Paoli set a new school record and Zywina won the long jump during the third day of the 2026 Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championship, according to a May 15 announcement. The event took place in Portland, Oregon.
The performances are significant as they highlight both individual achievement and team depth for Idaho Vandals athletes. Paoli’s time of 9:50.89 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase broke a 23-year-old school record and was the sixth fastest in the nation this season. This result also positions her second in the west region rankings and nearly assures her a spot at late May’s regional meet.
Zywina opened with a jump of 5.98 meters that secured her victory in the long jump, marking Idaho’s first win by a woman in this event since 2019. Her previous achievements include two Cascade Conference triple jump titles while competing for Lewis-Clark State.
Other notable results included strong showings from Idaho athletes across multiple events. Sturgis earned all-conference honors with a second-place finish in javelin under challenging conditions, currently ranking tenth among western throwers for postseason qualification. The women’s jumps team entered ranked twenty-fifth nationally and contributed fourteen points from just one event, while Vandal throwers claimed four out of eight scoring spots in women’s javelin.
Saturday is expected to be busy for Idaho competitors as nine Vandals have qualified for finals heats across various events, including sprints and hurdles. The day’s competition will begin with men’s discus at 10 a.m., followed by track events such as the women’s relay starting at 11:30 a.m., which can be viewed on ESPN+.
