ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s track and field team kicks off the 2016-17 indoor season this Saturday, Dec. 3, at the JDL College Kickoff inside the JDL Fast Track Complex in Winston-Salem, N.C. Field events begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by running events at 10 a.m. Follow the Phoenix Fans can keep up with the action of the Phoenix on Saturday with live results listed on the Elon women’s track and field schedule page. Other updates will be provided on the team’s social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram at the handle, @eu_xctf. Setting the Stage The Phoenix…

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Guilford College senior Chad Norton set the school record in the 5,000-meter race Wednesday night at the Liberty University Kickoff track and field meet. Fresh off an All-America finish at last month’s NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, Norton placed second to Bridgewater College’s Luke Sohl in 15 minutes, 1.29 seconds. He lowered the Guilford record in the event by over six seconds. Teammate Andris Goncarovs set the previous record in the 2013 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championships. Goncarovs took third in Wednesday night’s race in 15:28.98. Fellow senior David Cason (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth) was fourth…

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University track & field team has added Nate Thiesfeld as an assistant coach, head coach Mike Esposito announced on Monday. Thiesfeld was a four-time All-Missouri Valley Conference sprinter at Wichita State before working as a graduate assistant coach with the Shockers for two seasons. “We are very excited to add Nate to the track & field staff,” Esposito said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the sprints, an area we want to continue growing in. “Nate was a fantastic sprinter in his own right and brings a ton of energy…

NEW ORLEANS – The Elon University track and field program was recognized as an All-Academic team by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. For the seventh straight season, Phoenix head coach Mark Elliston’s squad was named a USTFCCCA Division I All-Academic Track & Field team after posting a cumulative team GPA of 3.38 in the 2012-13 academic year. The maroon and gold also improved its team GPA from a year ago of 3.30. Elon was one of 187 institutions listed as an All-Academic team after earning a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or higher. Six Southern…

Rising sophomore Benji Szalai of the High Point University men’s track & field team placed sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase the European Under-23 Championship in Tampere, Finland, on Sunday. Szalai ran a career-best 8:43.65. Szalai, representing his home country of Hungary, placed sixth in his preliminary heat on Friday. He ran a then-career best time of 8:47.84 and qualified for the final based on his time. Before the European Championship, Szalai’s best time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase was 8:55.16. Spain’s Abdelaziz Merzoughi, who competed in the 2012 Olympics in London, won the championship in a time of 8:34.64. In his…

The High Point University women’s track & field team will add five more athletes for the 2013-14 campaign. Jumpers Erika Bridges, Amanda Gregory and Jenny Mara, middle distance runner Michaela Carnino and pole vaulter Madison Depner will join four other recruits at High Point this fall. “This recruiting class was a lot more targeted after we brought in so many recruits last year,” said associate head coach Eric Dudley. “We’re really improving our depth in the jumps – both horizontal and vertical – and our women’s pole vault program is developing into one of the best in the Big South.…

DES MOINES, Iowa — Freshman Christine Rickert of the High Point University women’s track & field team placed third in the javelin at the USATF Jr. National Championship on Friday in Des Moines, Iowa. Rickert’s top throw was 46.98 meters (154-1). “Christine had a very strong series against national competition, which is a great sign of her growth and maturity,” said HPU assistant coach Eric Dudley. “Some of her best throws this season came in small meets, so this was a big step for her to throw well on a national level. “Overall, her growth has been great this season.…

DES MOINES, Iowa — Freshman Dennis Crawford of the High Point Univeresity men’s track & field team placed 12th in the first round of the 110-meter hurdles at the USA Track & Field Junior National Championship on Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa. He is one of four Panthers competing in Des Moines this weekend. “Overall we were pleased but Dennis knows he has work to do to run with the guys he was up against today,” said HPU assistant coach Amber Larsen. “It was the best of the best, which is what this meet is all about. It was a…

Senior Dakota Peachee of the High Point University men’s track & field team has been named Big South Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year, the conference announced on Thursday. Peachee became HPU’s first NCAA Div. I All-American in men’s track this season. Peachee, of Garner, N.C., closed out his collegiate career with a fifth-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championship on June 7 in Eugene, Oregon. He ran an HPU-record time of 8:43.04, which is also the Big South Conference record. To earn his spot in the NCAA Final, Peachee won his heat of the…

EUGENE, Ore. — Senior Dakota Peachee of the High Point University men’s track & field team placed fifth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, earning All-America honors at the NCAA Championship on Friday evening at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Peachee is High Point’s first Div. I All-American in men’s track & field. “He did exactly what we talked about, he followed the plan and stayed composed the whole way,” said HPU head coach Mike Esposito. “He really believed he could do this. It clicked this season and this place was rocking, it was magical. Watching the splits I knew he…

High Point University senior Dakota Peachee will run in the final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championship on Friday at 8:40 p.m. (EDT) at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The race will be televised on ESPNU and ESPN3. Peachee became the first HPU men’s track & field athlete to qualify for an NCAA final on Wednesday when he placed fifth in his semifinal heat at Hayward Field. Peachee finished in 8:45.81 and earned an automatic qualifying spot for the final as the top five finishers in each semifinal advanced. The top eight finishers in the final will…

EUGENE, Ore. — Senior Dakota Peachee of the High Point University men’s track & field team finished fifth in his semifinal heat of the 3,000-meter steeplechase, automatically advancing to the final on Wednesday evening at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. He will compete in the final on Friday at 8:40 p.m. (EDT). Peachee got a good start and ran among the top five throughout the entire race. Texas A&M’s Lelei got a strong lead in the early laps and won the race uncontested with a time of 8:40.18. Colorado’s Aric VanHalen led the chase pack and ended up third in…

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Guilford College’s David Cason (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth) earned Capital One Academic All-District 5 NCAA Division III Track & Field/Cross Country recognition from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday. He also received the honor last year and advances to CoSIDA’s NCAA Division III Academic All-America® ballot. CoSIDA members nominated and selected the academic all-district teams. The squads are comprised of cross country and track and field student-athletes from NCAA III institutions in the 11-state area from Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia, south to Florida. Nominees were starters or important reserves of sophomore academic standing or above…

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Freshman Christine Rickert of the High Point University women’s track & field team placed 23rd in the javelin at the NCAA Championship Preliminary on Saturday at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, N.C. Rickert threw the javelin 44.51 meters (146-0) on her first attempt. “She made a strong improvement this season, a strong growth over her high school career,” said HPU associate head coach Eric Dudley. “It’s a different ballgame at the collegiate level. Obviously she had a few big throws earlier this season and we were able to keep her healthy all the way through, which is…

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Senior Dakota Peachee of the High Point University men’s track & field team won his heat of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championship Preliminary on Friday night in Greensboro, N.C., qualifying for the NCAA Final. He finished in an HPU-record time of 8:43.46 and will compete in the national semifinal in Eugene, Oregon, on June 5. “It’s an amazing feeling to know I won tonight and I’m going to Eugene,” said Peachee. “Everything has been geared toward this. I wanted to get out to the front right away so I wouldn’t get caught up on any…

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Elon track and field freshman Caroline McCaslin wrapped her impressive frosh season after competing at the NCAA East Preliminaries on Friday night, May 24. McCaslin became the first Phoenix athlete to qualify the preliminary round since 2011 as she competed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Belk Irwin Track. “We’re so proud of all the accomplishments that Caroline has achieved this season,” said Phoenix head track and field coach Mark Elliston. “Coach (Christine) Engel has done a fantastic job with the distance group all season long and to have Caroline make it to the regional round is…