Paoli Sets School Record and Zywina Wins Long Jump at Big Sky Outdoor Day Three

PORTLAND, Ore. - Constanze Paoli and Sydnie Zywina etched their names into the history books with title-winning performances at a jam-packed third day of the 2026 Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

Paoli took home the 3k steeplechase title in a school record 9:50.89, the sixth fastest time in the nation this season. The native of Alzenau, Germany, broke a 23-year-old record and became the third Vandal to win the steeple in the past four years after finishing third at the 2025 outdoor meet. Her strong time all but assures a spot in late May's regional, where she is currently ranked second in the west region.

Zywina added to her already packed trophy case from four years at Lewis-Clark State, winning the long jump after setting the tone with her first jump, a 5.98m leap that would not be bested. The win is the first by a Vandal woman in the event since 2019 and joins two Cascade Conference triple jump titles that the Orofino native claimed for the Warriors.

Mara Fuerniss and Jada Miller also finished in the top eight for Idaho in the event, giving the Vandals 14 points from the long jump alone. The women's jumps team entered the weekend ranked 25th nationally in the long jump, and their depth showed when it counted.

Blake Sturgis earned all-conference honors in the javelin, finishing second in difficult throwing conditions at Klapstein Stadium. Sturgis' season-best throw of 73.21m (240' 2") currently places him 10th among throwers in the west, within the top 24 that qualify for additional postseason competition.

Vandal throwers had a strong day across the board, with Idaho taking four of the eight scoring positions in the women's javelin. Baylee Wroble led the gaggle of Vandals that claimed valuable points for the Black and Gold, and helped Idaho to the second-most points as a team after three days. Mason Andulajevic, Caden Hottman, and Bradley Hottman finished in points-paying positions at the conclusion of the men's hammer throw.

In his final Big Sky meet, senior Cash Jones took sixth in the long jump, posting a 7.14m jump to claim three big points for UI.

Saturday will be an even busier day for Idaho after nine Vandals punched their ticket to the finals in their heats. Ashley Hollenbeck Willems and Keenan Kuntz qualified in both the 100 and 200m, as Kuntz broke the facility record and set a top-three time in both events, positioning himself well for Saturday. Jana Willems will join Hollenbeck Willems in the 100 after winning her heat with an 11.86, and two Vandal women, Maiya Brunoro and Lara Holzhauer, will compete in the 400 hurdles after the top-eight was split by less than a second-and-a-half on Friday. Logan Peterson claimed the final spot in the men's 400 hurdles by running a personal best 54.74.

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Idaho's day four will begin with Caden Hottman, Evan Hartt, and Gioele Tengattini competing in the men's discus at 10 a.m., before the Vandals' record-setting women's 4x100 team opens things on the track at 11:30. Competition in Portland can be watched on ESPN+, with results available on AthleticLive.

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Players Mentioned

Maiya Brunoro: Sophomore

Mara Fuerniss: Freshman

Lara Holzhauer: Senior

Bradley Hottman: Freshman

Cash Jones: Senior

Constanze Paoli: Junior

Gioele Tengattini: Junior

Jana Willems: Junior

Mason Andulajevic: Sophomore

Evan Hartt: Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Maiya Brunoro
: Sophomore

Mara Fuerniss
: Freshman

Lara Holzhauer
: Senior

Bradley Hottman
: Freshman

Cash Jones
: Senior

Constanze Paoli
: Junior

Gioele Tengattini
: Junior

Jana Willems
: Junior

Mason Andulajevic
: Sophomore

Evan Hartt
: Sophomore