HPU TRACK & FIELD Panthers Complete Day Two In Lexington With Trio Of Victories

*** both men’s and women’s recaps included ***

HPU Collects Pair of Wins On Day Two In Lexington

LEXINGTON, Va. – High Point University completed its two-day trip to Lexington this Saturday, with the Panther men winning a pair of events and setting six personal records on Day two of the VMI Keydet Invitational.

“With the men’s shot put, long jump and one mile all kicking off at the same time, Hocine Bouchrak received the Panthers’ first result of the day, running a 4:17.07 in the mile. His final pace was good enough to take first on the afternoon, with his time coming just a few seconds ahead of teammate Siro Pina Cardona (4:18.89), who came within a little more of a second of his own personal record. Bouchrak went on to take a second event win in the 3000m later that afternoon, edging out the field by half a second in his 8:29.02 finish.

I think that the energy today was a whole lot better,” said Head Coach Mike Esposito. “The competition wouldn’t let up and I think our performances wouldn’t either….We had kids win events and we had kids PR, and we got to see Hampton. I think they’re going to be one of the chief players for us to win the conference and we talk about that just like any other sport…Overall I think the energy today was a big thing and it was a whole lot better.”

Freshmen Daniel Bogle and Paul Gore both provided impressive numbers in their events, with the pair running to third and fourth respectively in the 60m dash final. Bogles’ 6.92 was just a hair off the personal best he ran the previous day (6.91), while Gore’s 6.96 set a new collegiate PR. Bogle would also collect a second place finish in the long jump after clearing a team season-best of 7.21m, while Gore went on to score another personal record in the 200m (22.18m).

Over in the shot put, senior Britton Mann came within .05m of tying the school record he set at the Virginia Tech Invitational in 2017, while Carter Clasper’s 4.75m in the pole vault gave the junior a second-place finish among college-attached athletes. Staying in the field, Gabriel Stainback came within less than a tenth of a meter of a new program record, with his 1.95m in the high jump improving on his own personal indoor best.

The afternoon finished with the 4x400m relays as the combination of Pablo Romero, Bogle, Gore and Bobby Dupell III ran a 3:21.88 in their first relay together. The team’s time was good for eighth overall, and is the fastest any HPU team has tallied in the young indoor season.

COMING UP NEXT
The Panthers will get their first taste of multis action in Lynchburg, while competing at the Liberty Kick Off. High Point will again send a full squad to the campus, after recording four top-three finishes at the Liberty Indoor Track Facility in last year’s Liberty Elite Invitational.

Top Performers
One Mile
1. Hocine Bouchrak (4:17.07)
3. Siro Pina Cardona (4:18.89)

Long Jump
2. Daniel Bogle (7.21m) – PR
12. Pablo Romero (6.62m) – ties PR

Shot Put
13. Britton Mann (15.00m)

Pole Vault
2. Carter Clasper (4.75m)

60m Dash
3. Daniel Bogle (6.92)
4. Paul Gore (6.96) – PR

High Jump
6. Gabriel Stainback (1.95m) – Indoor PR

200m
7. Paul Gore (22.18) – PR

3000m
1. Hocine Bouchrak (8:29.02)

400m
22. Bobby Dupell III (51.11) – PR

4x400m Relay
8. Romero/Bogle/Gore/Dupell (3:21.88)


HPU Women’s Panthers Present Big Performances On The Track

LEXINGTON, Va. – High Point University completed its two-day trip to Lexington this Saturday, with the Famke Heinst grabbing first in the one mile, while seven Panther women set new personal records on Day two of the VMI Keydet Invitational.

“I think that the energy today was a whole lot better,” said Head Coach Mike Esposito. “The competition wouldn’t let up and I think our performances wouldn’t either….We had kids win events and we had kids PR, and we got to see Hampton. I think they’re going to be one of the chief players for us to win the conference and we talk about that just like any other sport…Overall I think the energy today was a big thing and it was a whole lot better.”

HPU posted some big performances in the mile with Franzi Jakobs (5:10.92) and Charis Dinger (5:25.35) each collecting a PR on the day. Jakobs’ time earned the sophomore a fifth-place finish, crossing the finish line seven seconds behind teammate Famke Heinst. Heinst rolled over her competition in the event, making her move in the last of eight laps to beat the field by three seconds.

As the lone representative of the Purple and White in the 60m, freshman Leah Bolden ran to sixth-place overall after running a 7.76. The new Panther presented an impressive performance in the 200m as well setting a new PR at 25.39.

Lindsey Ickes and Camryn Harper each bettered their own previous personal records in the 3000m and the 800m respectively. Harper crossed the finish line in 2:24.53, while Ickes crushed the time she set at JDL earlier this season by 10 seconds (10:19.81), to come in seventh overall.

With the majority of the women’s weekend field events taking place on Friday, the Panthers participated in just two competitions off the track, sending athletes to the shot put and long jump. Multi-athletes Anika Weisbrod and Madison Reynolds each set new personal bests in the latter, collecting leaps of 5.12m and 4.76m respectively.

COMING UP NEXT
The Panthers will get their first taste of multis action in Lynchburg, while competing at the Liberty Kick Off. High Point will again send a full squad to the campus, after recording four top-three finishes at the Liberty Indoor Track Facility in last year’s Liberty Elite Invitational.

Top Performers
One Mile
1. Famke Heinst (5:03.40)
5. Franzi Jakobs (5:10.92) – PR
19. Charis Dinger (5:25.35) – PR

60m
6. Leah Bolden (7.76)

200m
11. Leah Bolden (25.39) – PR

3000m
7. Lindsey Ickes (10:19.81) – PR

800m
16. Camryn Harper (2:24.53) – PR

Long Jump
20. Anika Weisbrod (5.12m) – PR
29. Madison Reynolds (4.76m) – PR