There is no one anybody would rather want more on their team than standout sophomore Cami Cvitkovich. Arguably the best high jumper in the Big Sky Conference, Cvitkovich has had one heck of a season this year for the Idaho Vandals track and field team. Cvitkovich has been on quite the hot streak this year.
Four straight first place meet finishes is what she brags headed into the conference championship this weekend. Her dominance this season has not only elevated herself but has also given the Vandals a major boost in team scoring at every meet she competes in, which Cvitkovich herself prides in immensely.
When Cvitkovich was in seventh grade, she had never even thought of playing for the track and field team. It wasn’t until her seventh grade English teacher brought up the idea.
“Right off the bat, I just fell in love with it because I was naturally kind of gifted, and I loved it too,” Cvitkovich said. After her very successful first meet, everyone apart of her team noticed her special skill and motivated her to continue to pursue in the long jump.
As an Eden, Utah, native, Cvitkovich continued to dominate throughout high school. At Weber High School, she was a two-time Utah state champion and broke Utah’s state high jump record with a 1.71-meter jump.
After she graduated, Cvitkovich planned on attending college, but did not want to stay local at Weber State, instead choosing to move to Moscow.
“When I came to Idaho, I just immediately loved it. The small-town vibe, scenery, and I just fell in love with the people and the coaches, and Idaho in general,” Cvitkovich said.
For Cvitkovich, the decision wasn’t just about track and field, it was about finding a home. From the moment she stepped on campus and met the team, she knew she could see herself growing here both as an athlete and as a person.
In her first year, her love for Idaho grew even further.
“I loved my freshman year. Getting adjusted to college athletics was hard but the people here and the coaches made it easier, and overall, it taught me a lot, which helped me out a lot to shape how I am today,” Cvitkovich said. As a freshman, she was no push-over. She set a high jump PR in just her first collegiate meet at the 2025 Spokane Sports Showcase.
Her confidence and hard work throughout the season began to show as she placed top five in high jump at nearly every meet she attended. At the indoor and outdoor 2025 Big Sky Conference Track and Field Championship, Cvitkovich took fourth place as a freshman, a truly special first season for such a talented athlete.
Going into the 2026 season, she already had goals she had set in place for herself to improve her play even more.
“My goal was to just go out there and do the best I can. To give it my all and no regrets, and to put everything into High Jump because that’s what I love,” she said.
This mind set and passion for the sport has proven to show its worth. This season Cvitkovich has won gold in four straight meets. When asked what she thinks has been the biggest factor of her improvement, she said,
“Having a strong mindset of never giving up and keeping myself mentally strong. I read every day to help keep myself motivated because high jump is so much more mental than almost every other event.”
Adding to the mental side of the high jump, nervousness is often a silent killer. With all the crowd, teammates and opponents watching her, Cvitkovich usually combats the nerves with her motivation.
“When I’m competing, I’m very locked in, but I think just remembering all of the work that I’ve put in to get there, and knowing that all my teammates love me and support me and definitely helps the nerves,” she said.
As a person, Cvitkovich is extremely humble and believes that she wouldn’t be so successful if it wasn’t for her teammates.
“I couldn’t do it without them. Although the high jump is an individual sport, you can’t do it without your teammates,” Cvitkovich said. “They’re cheering you on, and you practice with them every day so you grow a relationship with them, and without them it would be hard to do this.”
Cvitkovich doesn’t just thank her teammates for all their support, but also her high jump coach Brad Gamble. “I rely on Brad. There will be days that I will not be having the best day and be instantly cheered up by my coach,” she said.
Together, the constant encouragement from her teammates and the guidance from Gamble have created the kind of support system that allows her to grow, stay confident and continue to dominate each meet.
As the Big Sky Conference comes up this weekend, Cvitkovich is more motivated than ever. She has been waiting for this meet all season and will not take this moment for granted.
“I 100% want to be a Big Sky Champion for my team, for myself and for my family, that is my top goal, and to make a ton of memories along the way,” Cvitkovich said.
With the work she has put in and the support behind her, she enters the weekend not just chasing a title but embracing the opportunity to represent her team and everything she has built this season.
When conference play arrives, Cvitkovich is devoted to leaving it all on the field, knowing that every jump reflects the hours of preparation, passion, and love for the sport that brought her to this point. No matter the outcome, she has already made a lasting impact on her team and has set the tone for an even brighter future.
Cvitkovich seems to be raising the bar often, not just literally, but metaphorically too. It seems like she checks all the boxes and continues to rise in her event throughout her career. The high jump bar truly reflects her college success perfectly, steadily climbing meet by meet, season by season, until it rests at the very top, right where she belongs.