High Point track team season update

By Ryan, March 29, 2016

By Amy Tyree // Staff Writer

High Point track and field kicked off their outdoor season this past weekend after an eventful conclusion to the indoor season.
Field events started the morning of March 18 in Winston-Salem on Wake Forest University’s campus.
Both teams acquired some major hardware at the Big South Indoor Championships that they will use as momentum as the outdoor season begins.
The men’s team posted an all time high in points to finish second in the Big South Conference for the first time in school history. Individual accolades included James House winning first place in the 60 meter dash, Vinny Todaro’s victory in the mile run, Will Narramore’s record breaking first place triple jump and Austin Miller’s second consecutive pole vault title.
A host of other panthers pitched in with high placing finishes in their respective events to really round the team out. They specifically dominated the mile run as they claimed the top three spots.
Nick Hula and Patrick Van Der Cruyssen ran personal record times in the 400 meter dash and the 800 meter dash, respectively.
Will Narramore won Big South Field Athlete of the year while Paul O’Donoghue won Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the year.
The Women’s team finished sixth overall with key performances by Jill Marois and Alyssa Palenchar in pole vault, Jamie Schnuck in the weight throw, Mackenzie Holmes-DiGiovine’s school record shot put and Julia Zautcke’s third place 5,000 meter run finish.
Schnuck won Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year to join O’Donoghue and become the second duo in league history to win the award while attending the same school.
Nevertheless, both men’s and women’s track and field have been gearing up for an eventful and successful outdoor season that will prepare their athletes to win on the track and in the classroom.
Stay tuned for an exciting season that’s bound to come with more broken records and hardware to be won.