CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --The High Point University men's track and field team completed its first meet of the 2020 indoor season at the Dick Taylor Carolina Challenge. The day was highlighted by first places finishes for Carter Clasper in the pole vault and Larry Coaxum in the triple jump. Freshman Chris Van Niekerk in his collegiate debut and first-ever indoor meet set a new school record in the shot put. Van Niekerk's mark of 17.11 (56.13 ft) tops Britton Mann's record of 15.21m he set last year at the JDL Camel City Invitational.  Van Niekerk finished 3rd in the shot put in his career opening meet. 

"Typical first track meet, there were a lot of ups and a lot of downs and some in-betweens," head track and field coach Mike Esposito said. "Some individual highlights were certainly Chris (Van Niekerk) in the shot put, Nathalie (Elliott) and Carter (Clasper) in the pole vault, Gabe Stainback had a good meet and our male 60 sprinters had a good day, I'm very pleased with that. But we are a track and field team, overall as a coaching staff we were a little disappointed."

Clasper clinched first place with a mark of 4.95 meters in the pole vault while Coaxum's mark of 14.22m sealed first place for him.

"Larry does the right things, he is so coachable, if you tell him to do something he does it, he's a great student, he's accountable, he is everything you want in a student-athlete," Esposito said.

Dekairi Brown finished right behind his teammate Coaxum in the triple jump as his mark of 14.08m would earn him a second-place finish.

Paul Gore and Deron Dudley had standout performances in the 60m dash with both qualifying for the finals. Dudley set a personal record in his collegiate debut with a time of 6.89.

"Deron just joined us and he is a great example of someone who was doing things from afar and was doing his homework he came in here and performed very well. Paul is a talent he finished with a time of 6.89, that's an area where we have to close the gap and we have the talent to do it. " Esposito said.

Gabriel Stainback achieved a personal best in the 60m hurdles finals finishing with a time of 8.38. Anthony Villavicencio also set a personal record with a mark of 12.46m in the weight throw

Up Next: for the Panthers, they will head to Lexington, VA for the VMI Keydet Invitational which starts on Friday, January 17th.

Top Performers

Shot Put 

3. Chris Van Niekerk (17.11m, 56.13 ft) PR,SR

Triple Jump

1. Larry Coaxum (14.22m)

2. Dekairi Brown (14.08m)

Pole Vault

3. Carter Clasper (4.95m)

60m Dash Prelims

4. Paul Gore (6.94)

6. Deron Dudley (6.89) PR

60m Dash Final

4. Paul Gore (6.89)

5. Deron Dudley (6.94)

60m Hurdles

5. Gabriel Stainback (8.38) PR

#GoHPU