HPU Women’s Track Third After First Day of Big South Championship

LYNCHBURG, Va. — The High Point University women’s track & field team stood in third place after the first day of the Big South Championship on Thursday at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Senior Kelsey Hunt took third and sophomore Lauren Blackwell placed fourth in the 10,000-meter to finish the night.

Hunt took All-Conference honors with her third-place finish in the 10,000-meter, running a time of 36:55.79. Winthrop’s Jeanne Stroud surged after the 3K mark and ran away with a 35-second win and Liberty’s Khristina Kanagy took second in 36:48.39. Blackwell pulled away from defending champ Letitia Saayman for fourth place. Blackwell finished in 37:10.27.

HPU sophomore Leah Anne Wirfel took ninth and freshman Erika Peoples placed 10th in the 10,000-meter.

Also competing on Thursday, junior Kaitlin Whittington placed 15th in the long jump and Sara Katherine Kirkpatrick and Zoey Miller competed in the first day of the heptathlon.

After the first day’s events, Liberty was leading with 33 points followed by Coastal Carolina (24). Winthrop and High Point were tied for third with 11 points followed by Campbell (10), and Gardner-Webb (9).

The meet continues on Friday with the women’s javelin at 9 a.m. High Point freshman Christine Rickert is the No. 1 seed in that event with her HPU-record throw of 47.78 meters (156-0) earlier this season.