HPU Men’s and Women’s Track Completes Final Day At ETSU

Men’s Report

• Junior Austin Miller and freshman Todd Uckermark finished third and fourth in the pole vault, respectively, with marks of 4.75m (15-7)
• Sophomore Luke Goodrich was seventh in the 800m run (1:59.39)
• Sophomore Adam Devito finished 13th in the high jump (1.92m, 6-3.50)

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The High Point University men’s track & field team took part in a series of distance and field events on the final day of competition at the ETSU Buccaneer Invitational Saturday at the MSHA Athletic Center.

“This event draws to a close the invitational portion of our indoor season,” associate head coach Eric Dudley said. “After spending two 12-hour days at the track, we are looking forward to the more rapid fire schedule at our upcoming team challenge this Thursday. We are ready for the head to head competition and team scoring opportunities.”

The Panthers grabbed two of the top five spots in the pole vault at ETSU, led by junior Austin Miller who finished third with a vault of 4.75m (15-7). Freshman Todd Uckermark matched Miller at 4.75m (15-7) to finish fourth, while junior Harris Coley placed 11th with a mark of 3.35m (14-7.25).

“Our best performances on the men’s side were in the pole vault with Austin and Todd taking third and fourth respectively,” Dudley said. “The men’s pole vault has really been a growth experience this season. We’ve been at multiple meets where 16-foot bars are cleared regularly, including by our own athletes. It’s really brought the HPU men’s vault program to a new level.”

On the track, sophomore Luke Goodrich placed seventh in the 800m with a solid time of 1:59.39 while fellow sophomore Nick Williams was 29th in 2:04.77.

Senior Chris Colo finished 22nd in the mile run in a time of 4:31.68 to pace the Panthers in distance events.

In HPU’s lone jumps event of the day, sophomore Adam Devito finished 13th with a mark of 1.92m (6-3.50).

High Point’s duo in the heptathlon wrapped up the event Saturday, as sophomore Eric Purnell placed ninth with a season-high 4267 points while freshman Matt Hollis was 12th with 3914 points. Hollis was fifth in the pole vault (3.87m, 12-8.25) while Purnell was sixth (3.57m, 11-8.50), marking their best individual event finishes of the day.

HPU’s 4x400m relay team wrapped up the ETSU Invite for the Panthers with a 15th-place finish (3:27.89). The HPU quartet included juniors Dennis Crawford and Nick Hula as well as Goodrich and freshman Keegan Hanks.

The Panthers now return to the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem to host the High Point University Team Challenge on Thursday (Feb. 12).

“Some of our athletes struggled through some things this weekend,” Dudley said. “Every team and every sport goes through highs and lows throughout the season and with proper planning those highs are timed to show up when they matter most.”


Women’s Report

• HPU’s 4x400m relay team put forth a season-best time (4:02.79) en route to a seventh-place finish
• Freshman Kelly Hayes finished eighth in the mile run (5:17.03)
• Freshman Kela Seals notched a season-best mark of 5.29m (17-4.25) in the long jump

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The High Point University women’s track & field team put forth a series of top-10 finihes on the final day of competition at the ETSU Buccaneer Invitational Saturday at the MSHA Athletic Center.

“This event draws to a close the invitational portion of our indoor season,” associate head coach Eric Dudley said. “After spending two 12-hour days at the track, we are looking forward to the more rapid fire schedule at our upcoming team challenge this Thursday. We are ready for the head to head competition and team scoring opportunities.”

Freshman Kelly Hayes led HPU with an eighth-place finish in the mile run (5:17.03), while senior Krista Willard placed 16th in an indoor PR time of 5:28.64. Sophomore Cozette Collin finished 17th in a time of 5:29.08.

Sophomore Natalia Ocasio paced the Panthers with an 11th-place showing in the 3000m run in a time of 10:37.06 while junior Julia Zautcke was 16th in 10:43.17.

HPU’s 4x400m relay team of junior Lilla Lorand, sophomore Jessica Wise and freshmen CeAnna Soper and Ashlynn Schiro put together a strong showing en route to a seventh-place finish in a time of 4:02.79.

A pair of Panthers competed in the shot put, as junior Jamie Schnuck placed 33rd with a mark of 10.14m (33-3.25) while sophomore Erika Bridges was 53rd (6.79m, 22-3.50).

In the 800m run, Bridges finished 64th in a time of 2:45.83.

Freshman Kela Seals led the Purple & White with a 12th-place showing in the long jump with a season-high mark of 5.29m (17-4.25). Sophomore Alexis Fernandez finished 20th with a mark of 5.17m (16-11.50) and Schiro was 29th (4.96m, 16-3.25).

“Our women long jumpers posted three seasons bests, lead by Kela Seals, with a strong 5.29m jump,” Dudley said. “The 4x400m relay team posted a season’s best time with Jessica Wise and Lilla Lorand running solid splits.”

The Panthers now return to the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem to host the High Point University Team Challenge on Thursday (Feb. 12).

“Some of our athletes struggled through some things this weekend,” Dudley said. “Every team and every sport goes through highs and lows throughout the season and with proper planning those highs are timed to show up when they matter most.”