HPU Men’s Track & Field Wins Three Events On First Day Of VertKlasse Meeting

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men’s track & field team kicked off the sixth annual VertKlasse Meeting on Friday. The Panthers had a strong showing on the first day with three individual winners in Christian Spaulding, Max Coleman and Harris Coley.

Spaulding won the javelin with a throw of 67.05 meters (220-0), which bested the runner-up Zachary Robertshaw of Duke who threw 57.45 meters (188-06). The junior’s mark was just shy of the school record, which he holds at 68.19 meters from the Coastal Carolina Invitational this season. Freshman Drew Francouer placed third in the event with a mark of 53.63 meters (175-11).

Coleman won the participation section of the high jump for a second consecutive year at the VertKlasse with a clearance of 1.94 meters (6-4.25). The redshirt-junior’s mark was a team-season best and matched his career-best clearance.

In the participation section of the men’s pole vault, HPU had the top two finishers in sophomore Harris Coley and freshman Jose San Miguel. Coley won with a clearance of 4.57 meters (15-0) with San Miguel coming in as runner-up with a mark of 4.37 meters (14-4).

Elsewhere in the field events, sophomore Jim Wilson placed eighth in the shot put with a throw of 13.46 meters (44-02).

On the track, redshirt-senior Jacob Smith was runner-up in the 1500-meter race with a time of 3:48.65. Furman Elite’s Michael Hammond won the event with a meet record 3:46.80. Smith’s time was just off the previous meet and facility record, which he set in 2012 at 3:48.14.

Junior Chris Colo also had a successful day with a fourth place finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a career-best and team season-best time of 9:19.64.

The VertKlasse Meeting will continue tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m.