MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho track and field team begins their 2025 outdoor season this weekend with the Oregon Preview meet in Eugene, Oregon on Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22.
The action at Hayward Field gets underway at 12 p.m. on Friday with the men's hammer throw, as the running events start at 4:50 p.m., when eight Vandals hit the track for the 5K.
Mia Sylvester starts her junior outdoor season by looking to regain the Big Sky shot put crown. The Belmopan, Belize native took home the 2023 conference shot put title with a throw of 15.43 meters. Sylvester won her second straight Big Sky indoor weight throw title on February 28, clinching the gold after a 19.46-meter throw. In Eugene, Sylvester will compete in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw.
Constanze Paoli heads into her second outdoor season as a Vandal looking to place her name into the UI record books. Paoli ran the fastest 1500 time by a Vandal in 2024 in March, a 4:34.23 effort. The native of Alzenau, Germany was part of the school record-setting distance medley relay team at the 2025 Husky Invite and a 4:51.31 mile at the same meet in February. Paoli and four other Vandal women will take on the 1500-meter challenge at 5:33 p.m. Friday.
Cash Jones is the only Vandal participating in the sprints this weekend. Jones, a junior from Ramona, California, ran a 6.81 in the 60-meter dash in the prelims of the Big Sky Indoor meet in February, following it up with a 6.85 and a seventh-place finish in the finals. He ran a career-best 10.84 in the 100-meter at the 2024 Cougar Classic. The 100-meter dash is slated for 3:34 p.m. Saturday.
Jones will also represent Idaho in the long jump, alongside
Jesuye Doherty and
Shawn Twumasi Ampofo. Doherty and Ampofo each took home gold at the 2025 Big Sky Indoor meet. Doherty held the farthest mark in the long jump for nearly the entirety of the indoor season, winning the title in Flagstaff, Arizona with a collegiate-best jump of 7.68 meters. Ampofo stood on the top step of the triple jump podium on March 1 following his jump of 15.54 meters. Jones, Doherty, and Ampofo will compete in the long jump at 1:45 p.m. Saturday, with Ampofo set to participate in the triple jump beginning at 6:20 p.m. Friday.
Zac Bright returns for his senior season in Black and Gold. Bright ran the fastest 800 time on the team in 2024, a quick 1:48.91 effort. Bright finished second in the 2024 Big Sky Outdoor final at the distance, before representing the Vandals at the 2024 NCAA West Regionals in the 800, running a 1:49.88. The Idaho Falls native raced to a 1:51.90 in the prelims of the Big Sky Indoor Championship in February. Bright is one of eight Vandal men listed in the 800-meter field this weekend, with the four heats scheduled to run at 5:24 p.m. Saturday.
Following their trip to TrackTown USA, Idaho will take a week off before returning to action at the Whitworth Peace Meet in Spokane, Washington on April 4.
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho Track and Field by following the team on Instagram, @IdahoTrack.
