HPU Women’s Track Fourth After 20 of 21 Big South Championship Events

ROCK HILL, S.C. — The High Point University women’s track & field team ranked fourth in the Big South Championship team standings with one event remaining after Saturday’s competition in Rock Hill, S.C. The pole vault began on Friday but was suspended due to wet conditions and will finish on Monday.

The pole vault will be contested on Monday at 2 p.m. back at Belk Track in Rock Hill, S.C. Competition began on Friday and was suspended with the bar at 3.57 meters (11-8.5). HPU sophomore Jill Marois was the only competitor who cleared 3.57. Five others will have one more attempt at 3.57 meters including HPU sophomore Alyssa Palenchar.

Through 20 of 21 events, Coastal Carolina led the team race with 216 points followed by Liberty (172), Campbell (85), High Point (71) and Charleston Southern (67). Winthrop ranked sixth with 52 points followed by Gardner-Webb (37), UNC Asheville (33), Radford (29) and VMI (16).

High Point had several big performances during Saturday’s action, including a 15-point performance by sophomore Cozette Collin and 11 total points in the 5,000-meter.

Collin scored 15 points across three events. In the 1,500-meter, Collin went out with the leaders. With less than 800 meters remaining, Radford’s Teresa Williamson surged to the lead. Collin remained in second all the way with a time of 4:43.72. She came back in the 800-meter and placed sixth with a time of 2:21.17, then came back again to place fifth in the 5,000-meter with a time of 17:44.79. Collin raced in two preliminaries on Friday, making it five races in two days.

After a third-place finish in her career debut in the 10,000-meter on Thursday, sophomore Julia Zautcke placed third in Saturday’s 5,000-meter with a career-best time of 17:32.64. Collin placed fifth and junior Leah Anne Wirfel took eighth to scored a point with her time of 18:02.57.

The Panthers’ 4×100 relay team of Emily De Lena, Catelyn Griffin, Amanda Gregory and Lilla Lorand placed seventh in 49.34. The 4×400 relay team of De Lena, Shannon Corbett, Emily Fischer and Lorand finished the day with an eighth-place finish and a time of 3:57.18.

Beginning Saturday’s competition, freshman Alexis Fernandez placed seventh in the triple jump with a distance of 10.89 meters (35-8.75). Senior Lynee Pina finished 19th and freshman Jamie Schnuck took 24th in the discus.

On Friday, HPU sophomore Christine Rickert threw the javelin 47.22 meters (154-11) for the victory and a new meet record. The Panthers had a great showing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with Audrey Malloy taking third, Natalia Ocasio fourth and Katie Farina fifth. In the high jump, sophomore Erica Herrmann placed fifth and freshman Jenny Mara took sixth. Sophomore Zoey Miller placed seventh in the heptathlon.

With two of the six competitors remaining in the pole vault, High Point will look to leap frog Campbell for third place. The Camels have 85 points to High Point’s 71. Campbell has none among the six remaining pole vaulters.