HPU Women’s Track: Palenchar Sets Pole Vault Record At Tar Heel Open

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Sophomore Alyssa Palenchar set the High Point University women’s indoor track & field record on Saturday at the Tar Heel Open with a vault of 3.65 meters (11-11.75). It is the third consecutive meet in which the record has been topped and second time this season that Palenchar has set the mark. Her third place finish in the event on Saturday was HPU’s top finish.

Palenchar’s mark of 3.65 meters matches the school record in the pole vault, which she set at the Big South Outdoor Championships last season. The mark also bests sophomore Jill Marois’ vault of 3.45 meters (11-3.75), which was the previous HPU indoor record. Marois set that record last weekend at the Virginia Tech Invitational after Palenchar set the record at 3.40 meters (11-1.75) at the JDL Fast Track, which was the Panthers’ first meet of the year. Marois placed sixth on Saturday with a vault of 3.20 meters (10-6).

“It was a tough week of training with the weather,” said associate head coach Eric Dudley. “Alyssa was able to work through a tough week and warm up and get a good height today.”

In the jumps, freshman Jenny Mara placed sixth in the high jump with a clearance of 1.57 meters (5-1.75). Sophomore Eric Herrmann matched that clearance and finished ninth in the competition. Sophomore Zoey Miller took 12th in the long jump with a distance of 4.46 meters (14-7.75).

In other field events, graduate student Lynee Pina took eighth in the weight throw with a toss of 14.34 meters (47-0.75).

The Panthers featured a limited field in the track events on Saturday. The team’s best finish came from sophomore Lilla Lorand in the 800-meter race. Lorand won her heat with a time of 2:25.27, which placed her fifth overall.

HPU will be back in action next weekend at the JDL Hilton Garden Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C. The meet will take place on Friday and Saturday.