HPU Men’s Track Wins Five Events at Campbell Invite

• HPU finished second (112 points) at the scored meet ahead of third-place Liberty (110)
• Sophomore Vinny Todaro won an event for the second-straight week, this time the 3000m run (PR of 8:36.31)
• Junior Will Narramore won the first individual title of his collegiate career with a PR in the triple jump (14.58m, 22-6.5)

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The High Point University men’s track & field team won five events en route to a second-place finish at the Campbell Invitational on Saturday.

High Point student-athletes accounted for four individual titles, while the 4x100m relay team captured the event crown in a collective effort. Senior Chris Colo, juniors Will Narramore and Paul O’Donoghue and sophomore Vinny Todaro all won event crowns for HPU.

The 50 first-place points helped High Point amass 112 points and eclipse Liberty (110) for second place. Coastal Carolina won the meet with 153 points while host Campbell finished fourth with 85 points.

Todaro continued his blazing pace of late with an individual title for the second-straight week. After winning the 1500m crown at last week’s Bill Carson Invitational, the Newville, Pa., native captured the 3000m title in Buies Creek with a collegiate PR of 8:36.31. Sophomore Chernet Sisay earned six points for HPU with a third-place finish (8:45.26) and junior Cody Seymour was fourth in 9:00.38.

Narramore also set a new PR during an event victory, posting a career best mark of 14.58m (22-6.5) to win the triple jump title. It marked the first individual collegiate title for the Nashville product and the fourth best jump in the Big South this season.

In mid-distance action, O’Donoghue flattened the field in the 800m and joined the PR party with a time of 1:50.99. It marked the Franklin, Mass., native’s third individual event victory of 2014-15 and set a new top mark for a Big South runner in the 800m this season. Also joining O’Donoghue in the event, junior Benji Szalai placed fifth in a time of 1:55.41 while freshman Ryan Udvadia was sixth in a collegiate PR of 1:55.87.

Colo topped his previous 3000m steeplechase PR by four seconds during a victorious 9:08.27 scamper in Buies Creek. Freshman James Quattlebaum finished third in a PR of 9:24.61 and senior John Yankello placed fourth in 9:49.64. The time was 10 seconds faster than Yankello’s previous top time.

HPU also was victorious in the 4x100m relay after putting together a solid time of 43.37 seconds. The winning Panther squad included redshirt-senior Tristan Faure, junior Andrew Kuras, sophomore Eric Purnell and freshman James House.

Szalai finished fourth in the 1500m run in a time of 3:56.19 while freshman Ryan Udvadia was sixth in 4:03.82.

Purnell placed fourth in the 110m hurdles with a time of 17.19 seconds and freshman Matt Hollis finished right behind in fifth with a PR of 17.36 seconds. Junior Nick Hula was third in the 400m hurdles in a time of 57.29 seconds.

In sprints action, House represented HPU in the 100m dash and finished sixth in a time of 11.21 seconds. Junior Andrew Kuras finished fourth in the 200m dash in a PR of 22.27 seconds.

Freshman Keegan Hanks placed sixth in the 400m dash in a time of 52.93 seconds and sophomore Nick Williams was seventh in 53.79.

In throws action, junior Jim Wilson led HPU with a third-place finish in the shot put. The Nashville native notched a mark of 13.92m (45-8) to secure six points for the Purple & White.

Hollis placed fourth in the javelin throw with a PR of 46.70m (153-2) and Purnell was sixth with a mark of 40.13m (131-8). Faure finished seventh in the discus throw (37.26m, 122-3) and Hollis was ninth with a PR of 30.25m (99-3).

Narramore also finished third in the long jump with a season best mark of 6.87m (22-6.5) while sophomore Adam DeVito was fifth with a season best mark of 6.79m (22-3.5).

HPU returns to action April 24-25 at the Highlander Invitational in Radford, Va.