University of Idaho Vandals Rewrite School Record Books at California Track Meets
Idaho Athletes Post Historic Performances at Pacific Coast and Beach Invitationals in Long Beach
LONG BEACH, Calif. — The University of Idaho track and field program returned from a packed California road trip with a handful of school records rewritten and several athletes cementing their names in Vandal history. Competing at the Pacific Coast Invitational and the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, as well as meets in Azusa and La Verne, Idaho athletes delivered standout performances across multiple events over the course of a busy weekend.
The headline performances came from sophomore sprinter Keenan Kuntz, who posted personal bests in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Pacific Coast Invitational. Kuntz ran a 10.18 in the 100m — earning a bronze medal — and a 20.58 in the 200m, where he took silver. Both times placed him second in University of Idaho school history for their respective events, a remarkable achievement for a second-year athlete.
On the women’s side, junior Jana Willems broke the school record in the 100m outright, crossing the line at 11.56 seconds to finish in the top ten. Graduate student Sydnie Zywina added a gold medal for the Vandals after tying for first in the triple jump, while Francesca Cuccu tied for second in the high jump to round out a strong showing for Idaho’s field competitors.
Beach Invitational Brings More Record-Breaking Runs and Field Highlights
The historic performances continued into the Beach Invitational, where Ashley Hollenbeck Willems followed Kuntz’s lead and made school history in both sprint events. She ran an 11.58 in the 100m, placing third in Idaho’s all-time record books and finishing second at the meet. In the 200m, she clocked a 23.79, sliding her into second in school history for that event as well.
Zywina remained a dominant force in the field events at the Beach Invitational, placing third in the long jump and second in the triple jump to cap a strong two-meet stretch in California. For the men, sophomore James Hodgson earned a silver medal in the 1500m, adding to an impressive individual weekend.
The men’s 4×400-meter relay team also delivered one of the performance highlights of the trip, running a season-best time of 3:16.49. The relay squad was comprised of freshmen Ryan LeClair and Logan Peterson, sophomore Myron Rethymniotakis, and senior Joe Reiber.
Senior thrower Blake Sturgis continued what has been a standout season with a javelin throw of 71.32 meters (234 feet) at the Beach Invitational. The mark is the second longest in Idaho school history and places Sturgis ninth among all athletes in the West Region this season.
Vandals Compete Across Multiple California Venues
While the bulk of Idaho’s team was competing in Long Beach, a handful of Vandals split off to compete elsewhere in California. At the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, junior Constanze Paoli set personal bests in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:58.03) and the 5,000 meters (16:09.33). Those times placed her third in Vandal program history in both events and earned her the sixth spot in the West Region rankings this season.
At the University of La Verne Leo Invitational, junior Lydia Nance placed fourth in the women’s 800 meters. Hodgson also competed there the day before his silver medal run in Long Beach, finishing sixth in the 1500m.
The weekend’s results continue what has been a productive spring for the Idaho track and field program, with multiple athletes now holding prominent places in school history books. Fans following the Vandals’ rise on the track can stay current through Idaho athletics coverage at Idaho native Kase transitioning from Washington State to join the Vandals and broader athletic news including the Big Sky Women’s Golf Championship. For statewide sports and education coverage, readers can visit Idaho News.
What Comes Next
The University of Idaho track and field program is scheduled to return to action at the Cougar Classic in Pullman, Washington on April 24 and 25. Fans can follow the team on Instagram and X under IdahoTrack and IdahoTFXC, or visit GoVandals.com for full results and updates.