The University of Idaho’s track and field team hosted the Lauren McCluskey memorial track meet inside the Kibbie Dome. This three-day meet was held from Thursday, Jan. 22, to –Saturday, Jan. 25. With amazing performances in all events, the Idaho Vandals took home a combined 16 first-place finishes throughout the three-day meet.
The Lauren McCluskey memorial is meant to honor former standout track and field athlete Lauren McCluskey, who grew up in Pullman, Washington. Although she was a star athlete at the University of Utah and finished 10th in the Pentathlon in school history, Lauren trained at the University of Idaho’s indoor track in the Kibbie Dome. Sadly, in 2018, she lost her life at the age of 21.
To honor her memory, the University of Idaho track and field program decided to name its indoor season opener after her. The meet serves as a tribute to her love for the sport and the mark she left on her teammates and competitors.
Once inside the Kibbie Dome, the vibe was full of nervousness but quietly hummed with excitement, as fans all were waiting patiently between each event. In between events, the dome was quiet, almost church-like.
As the starting gun went off, the dome echoed with cheer. Like an explosion, fans and fellow teammates cheered for their schools and players. Every sprint, jump and throw felt electric, as athletes pushed themselves to their limits. By the end of the day, whether celebrating personal bests or not, everyone was left inspired.
Thursday
The Thursday part of the meet saw the Vandals bring home four first-place finishes. In the men’s one-mile, senior Zach Knapp scored a PR with his outstanding 4.16-minute mile, which was good enough to give him first in the event. But it wasn’t just Knapp who controlled the track; junior Hanna Tait dominated in both track and field and finished the day with three first-place finishes.
Tait scored a PR in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.64 seconds. She also recorded a personal best in the high jump, with a 1.67-meter jump. Although not a PR, Tait also received first in the long jump with a 5.90-meter jump to end the day for her.
Friday
On Friday, the Vandals would add to their four first-place finishes by including five more, bringing the total to eight. The women’s 200-meter dash saw the three top placers all from Idaho. Junior Rhyon Madden hit a PR and took first with a 24.31 time, followed close by fellow Vandal junior Jana Willems, who also got a PR with a 24.43 time. Coming behind her at third was junior Blossom Omogor, with a time of 24.49.
The women’s 3,000-meter event saw the same thing, as all three top placers were from Idaho. Coming in first was sophomore Jesse Redding who achieved a PR with a stellar time of 9.52 minutes.
Sophomore Alex Terry finished second with a 9.53 time. In third came sophomore Pia Kircher with a time of 10.01. On the field side of the events, the Vandals took home first and second in the women’s weight throw.
Senior Beatriz Marciano got a personal best by throwing 16.87 meters, easily taking first. In second for the event was freshman Kathryn Brunette who threw for 15.74 meters. In the same event for the men, junior Caden Hottman took first with an 18.48-meter throw, which was a season best for him.
Coming in second was sophomore Mason Andulajevic, who got a PR with a 18.44-meter throw.
Finally, in the women’s high jump, sophomore Cami Cvitkovich took first with a 1.75-meter jump, making her the no. 65 best in the entire NCAA and no. 58 in Division I.
Saturday
The last day of the meet was the best day for the Vandals in terms of total first-place finishes, with a total of seven. In the 60-meter finals, Jena Willems took gold with a time of 7.47 seconds. In the men’s 300 meters, sophomore Myron Rethymniotakis finished with a personal best 34.33 seconds, good enough for the gold in the entire event.
In the women’s 300 meters, the Vandals dominated. Eight out of the top ten finishers were from Idaho, with Rhyan Madden leading the way with a personal best of 38.61 seconds. The female Vandals also took gold in the 4×100 relay. Rhyan Madden, Blossom Omogor, Maiya Brunoro and Lara Holzhauer led the way for a season best of 3.43 minutes.
On the field side, the men took gold in the shot put as junior Gioele Tengattini threw the put for 17.30 meters, making him the no. 99 best in the NCAA and no. 84 in Division I. In the triple jump event for the men, Shawn Twumasi-Ampofo took first with a PR of 15.84 meters, making him the no. 15 best in the NCAA and Division 1.
Finally, in the women’s triple jump, senior Sydnie Zywina took first place with a 12.26-meter jump.
Overall, the 2026 Lauren McCluskey memorial showcased not only the talent and hard work of the UI Vandals but also the spirit that makes track and field so special. From league performances to personal bests, the meet honored Lauren McCluskey’s legacy while giving athletes and fans a weekend to remember. The Vandals’ 16 first-place finishes highlighted their dominance on the track and field throughout the three-day meet.