The University of Idaho women’s cross country team delivered a memorable performance at the 2026 Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championships in Flagstaff, Arizona, securing a third-place team finish and bringing home a bronze medal. Behind several personal-best performances and two All-Big Sky selections, the Vandals earned their first top-three conference finish since 2022.
Idaho finished tied with Weber State in the team standings, but came away with the bronze after winning the tiebreaker. The result marked a significant accomplishment for a women’s squad that entered the championship with the goal of competing among the conference’s top programs.
Head coach Tracy Hellman credited the team’s collective effort for reaching that goal, emphasizing the importance of competing together throughout the championship race.
“This was a goal we had set, and we knew it would be difficult with the level of competition in the Big Sky Conference. The way our women accomplished this goal was very fitting as we did it as a team,” Hellman said.
Leading Idaho’s performance was senior Constanze Paoli, who finished fifth overall in the women’s 5K and earned All-Big Sky recognition. Paoli remained near the front of the field throughout the race, putting together one of her strongest performances of the season while recording a personal best of 16 minutes, 9.8 seconds.
Her time placed her among the top collegiate runners in the country, ranking 23rd nationally in the 2026 NCAA Division I women’s 5K rankings. Paoli’s fifth-place finish also secured one of two individual All-Big Sky honors for the Vandals.
Joining Paoli in the top 10 was sophomore Alex Terry, who crossed the finish line in 10th place to earn her own All-Big Sky recognition. Terry recorded a personal-best time of 16:32.6, improving on her previous season best by more than a minute and a half.
Terry’s performance highlighted the importance of Idaho’s depth throughout the championship, as the Vandals placed multiple runners among the conference’s top competitors.
Reflecting on her race, Terry credited her positioning early in the competition and the team’s overall performance for helping produce the result.
“The race played out well, working with Jesse to get in a good position and then trying to leave it all out there in the finishing loop. I’m so proud of the team today,” Terry said.
Just outside the top 10, junior Jesse Redding continued Idaho’s strong showing with a 15th-place finish. Redding also broke the 17-minute mark, recording a personal-best time of 16:56.3 and giving the Vandals another impressive result in the women’s race.
Mary Nakamura and Malia Chipouras completed Idaho’s top five finishers, helping secure the team’s third-place standing. Both runners contributed important finishes in a race where every position mattered, particularly with the bronze medal ultimately decided through a tiebreaker.
The championship also provided an opportunity for Idaho’s younger runners to demonstrate their development. Freshmen Micah Redding and Kadance Holso each recorded the best collegiate performances of their careers, adding to a day filled with personal accomplishments for the women’s program.
While the women celebrated a podium finish, the Idaho men’s team faced a difficult challenge in the 8K championship race, finishing seventh overall.
Senior Zac Knapp led the Vandals across the finish line, continuing a consistent season and drawing on his previous experience competing at the conference championships. Head coach Hellman pointed to Knapp’s performance as one of the highlights for the men’s squad.
“Our men had an okay race. We were a little thin with injuries and sickness, but I was proud of our effort and we are continuing to build for the future. I thought Zac Knapp had an outstanding race and his experience showed as he’s been at the championships before,” Hellman said.
Despite the challenges facing the men’s lineup, the Vandals still had several individual performances worth recognizing. Conor Thompson delivered one of the team’s strongest efforts, finishing as Idaho’s third runner across the line. Thompson was also the only member of the men’s squad to record a personal best during the championship.
Knapp’s leadership and Thompson’s performance provided encouraging signs for a men’s program continuing to develop as the postseason progresses. Although the team was unable to reach the podium, Idaho continued to gain valuable championship experience against a competitive Big Sky field.
Competing in Flagstaff presented an additional challenge for both squads, with the race taking place at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet. The conditions tested the runners throughout the competition, making Idaho’s women’s podium finish and collection of personal records even more significant.
Hellman expressed pride in the team’s overall performance, pointing to the difficult conditions and the effort displayed by both programs.
“Overall a great finish for the Vandals today in Flagstaff. It was very challenging racing at 7000 feet, but our kids did really good and I’m proud of our result,” Hellman said.
With the Big Sky Championships behind them, Idaho will turn its attention toward the next stage of the postseason. The Vandals are scheduled to travel to Sacramento, California, for the 2026 NCAA West Regional Championships, where both teams will look to carry their momentum into another opportunity to compete against the region’s top collegiate programs.
For the women’s team, the bronze medal provides a milestone to build on, while the individual performances from both squads offer encouragement heading into the regional competition.