LA CROSSE, Wisc. — 

United States Coast Guard Academy track & field's Allie Wildsmith (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) capped a legendary collegiate career by placing third in high jump on Friday's third day of the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Wildsmith put forth a gutsy performance to finish near the top of the podium after entering the day as the meet's reigning champion in the event.

It has already been a remarkable week for the Washingtonian, who joined 260 fellow 1/c cadets in walking the stage at Cadet Memorial Field on Wednesday afternoon as the most recent graduates of the United States Coast Guard Academy. That very evening, she was on a flight en route for Wisconsin to prepare for her final collegiate appearance in the high jump pit. 

Wildsmith took to the infield of Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse alongside 22 other athletes. She cleared the first two heights with just one jump each, by which point the field had narrowed to 16. Wildsmith knocked the bar down at the third height of 1.67 meters (5' 5.75") but she kept her day going with a clearance on her third attempt.

Third-attempt clearances would become a familiar sight for Wildsmith, who did so on the next three heights to will herself into the final three jumpers. With the bar set at 1.79m (5' 10.5"), she failed her first two attempts before taking a pass on the third, opting to move up to 1.82m (5' 11.5") for her final try, but she was unable to convert.

"That was an incredibly hard-fought competition for Allie. To take 17 total jumps with four third-attempt clearances, she gave a masterclass on mental resilience and grit today," says USCGA track & field head coach Ethan Brown. "What a fitting way for her conclude her collegiate career. I'm so proud of accomplishment today."

Wildsmith heads into the fleet with one of the most impressive careers of any field athlete in program history, finishing as the program record holder on both the indoor and outdoor leaderboards; a four-time New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) champion; a seven-time Nationals qualifier; a four-time All-American; and a two-time National Champion.