MEN’S REPORT
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The High Point University men’s track & field team wrapped up competition at the High Point University Team Challenge on Thursday, Feb. 9, at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Panthers posted 10 top-five finishes, including three second-place showings at the competition.
Junior James House and sophomore Sean Banda finished in second and third in the 60m dash as House crossed the line with a time of 7.04 followed closely by Banda who finished with a time of 7.12. House also placed sixth in the 200m with a time of 22.73. Freshman Pablo Romero Gonzalez also posted a top-five finish in the sprint events with a fourth-place showing in the 60m hurdles, crossing the line with a career-best time of 8.54.
The HPU middle distance team had a strong day as three Panthers placed in the top five in the mile and two HPU competitors posted top-10 finishes in the 800m. Sophomore Alejandro Juan Torres placed second in the mile with a personal-best time of 4:16.01. Graduate student Paddy Grandinali and senior Vinny Todaro finished right behind Torres as Grandinalli finished third with a career-best time of 4:16.37 and Todaro finished in fourth with a time of 4:18.42. In the 800m, sophomore Patrick Van Der Cruyssen posted a career-best time of 1:56.75 on his way to a fourth-place showing while freshman Jake Dunn finished in ninth with a career-best time of 1:58.74.
Freshman TJ Morales continued to trim time in the 300m as he posted a new PR of 8:58.58, good enough for a sixth-place showing. Senior Chernet Sisay also placed in the top 10 in the event, finishing ninth with a time of 9:02.02.
Four different HPU athletes posted top-six showings in the pole vault led by senior Isaiah Henderson who placed second with a vault of 4.40m. Freshman Jordan McClung finished in third with a height of 4.25m, freshman Matt Knipfer finished in fourth with a height of 4.10m and Romero Gonzalez placed sixth with a height of 3.95m.
High Point continues the indoor season on Friday, Feb. 17, when the team heads to Blacksburg, Va., to compete in the Virginia Tech Challenge. The two-day event will be held at the Rector Field House on the Virginia Tech campus.
WOMEN’S REPORT
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The High Point University women’s track & field team earned four wins at the High Point University Team Challenge on Thursday at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Senior Natalia Ocasio earned two wins on the track to lead the Panthers, finishing first in the mile with a time of 5:08.74 and first in the 3000m with a time of 10:20.03. The Purple & White went 1-2 in both events as senior Cozette Collin finished second in the mile with a time of 5:09.46 and freshman Zoe Geis placed second in the 3000m with a career-best time of 10:22.80. Fellow freshman Kylie Hennessey also posted a top-10 finish in the 3000m, crossing the line in eighth with a career-best time of 10:40.15.
Freshman Kanajzae Brown picked up a win in the 60m dash with a career-best time of 7.67 and also finished in second in the 200m with a time of 25.77. Sophomore Emmy Geis set a new PR in the 400m, finishing in seventh with a time of 1:00.42.
Two Panther runners placed in the top five in the 800m as Collin finished in third with a time of 2:17.62 and she was followed closely by sophomore Keaton Case who crossed with line in fourth with a time of 2:17.73.
Junior Ashlynn Schiro finished fourth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.19 and senior Erika Bridges placed sixth with a career-best time of 9.46.
Bridges picked up HPU’s fourth win on the day with a first-place showing in the high jump, clearing a height of 1.60m. Sophomore Charlotte Morrow tied for third in the event with a jump of 1.50m.
Elsewhere in the field events, senior Madison Depner and freshman Rachel Berndsen finished fifth and sixth in the pole vault. Depner cleared a height of 3.25m while Berndsen set a new PR with a vault of 3.10m. In the weight throw, redshirt-senior Jamie Schnuck placed third with a toss of 16.56m and junior Makenzi Holmes-DiGiovine placed eighth with a throw of 14.87m.
High Point continues the indoor season on Friday, Feb. 17, when the team heads to Blacksburg, Va., to compete in the Virginia Tech Challenge. The two-day event will be held at the Rector Field House on the Virginia Tech campus.