Force’s top-half finishes by placing tenth in her collegiate debut in the triple jump with a mark of 10.78 meters (35’3¾”).
With field events concluded, Air Force will shift focus to track events as runners compete on January 17 at Colorado’s Indoor Practice Facility during the final day of the Potts Invitational.
