• Ocasio’s 3000m steeplechase time of 10:29.27 breaks her own school record and is the No. 2 time in Big South history
• Ocasio’s time also ranks as the No. 26 mark in the NCAA East Region in 2016
• At the Duke Invite, junior Cozette Collin set another personal best in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:12.42
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va./DURHAM, N.C. – High Point University women’s track & field junior Natalia Ocasio shattered her own school record in the 3000m steeplechase while leading the Purple & White in split-squad action Friday at the Virginia Challenge.
Ocasio spent the first three laps near the back of the pack, then began to strategically work her way up through a deep and talented field. Despite the hurdles and water pit adding extra burden in the last legs of the race, Ocasio actually sped up from lap six (1:26.78) to lap seven (1:25.40) to a blitzing finish during the bell lap (1:15.34).
The strong race earned her a sixth-place finish in the heat and 15th overall in one of the strongest steeple events in the nation. Ocasio’s excellent time of 10:29.27 is second best in Big South history and ranks No. 26 in the NCAA East Region this season.
“I’m thrilled with the maturity Natalia showed in the steeplechase today,” head women’s distance coach Jenna Wrieden said. “Her trust in the plan was the reason she was able to accomplish her goal today. The focus always has been the process and that will continue to be the focus as she approaches the Big South Championship and potentially the NCAA meet. That’s what we do. We chip away and stay focused on the daily grind. Good results always come from that.”
While Ocasio got it done in Virginia, the rest of the Panthers were competing hard at the Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C.
Highlighting the day for the Purple & White, junior Cozette Collin improved on her 800-meter PR for the second time in three weeks, crossing the finish line in a new best of 2:12.42 to finish seventh. Freshman Keaton Case placed 13th in the event with a time of 2:16.19, shaving close to four seconds off her career best time.
On the hurdles circuit, sophomore Ashlynn Schiro placed eighth in the 100-meter event with a time of 15.47 seconds and fellow sophomore Mikaela Campbell was 13th in 16.00.
Freshman Jasmyn Gillespie placed 30th in the 400m dash with a personal best time of 1:00.71 and sophomore CeAnna Soper was 31st in 1:00.94.
In field events, senior Jamie Schnuck placed 10th in the hammer throw, just missing the final with a mark of 49.40m (162-1).
Junior Amanda Gregory finished 10th in the long jump (5.35m, 17-6.75) while fellow junior Alyn Carr earned a 22nd-place showing in the event (5.00m, 16-5).
Gregory also finished 28th in the 100m dash preliminaries (12.98 seconds) while Carr placed 30th (13.00).
A larger contingent of HPU student-athletes will be in action Saturday in Durham, including the Panther pole vault and javelin units. Action begins inside Morris Williams Stadium at 11:30 a.m.