Nine High Point University track and field student-athletes are set to compete at the 2023 NCAA First Round Championships this week. Competition begins Wednesday, May 24^th, at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

??????????-???????????????? ???????????? ????

Men and women #DefendedTheTeam this week!! ?? Job's not done, stay tuned for more action at Diesel's Last Chance Meet TODAY!!! pic.twitter.com/HDWxm9svVt

— HPU T&F/XC (@HPUTrack) May 14, 2023

 
NCAA First Round Championships
Jacksonville, Fla. | Hodges Stadium
Live Results | Meet Information | Meet Schedule
Men's Performance List | Women's Performance List
Wednesday, May 24^th | 6:00 PM | Watch
Thursday, May 25^th | 6:00 PM | Watch
Friday, May 26^th | 1:00 PM | Watch
Saturday, May 27^th | 6:00 PM | Watch
 
HPU's Event-By-Event Breakdown
Wednesday, May 24^th
6:00 PM – Chris Van Niekerk – Shot Put
8:20 PM – Terris Burton II – 400m Hurdles First Round
 
Thursday, May 25^th
6:00 PM – Lindsay Cooper – 100m Hurdles First Round
6:30 PM – Sydney Horn, Rachel Vesper, Mackenzie Horn, Anjali Mead – Pole Vault
7:25 PM – Dae'Nitra Hester – 400 Meters First Round
8:20 PM – Lindsay Cooper – 400m Hurdles First Round
 
Friday, May 26^th
1:00 PM – Chris Van Niekerk – Discus
*7:25 PM – 400m Hurdle Quarterfinals
 
Saturday, May 27^th
6:00 PM – Alicia Dawson – Triple Jump
*6:15 PM – 100m Hurdle Quarterfinals
*6:50 PM – 400 Meter Quarterfinals
*7:25 PM – 400m Hurdle Quarterfinals
 
*Top-24 First Round Performances Advance
 
Last Time Out
Chris Van Niekerk competed at the Tucson Elite Meet over the weekend, wrapping up the discus on Thursday as the highest collegiate finisher. Van Niekerk threw for 57.14m, the first time he has thrown over 57 meters since April 15^th at HPU's Meet of Champions.
 
Panther Standings in the East
The Panther men and women have nine athletes and 11 total entries in the 2023 NCAA First Round Championships. The top-12 finishers in each event will earn a trip to the National Championships in Austin from June 7^th-11^th. High Point has three individuals who enter the week with top-15 marks in their respective events. Sydney Horn has the highest mark across all events for HPU, sitting fourth in the women's pole vault with a mark of 4.41m. Rachel Vesper is 10^th in the same event at 4.26m. On the men's side, Chris Van Niekerk's season-best toss of 58.08m in the discus and sits 14^th in the East entering the first round.

????????'?? ?????????? ??????

Your Panther men AND women are both @BigSouthSports CHAMPIONS!!!#DefendTheTeam x #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/H9O4ZlcCvU

— HPU T&F/XC (@HPUTrack) May 13, 2023

 
HPU History at First Round Championships
High Point has had several athletes in the last several years qualify for the National Championships with top performances at the regional level. Last year, the Horn sisters placed in the top-12 in the women's pole vault in Bloomington to earn the bid to Eugene. Sydney Horn finished on the podium at nationals with a sixth-place finish while Mackenzie Horn was 11^th as a Second Team All-American. Sydney has qualified for the last two National Championships, finishing sixth both in 2021 and 2022 as First Team All-America.
 
Cooper, Hester Make Thrilling Entries to First Round
Junior Lindsay Cooper and sophomore Dae'Nitra Hester both brought the dramatics to a peak to qualify for the First Round Championships in the 400m hurdles and 400m dash, respectively. Cooper ran the hurdles at Diesel's Last Chance Meet on Sunday, May 14^th, at Vert Stadium. She won the event in 58.66 seconds which brought her into contention for first round qualification. Hester took a different route, running a personal best and school record time of 53.65 seconds at the Big South Championships to win the individual title. While her time was sitting just outside of the top-48 that automatically earn a spot at the first round, several individuals ahead scratched from the event, moving her up in the standings.

Lindsey Cooper runs a season best in the 400m hurdles!!!! 58.66 seconds ?????? pic.twitter.com/UwtodovfVQ

— HPU T&F/XC (@HPUTrack) May 14, 2023

 
Panther Mainstays in Big South Athlete of the Week Rotation
Throughout the outdoor season, High Point picked up a total of 12 Big South weekly awards from eight different athletes. Anjali Mead earned four weekly awards from late March through May while Nick Lourenco followed as a three-time award winner. Sydney Horn picked up two weekly honors and Terris Burton II, Chris Van Niekerk, Lindsay Cooper, Tessa Webb, and Alicia Dawson all won one award from the conference.  
 
HPU Big South Outdoor Weekly Award Winners
Anjali Mead - May 3, April 27, April 5, March 29
Sydney Horn - May 3, April 5
Nick Lourenco - April 27, April 5, March 29
Terris Burton II - April 19
Chris Van Niekerk - April 19
Lindsay Cooper - April 19
Tessa Webb - April 5
Alicia Dawson - March 29