The Idaho Vandals men’s and women’s track and field teams achieved several school records and top finishes at the Pacific Coast Invitational and Beach Invitational in Long Beach, California, according to an April 18 announcement.
The achievements are significant for the program as multiple athletes reached new personal bests, broke existing school records, and secured podium placements against strong competition.
At the Pacific Coast Invitational, a sophomore runner earned bronze in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.18 seconds and silver in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.58 seconds. Both performances placed him second all-time in Idaho’s history for those events. In women’s sprints, another athlete finished among the top ten in the 100 meters by setting a new Idaho record at 11.56 seconds. A graduate student tied for first place in the triple jump while Francesca Cuccu tied for second place in high jump.
During the Beach Invitational later that weekend, Ashley Hollenbeck Willems ran an 11.58-second finish in the women’s 100 meters—third-fastest ever at Idaho—and took second place at that meet. She also recorded a time of 23.79 seconds in the women’s 200 meters to become second-fastest all-time for Idaho women. In jumping events, Zywina placed third in long jump and second in triple jump; on the men’s side, another Vandal earned silver medal honors with his performance in the men’s 1500-meter race. The men’s relay team—composed of freshmen and sophomores—posted their season-best mark of three minutes sixteen point forty-nine seconds (3:16.49).
Elsewhere over that weekend, other Vandal athletes competed across California meets: one athlete ran her personal best of nine minutes fifty-eight point zero three seconds (9:58.03) during Thursday evening’s Bryan Clay Invite steeplechase event; another placed fourth overall during Friday’s University of La Verne Leo Invitational women’s eight hundred meter sprint; Hodgson also notched sixth place there before earning his silver medal run later at Long Beach.
Looking ahead, Idaho Track and Field is scheduled to compete next at Pullman’s Cougar Classic on April twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth.
