Malloy’s Third-Place Finish Paces HPU Women’s Track at Duke

DURHAM, N.C. — Sophomore Audrey Malloy placed third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to lead the High Point University women’s track & field team at the Duke Invitational on Saturday in Durham, N.C. Senior Manika Gamble placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries.

“That was a nice step forward for Audrey in the steeplechase and Kelsey Fraser is inching her way forward in the steeple,” said HPU head coach Mike Esposito. “Kelsey Paine ran very well in the 3K so we have some things coming together for the conference championship in two weeks. Manika has been sore so she didn’t run the finals in the 100 hurdles but she’ll be ready for conference.”

Malloy ran a season-best time of 11:02.24 to place third behind former Duke All-American Laura Paulsen (10:36.89) and the College of Charleston’s Kristen Wolfe (10:52.47). Fraser placed sixth in 11:18.89 and senior Kesley Hinchliffe took 12th in 12:15.14. Hunt ran a career-best 10:16.49 to place 12th in the open 3,000-meter.

Gamble placed third in her heat and fourth overall in the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries, running a time of 14.50. She did not compete in the finals. On Friday, Gamble was runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:00.79.

Senior Shamia Brown made her debut for the Panthers, placing 28th in the 200-meter in 26.23. She also ran the anchor leg of High Point’s 4×100 relay that placed third. Sophomores Kaitlin Whittington and Shannon Corbett and freshman Emily Fischer ran the first three legs. Brown had a standout career on the HPU women’s basketball team before joining the track team this season.

In the 800-meter, freshman Sarah Dorrell placed third in her heat and 26th overall in 2:20.48. Sophomore Colleen Hollowood placed 39th. Fischer placed sixth in her heat and 26th overall in the 400-meter in 1:01.68.

High Point finished the meet placing 12th in the 4×400 relay with Whittington, Corbett, Dorrell and Fischer running the four legs.

On Friday, sophomore Lynee Pina placed eighth in the javelin with a throw of 40.72 meters (133-7). That was way ahead of her previous best of 36.92 meters (121-1), which she set during the Big South Championship last season.

Also on Friday, Corbett placed fourth in her heat and 11th overall in the developmental section of the 400-meter, finishing in 1:01.19. Freshman Lauren Blackwell placed seventh in the 5,000-meter in 18:25.39.

The Panthers have one more tuneup – the Johnson C. Smith Invitational – next week before competing in the Big South Championship April 19-21 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.