HPU ROUNDUP: HPU men, women repeat as track team champs
Feb. 26—BLACKSBURG, Va. — High Point University's men and women repeated as team champions in the Big South Conference indoor track and field championships Friday and Sunday at Virginia Tech.
High Point's men won with a team score of 211, followed by Charleston Southern with 136.5. The women won with a team score of 183.33, trailed by Charleston Southern with 151.
Chris Van Niekerk was the Men's Most Outstanding Performer, while Graham Ferguson was the Men's Most Valuable Athlete and A'lajuwan Robinson was the Men's Newcomer of the Year. Mike Esposito was Men's Coach of the Year. Ferguson, who made the All-Academic team, was also selected Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Sydney Horn was named the Women's Most Outstanding Performer, while Gianna Paul was selected the Women's Freshman of the Year. Letizia Marsico earned a spot on the All-Academic team.
Each High Point team won seven events — highlighted by Andrew Taylor winning the men's high jump with a meet-tying height of 2.15m and Horn becoming the first three-time champion in the women's pole vault, reaching a Big South-record height of 4.51m.
Maxwell Robinson (men's pole vault, 5.03m), Marsico (women's shot put, 14.59m), Sydney Koker (women's high jump, 1.70m), Brianna Malone (women's mile, 4:48.27), Jason Thompson (men's mile, 4:05.69), Cole Wilson (men's heptathlon, 5360), Lindsay Cooper (women's 60m hurdles, 8.55), A'lajuwan Robinson (men's 60m, 6.73), Dae'nitra Hester (women's 200m, 24.41), Nikki Frail (women's 800m, 2:12.56), Ferguson (men's 800m, 1:53.04) and Van Niekerk (men's shot put, 18.63m) won events for the Panthers.
BASEBALL
OXFORD, Miss. — High Point University earned its first win over an SEC school to highlight its weekend series against Ole Miss. The Panthers won the series opener 7-3 on Friday before falling 12-2 on Saturday and 25-2 on Sunday at Ole Miss.
Konni Durschlag had four hits in the series opener while Charlie Klinger added two hits, including a double, and an RBI to key the Panthers, who led 5-0 through four innings. Brett Wozniak earned the pitching win, striking out three in 5 1/3 innings.
Cael Chatham had two hits and an RBI in the series' second game, in which High Point trailed 4-0 in the first inning and allowed five runs in the sixth. Gus Hughes took the loss in 4 1/3 inning as Ole Miss homered three times in the game.
Klinger had a hit and an RBI while Xavier Cumbee and Brett Ahalt each doubled for the Panthers in the series finale. Ole Miss scored the first 15 runs of the game, including 11 in the first, and tallied 16 hits. Howell Polk took the loss without getting an out.
MEN'S LACROSSE
CLEVELAND — High Point University topped Cleveland State 18-11 in nonconference men's lacrosse Saturday at Cleveland State.
Jack Sawyer had three goals and two assists to lead the Panthers (4-1), who scored seven straight goals in the first and second to lead by five and helped carry a 12-7 advantage into halftime.
Isiah Moran-Weekes added four goals, while Nick Rizzo had a goal and three assists. Tommy Meehan chipped in three goals, and Ryan Hynes had a goal and two assists.
Zack Overend made eight saves in goal before giving way to Christopher O'Grady in the final minutes.
High Point will next play Saturday at No. 9 Syracuse.
WOMEN'S LACROSSE
CHAPEL HILL — High Point University lost 23-3 against No. 8 North Carolina in nonconference women's lacrosse Sunday at North Carolina.
Jordan Miles scored all three goals to highlight the Panthers (1-2), who trailed 15-1 at halftime. Esprit Cha and Mackie Scheib each added an assist. Joy Coffey (four saves) and Ava Welsh (one save) split time in goal.
High Point will host San Diego State on Sunday at Vert Stadium.
