Track and Field: Heinst Wins 1,500m as HPU Finishes Action at Two Meets

BOONE, N.C. — The High Point University men’s and women’s track and field teams finished action Saturday (April 28) at the Mountaineer Invite in Boone, while a pair of athletes competed at the Virginia Grand Prix in Charlottesville, Va.

In the women’s 1,500 meters, freshman Famke Heinst was victorious with a time of 4:27.72, while junior Keaton Case was third in 4:40.34. Sophomore Charis Dinger was second in her heat and seventh overall in 5:04.97.

“Famke was impressive in the win and with the altitude conversion she will be right on the edge of qualifying for the NCAA First Round,” HPU head coach Mike Esposito said. “Keaton will focus entirely on the 800 now, while Charis competed very well in her heat.”

Freshman Syndey Bagus finished third in her first-career 3,000m steeplechase in a time of 12:09.21. Fellow freshman Franzi Jakobs placed second in the 400m hurdles in a time of 1:06.74.

“I’m very pleased with Sydney in her steeple debut,” Esposito said. “That gives us another option for scoring at the conference meet. Franzi had a good day in the 400 hurdles and I’m confident she will make a big jump in the next few races.”

In the men’s high jump, sophomore John Singleton III placed sixth in the high jump after clearing a height of 1.92m (6-3.5).

“John had a nice season best and had a couple good attempts at another PR height,” Esposito said. “His event is wide open at the conference meet and he’s coming around at the perfect time.”

Junior Britton Mann placed eighth in the men’s shot put with a throw of 13.70m (44-11.5) and eighth in the discus with a mark of 40.25m (132-1).

“Britton is working through some things in the throwing events and we believe he’s on the verge of putting it together at the conference meet.”

In the men’s 1,500 meters, freshmen Stephen Gray and Phillip Sherwin placed 23rd and 27th in 4:15.42 and 4:25.46, respectively.

At the Virginia Grand Prix in Charlottesville, Va., senior CeAnna Soper placed fifth in the women’s javelin with a throw of 36.95m (121-2). Fellow senior Makenzi Holmes-DiGiovine finished sixth in the women’s discus with a throw of 46.30m (151-11) and placed 11th in the shot put with a mark of 12.40m (40-8.25).

“Makezni and CeAnna spent the greater part of the week completing their academic requirements for graduation next week, but we came here to UVA looking to perform better,” HPU Associate Head Coach Scott Hall said. “We weren’t very patient technically and will need to fix some things as we move toward the Big South Championships.”

Up next, the Panthers will compete in the Liberty Twilight on May 2 in Lynchburg, Va., as the final tune-up for the Big South Championships, to be held at Vert Stadium May 9-11.