*** Men’s & Women’s recaps included ***
High Point Men Own Nine Podium Spots At Elon
ELON, N.C. – High Point University men’s track and field grabbed nine podium spots this Saturday, finishing their weekend trip to Elon at the Phoenix Invitational.
The Panthers started their day sweeping the pole vault event. Junior Carter Clasper turned in the top mark with a 4.87m, with Zane Griffith (4.57m) and Gabriel Stainback (4.42m) coming in second and third among attached athletes respectively. Stainback’s clearance set a new personal record for the multis athlete, while a 3.97m from Cam Carpentier registered a career best for the junior as well.
Daniel Bogle excelled on the track for HPU, grabbing a first-place finish with a 10.72 in the 100m dash. The freshman would not be the only first-year Panther to grab a podium spot on the day, as Spencer Smucker took second in the 5000m (15:08.25) to close out his team’s performance at Elon.
“We’ve got some good young talented kids that are starting to figure out and really grow confidence,” said Head Coach Mike Esposito. “…I was really pleased with Spencer [Smucker], and thought he competed well wrapping up things for us in the distance events…I think he’s starting to figure some stuff out and he’s really on the cusp of some great things.”
Junior TJ Morales collected a second-place finish as well, fitting in a personal best of 9:48.17 while competing in the 3000m steeple. Josh Brown would finish runner-up with his PR of 53.79m in the javelin, followed closely by freshman Rob Greer in third (49.35m) who came within 61 centimeters of the personal record he set at the Yellow Jacket Invitational earlier this year.
John Singleton III rounded out the Panthers’ top-three performances with his clearance of 1.86m in the high jump, while freshman Bobby Dupell III went ninth in the 400m at 50.16.
COMING UP NEXT
The Panthers will compete in one the biggest meets of the week next Thursday through Saturday, participating in the annual Tennessee Relays for the first time in school history.
Top Performers
Pole Vault
1. Carter Clasper (4.87m)
2. Zane Griffith (4.57m)
3. Gabriel Stainback (4.42m) PR
7. Cam Carpentier (3.97m) PR
100m
1. Daniel Bogle (10.72)
Javelin
2. Josh Brown (53.79m) PR
3. Rob Greer (49.35m)
3000m Steeple
2. TJ Morales (9:48.17) PR
5000m
2. Spencer Smucker (15:08.25) PR
High Jump
3. John Singleton III (1.86m)
400m
9. Bobby Dupell III (50.16)
Brandon Braswell (52.39) PR
Xavier Freeman (52.78) PR
800m
Nate Greggory (2:03.28) PR
Panther Women Claim Pair Of Event Wins At Elon
ELON, N.C. – High Point University women’s track takes home a pair of wins at the Phoenix Invitational this weekend, as multiple athletes set new personal records at the Elon-hosted meet.
“We’ve got some good young talented kids that are starting to figure out and really grow confidence,” said Head Coach Mike Esposito. “…I really like where our women are right now. We have a highly motivated team after how the indoor season ended, and we have to continue to get better and get things done.”
The Panthers’ day started in the field, with junior Samantha Swackhammer registering a PR in the hammer throw (35.26m) during her first outdoor meet of 2019. The Purple & White field athletes continued to improve on their career marks over in the long jump, where multis athlete Anika Weisbrod’s 5.17m long jump set a new PR for the junior.
HPU would clean house in the pole vault, with Jessica Keys taking the top mark among attached competitors in the event. Her 3.52m finished just two spots ahead of teammate Rachel Berndsen, who cleared the same height to come in third on attempts. Berndsen’s 3.52m set a new outdoor personal record for the junior, while Haley Doyle’s 3.22m was an outdoor career best as well.
On the track, the freshman trio of Taylor Arthur, Leah Bolden and Nyile Facey led the way, as all three collected top-five finishes at Elon. Running a 57.96 in the 400m, Arthur took fourth in the field while collecting the first sub-58 second pace of her career. Bolden continued to cement herself as one of the top Panther sprinters in 2019, recording a second-place finish in the 100m dash (12.15) and fourth in the 200m (24.96). Facey set a pair of new career records on Saturday, following Bolden in fifth during the 200m (25.33) and tallying an event winning PR of 14.03 in the in the 100m hurdles.
Three Panthers went on to set new personal bests in the shot put, led by freshman Toni Lamond, who completed a toss of 9.72m. Weisbrod (9.39m) and fellow combined athlete Madison Reynolds (9.21m) were not far off of Lamond’s mark, as the latter also set a career record in the long jump (5.17m)
COMING UP NEXT
The Panthers will compete in one the biggest meets of the week next Thursday through Saturday, participating in the annual Tennessee Relays for the first time in school history.
Top Performers
Pole Vault
1. Jessica Keys 3.52m
3. Rachel Berndsen (3.52m) outdoor PR
7. Haley Doyle (3.22m) outdoor PR
100m Hurdles
1. Nyile Facey (14.03) PR
100m Dash
2. Leah Bolden (12.15)
400m Hurdles
2. Emmy Geis (1:02.48)
400m
4. Taylor Arthur (57.96) PR
200m
4. Leah Bolden (24.96)
5. Nyile Facey (25.33) PR
High Jump
T4. Charlotte Morrow (1.56m)
T6. Anika Weisbrod (1.51m)
Shot Put
11. Toni Lamond (9.72m) PR
14. Anika Weisbrod (9.39m) PR
17. Madison Reynolds (9.21m) PR
Long Jump
16. Madison Reynolds (5.17m) PR
Hammer Throw
22. Samantha Swackhammer (35.26m) PR