From Player to Leader: Pauline Thiros Shapes the Future of ISU Athletics

POCATELLO — An undersized middle blocker kept getting stuffed. Quick and instinctive, she tried to play like someone she wasn’t. Her taller teammate could soar above the net and hammer the ball down. So, she copied the teammate. But nothing landed. Her confidence slipped.

Pauline Thiros, her coach at Century High School, pulled her aside.

“You’re not going to win that way,” Thiros recalled telling the player. “You’re smart. You’re quick. Stop trying to be good at someone else’s game and be great at your own.”

The player adjusted her angles, stopped mimicking her taller teammate, and began to score. That moment didn’t just help her succeed; it changed the trajectory of her career and pushed her through college.

That same philosophy has guided Thiros throughout her life, from playing on the court to coaching from the sidelines and now, as the director of athletics at Idaho State University. In 2018, Thiros became interim director of athletics at ISU. A year later, she secured the permanent role and made history as the first female athletic director at a Division I school in Idaho.

Thiros grew up in Pocatello, never expecting to stay. The plan was always to leave after graduation, seeking something bigger than small-town life. But the pull of home and her mother’s influence were too strong. Her mother, now 90 and known as Hurricane Annie, is considered a woman with a vision who cannot be deterred.

“It’s how I’ve approached things my entire life,” Thiros said.

As the youngest of three, Thiros grew up with an older sister in rodeo and a brother in football. Sports were constant. Pauline started in Little League softball then volleyball and never looked back.

Thiros has managed to balance being a single mother to her children, Zoe and Constantine. She acknowledges work-life balance isn’t realistic in her role. Eighty-hour workweeks are common, but she embraces the intensity because of her passion for the job.

Family is still a priority. She makes sure to be present for milestones like Zoe’s senior day, even if she can’t attend every event.

“There were certain things I wasn’t going to miss, no matter what was going on at work,” she said.

Thiros’ role blends leadership, logistics and face-to-face time with athletes. There’s rarely a typical day. One moment she’s reviewing NCAA compliance; the next, she’s on the sidelines talking recovery with a sprinter. She moves between recruiting meetings, budget planning, and fundraising with an athlete’s drive and a coach’s care.

“It’s about building relationships with people,” she said. “When you show that you care about the whole person athletically, academically, and personally, that’s where true success comes from.”

Terry Gawlik, athletic director at the University of Idaho, praises Thiros’ approach.

“Pauline is a mindful leader who understands the pressures athletes face,” Gawlik said. “She brings her experience as a former student-athlete to her work and ensures everyone in her department has what they need to succeed.”

Kent Haslam, athletic director at the University of Montana, also appreciates Thiros, even when they disagree.

“I have a great deal of respect for Pauline and the work she does,” Haslam said. “While we don’t always agree on how something should be done or the approach we should take as a conference, that’s part of the business. I appreciate her perspective, and she is a leader among her peers.”

Thiros has leveraged Idaho State’s close-knit culture and strong relationships to level the playing field with universities that have bigger budgets and more NIL funding. By enhancing facilities like the ICCU Dome and increasing support for athletes, including NIL opportunities, she has transformed the department to compete with larger programs. Her focus on long-term sustainability and building a strong culture is central to maintaining that competitive edge.

“I want to leave a lasting legacy,” Thiros said. “One that shows we’ve built something sustainable and meaningful. Something bigger than just wins and losses.”

Looking ahead, Thiros remains ambitious.

“My goal 10 years from now is to be retired, having a martini on the back of my boat,” she laughed. “But seriously, I want to finish the projects we’ve started.”

Her vision includes a new sports performance complex, indoor and outdoor practice facilities, and eventually a basketball arena—investments she sees as essential for ISU’s future.

Thiros is devoted to her athletes and hopes her legacy is more than numbers — that it’s about playing her own game and helping others do the same.

“I want my student-athletes to remember me as someone who really cared about them,” Thiros said. “I want them to know that I was someone who loved them. Many student-athletes from other institutions or even from here don’t know their administrators personally. I want to be the person they remember for really loving them.”