Complete Results (PDF) | Day One Recap

• Junior Vinny Todaro won the 3000m run in a PR of 8:21.58
• Benji Szalai (8:30.35) and Alejandro Torres (8:33.03) finished third and fourth in the 3000m
• Sophomore James House placed third in the 200m dash (21.80 seconds)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – High Point University junior Vinny Todaro continued his red-hot 2015-16 campaign with an excellent race to kick off the outdoor season Saturday inside Kentner Stadium.
 
Todaro won the 3000m run with an excellent time of 8:21.58, shattering his collegiate PR by close to 15 seconds. The victory was part of a dominant performance for the Purple & White in the event, as HPU also claimed the third and fourth positions. Senior Benji Szalai continued the momentum from his strong indoor campaign with a third-place finish in the 3000-meter (8:30.35) while freshman Alejandro Torres was fourth (8:33.03).
 
In addition to the strong distance showing Saturday, sophomore sprint star James House set the tone for HPU in the 200m dash, finishing third in a time of 21.80 seconds. The finish was just .01 seconds behind his collegiate PR set last season. Senior Andrew Kuras placed 19^th in the event (23.06).
 
"Vinny is running with a lot of confidence – it's amazing what good health can do for an athlete," head coach Mike Esposito said. "James House also put together a nice race in the 200m on Saturday. We are looking forward to next weekend in Raleigh and Rock Hill."
 
HPU's 4x400m relay team composed of senior Nick Hula, junior Nick Williams and seniors Austin Miller and Dennis Crawford finished fifth in a time of 3:28.28.
 
In throws action, senior Jim Wilson placed ninth in the discus with a strong mark of 45.39m (148-11) and freshman Britton Mann placed 30^th with a throw of 37.31m (122-5).
 
Hula finished 17^th in the 400m hurdles (57.67) and Crawford was right behind in 18^th (57.75) in the event.
 
On the jumps circuit, freshman Sean Banda made his outdoor long jump debut with a mark of 5.97m (19-7) to place 19^th in a strong field.
 
Williams finished 50^th for the Panthers in the 400m run in a time of 2:04.20.
 
The Panthers split up for a pair of meets next weekend. A small group of athletes will head to the Raleigh Relays, while the remainder of the Panthers will compete in the Winthrop Combined Events in Rock Hill, S.C.

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