HPU Track & Field Panther Trio To Compete In NCAA East Prelims

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point University track & field will be sending three athletes to this year’s NCAA East Preliminary in Jacksonville, Fla. this May, with sophomores Nathalie Elliott and Famke Heinst making return trips alongside first-timer Carter Clasper

Women’s Pole Vault; Friday, May 24th – 5 PM
Nathalie Elliott | Sophomore | Spring Grove, Pa. | 4.16m

• Second straight trip to NCAA East Preliminaries
• Finished 16th in the East with a season-best 4.16m
• 4.16m mark earned her a Big South pole vault title
• Cleared four-plus meters in four meets during the outdoor season
• Finished 37th in last year’s prelim competition

Women’s 3000m Steeplechase; Friday, May 24th – 8:20 PM
Famke Heinst | Sophomore | Gelderland, Netherlands. | 10:20.93

• Second straight trip to NCAA East Preliminaries
• Finished 20th in the East with a season-best 10:20.93 at the Virginia Challenge
• Grabbed three Big South titles; the 3000m steeple, 1500m and 5000m
• Also grabbed 2019 indoor titles in the mile and 3000m, along with the 2018 individual cross country championship
• Set a new school record at last years prelims (10:11.03) to finish 17th

Men’s Pole Vault; Thursday, May 23rd – 4:30 PM
Carter Clasper | Junior | Waxhaw, N.C. | 5.05m

• First career trip to NCAA East Preliminaries
• Tied a lifetime best with his 5.05m at Big South Championships
• Career mark earned a conference title in the pole vault
• Also claimed the 2019 Indoor Big South title (4.95m)
• Enters the Jacksonville competition ranked 46th in the East

With her career best mark of 4.16m at Big South Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Nathalie Elliott returns to the NCAA East Preliminary, where she finished 37th in last year’s competition. The sophomore has already claimed three conference titles in her career, as her mark places her in 16th headed into next week’s competition in Jacksonville, Fla.

After winning three outdoor titles at this year’s conference championships, Famke Heinst makes a repeat trip to NCAA East prelims this year, running a school record 10:11.03 at the 2018 regional meet. Heinst has yet to lose a Big South title race during her two years as a Panther, owning six outdoor titles, four indoor titles and two individual cross country championships.

Carter Clasper will represent the Panther men at Jacksonville this month, after tying a career-best 5.05m at Big South Outdoor Track and Field Championships earlier this May. His mark was good enough to claim the outdoor title, while placing him 46th in the east overall. This will be his first trip to NCAA preliminaries in his three years competing in Purple & White.