HPU Track and Field: Bouchrak Places 18th in 3,000m Steeplechase at NCAA’s

EUGENE, Ore. — High Point University track and field freshman Hocine Bouchrak finished 18th in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase Wednesday evening (June 6) at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Bouchrak placed ninth in his heat and 18th overall in a time of 8:57.04 to earn honorable mention All-America honors. He is the fourth male and fifth Panther overall to earn outdoor All-America accolades.

“First and foremost, I’m proud of him making it here to the national meet,” HPU head coach Mike Esposito said. “I think he went to the back, was playing catch up early and you can’t do that in the steeplechase, but he is a quick learner and I know he is really going to use this experience to benefit him down the road. That’s the type of kid he is.”

“I’m happy with the race and the new experience, it was very hard,” Bouchrak said. “It was a very long year, with cross country, indoor and now outdoor track. We worked very hard to make the national meet, which was the first goal, and we got it. I’m happy with making the semifinals as a freshman.”

Bouchrak advanced to Eugene after finishing 11th in the event in a personal-best time of 8:47.08 at the NCAA East Preliminaries on May 25 in Tampa, Fla. Bouchrak was the fourth male Panther and fifth overall HPU student-athlete to qualify for the national meet.

In his first season in the Purple & White, Bouchrak earned All-Big South honors in the steeplechase after being the runner-up and also earned all-conference honors during the cross country season after finishing eighth at the Big South meet. During the indoor season, he produced a pair of fourth-place finishes and was part of the second-place distance medley relay at the Big South Indoor Championships and was named Big South Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year for his efforts.