EUGENE, Ore. - Constanze Paoli raced to 11th in the 3000m steeplechase final at the NCAA Outdoor Championship, earning Idaho's second All-American honor in the event in as many years. 

"What a finish for [Constanze] today at the NCAA steeplechase finals," Idaho's Director of Track and Field Tracy Hellman said Saturday. "Just getting to this stage is very difficult, and she did great, attaining All-American honors. I know she was hoping for more, but this experience is very valuable for the years to come. Looking back, she had an incredible year and really made a big step forward with her running. She will be better for this result and will have the drive to get even better!"

In a lightning-fast race that saw four of the top five finishers set personal bests, Paoli found herself within touching distance of the lead pack at the halfway mark after running the fastest second and third laps of anyone in the field. As the pace picked up, the junior found momentum, crossing the line in 10:08.28, one of the five fastest times of her career, to take 11th and become a second-team All-American.  This caps off a season in which the native of Alzenau, Germany broke the school record in the steeplechase en route to winning the Big Sky Conference title, won her heat at the NCAA West Regional, before resetting her record during the national semifinal on Wednesday to qualify for the final. 

Paoli is the fourth Vandal woman to be named an All-American in the event, joining Letiwe Marakurwa (2003), Alycia Butterworth (2015), and Katja Pattis (2025), and is just the 13th woman in school history to claim an All-American honor following the outdoor season. Combined with Blake Sturgis' second team nod in the men's javelin, 2026 marks the first season in over a decade that the Vandals have had multiple All-Americans in the same year. 

"And with that, the NCAA season has come to a close for the Vandals," Hellman said, reflecting on the week at the Outdoor Championship. "Leaving Eugene with two All-American awards is something that is super impressive, and the coaching staff is very proud. As always, it's a great day to be a Vandal!"

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