Track and Field: Six HPU Panthers to Compete at NCAA Preliminaries

HIGH POINT, N.C. — Six members of the High Point University track and field teams have been selected to compete at the NCAA Preliminary Rounds May 24-26 at the USF Track and Field Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

The Panthers will be represented by four women, senior Makenzi Holmes-DiGiovine, junior Keaton Case and freshmen Nathalie Elliott and Famke Heinst, and two men, senior Alejandro Juan Torres and freshman Hocine Bouchrak.

It will be Holmes-DiGiovine’s second NCAA track and field appearance for the Panthers and the first for the rest of the group.

All six earned Big South honors at the Big South Championships May 9-11 at Vert Stadium. Juan Torres captured the men’s 3,000m steeplechase title, while Heinst took home the Big South Women’s Track Performer of the Year honors after winning the 3,000m steeplechase, the 1,500 meters and the 5,000 meters.

Case will get the action started for the Purple & White in the first round of the women’s 800 meters on Thursday at 8:35 p.m. The quarterfinal is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on Friday.

Holmes-DiGiovine will compete in the women’s discus at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. At the same time, Elliott will be in action in the women’s pole vault.

Juan Torres and Bouchrak will run in the quarterfinal of the men’s 3,000m steeplechase on Friday at 8:20 p.m. Heinst will compete in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase at 9 p.m.

The top 12 of each event will move on to the NCAA Championships, to be held in Eugene, Ore., June 6-9.