*** both men’s and women’s recaps included ***
Panther Women Close Regular Season
LYNCHBURG, Va. – High Point University track and field put a cap on the regular season this Saturday, competing in day two of the Liberty-hosted Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational. The meet took place inside the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, where the Panthers will return to compete in the Big South Indoor Championship at the same facility.
“We didn’t run many kids, but you want the vaulters to vault in the facility that they’re going to vault on [for the Big South championships], and that’s important,” said Head Coach Mike Esposito. “…I feel really good about going into next week.”
Action opened with the women’s pole vault, where sophomore Jessica Keys and Rachel Berndsen led the Purple & White with a 3.50m clearance apiece. The pair finished in a tie for fifth among participating collegiates, while their respective season-highs of 3.80m and 3.60m rank second and third in the Big South.
On the track, freshman Nyile Facey qualified for the hurdles final with a 9.01 in prelims, before running her third sub-nine of the year in the final. Her pace of 8.99 placed her seventh in the event, as her 8.89 at Camel City last week currently sits fifth in the conference.
Taylor Arthur and Emmy Geis both participated in the 500m with the latter posting a personal best 1:17.16 to take third overall. Meanwhile Charis Dinger’s 2:21.34 in the 800m was good for a third-place finish as well, and a new lifetime best for the junior.
Top Performers
800m
3. Charis Dinger (2:21.34) – PR
500m
3. Taylor Arthur (1:17.16) – PR
60m Hurdles
7. Nyile Facey (8.99)
Pole Vault
T7. Jessica Keys (3.50m)
T7. Rachel Berndsen (3.50m)
COMING UP NEXT
High Point preps for the 2019 Big South Indoor Track and Field Championships, competing at the same venue they partook in at this week’s Darius Dixon Memorial Invite
Panther Women Big South Championship History
2018 Finish: Third (98.50)
Best Finish: Third (2018, 2017 & 2002)
Highest Point Total: 98.50 (2018)
HPU Men Complete Final Regular Season Test
LYNCHBURG, Va. – High Point University track and field put a cap on the regular season this Saturday, competing in day two of the Liberty-hosted Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational. The meet took place inside the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, where the Panthers will return to compete in the Big South Indoor Championship at the same facility.
“We didn’t run many kids, but you want the vaulters to vault in the facility that they’re going to vault on [for the Big South championships], and that’s important,” said Head Coach Mike Esposito. “…I feel really good about going into next week.”
The men’s side started things on the track with freshman Daniel Bogle running a 7.01 in the 60m dash. The first-year Panther finished eighth among college-attached runners in the event, while his 6.92 at the Keydet Invitational earlier this year places him sixth in the conference.
Fellow freshman Bobby Dupell III had a big day in the 400m, winning his heat and setting a new personal record at 50.91, while Levi Williams shaved two hundredths of a second off his indoor 200m PR at 22.42.
In the field Carter Clasper led the Panthers in the pole vault, registering a 4.95m in the event. The junior just recently earned Big South Indoor Field Athlete of the Week for his 5.05m at the Doc Hale Virginia Tech Invite, with his clearance standing as the top-mark in the conference.
Top Performers
Pole Vault
5. Carter Clasper (4.95m)
60m Dash
8. Daniel Bogle (7.01)
400m
10. Bobby Dupell III (50.91) – PR
COMING UP NEXT
High Point preps for the 2019 Big South Indoor Track and Field Championships, competing at the same venue they partook in at this week’s Darius Dixon Memorial Invite
Panther Men Big South Championship History
2018 Finish: Fourth (79.00)
Best Finish: Second (2016 & 2013)
Highest Point Total: 148.00 (2016)