HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women's track and field team held its annual VertKlasse Meeting over a two-day span, welcoming 50 schools to Vert Stadium. This was Director of Track & Field, Mike Esposito's final VertKlasse Meeting since starting the meet when he took over at HPU.
 
"It takes everyone", Head Coach and Director of Track & Field Mike Esposito stated, "from my coaches, to Drew Sanchez, to facilities, to sports information, marketing, etc. to be able to do this. It's a mammoth effort and we try to have fun. We can't do that without the support group. I really appreciate that our coaches embrace it because it's a whole lot more work for them than just putting on a regular track meet."
 
"I was very encouraged that we have some pieces coming together for the women that are going to make us as a program a whole lot better by the time we get to conference. We're going to get a much brighter outlook than we thought before coming into this meet."
 
In the running events on Thursday, Mikayla Moxley kicked things off in the 1500m for the first running event of the meet. She placed 12th with a time of 4:44.64.
 
In the 3000m steeplechase, Olivia Purdy had a strong showing in her first-ever collegiate steeplechase and placed fourth with an 11:28.38 time. Another freshman, Charlotte Heaton also placed within the top 10 and recorded a 12:16.84 time.
 
In the field on day one, Moriah Evans had a strong showing in the javelin posting a 45.97m throw on her third throw of the day for second place.
 
In the pole vault group B, two athletes placed in the top 10. Angie Davis and Kaitlin Richards both cleared 3.36m.
 
High Point had six athletes compete in the long jump. Zamesha Myle landed a personal best with a 6.07m jump for third place. Gianna Paul was .01m behind Myle in the sand with a 6.06m jump for fourth place. Gabrielle Crane recorded a new personal best with a 5.87m jump for eighth place.
 
HPU returned to the track early Friday morning for another full day of events. The first women's event on the track was the 100m participant group. Kendall Hicks crushed the race and won the event with a new personal best 11.91 time. She later ran in the 200m participant race and placed ninth with a 24.77 time for a new personal best.
 
In the 100m hurdles, Paul won the event with a 13.88 time. Joining her in the top 10 was Crane in eighth with a 14.55 time and Jhanelle Thomas in ninth with a 14.74 time.
 
By three O'clock the day consisted of just final races on the track. In the 4x100m race, HPU broke the program record with a 44.97 time and placed second overall. The relay team consisted of Kaia Putman, Zamesha Myle, Gabrielle Crane and Quiana Williams.
 
Moxley hit the track next and ran in the 800m and recorded a season-best 2:16.33 time.
 
Closing out the running events for the day, the 4x400m relay team finished fifth with a 3:50.13 time.
 
Kicking off the field events on the second day, Ashlyn Giles dominated in the shot put as always and threw a 15.84m throw on her third throw to send her to the finals. The distance held as she claimed first place for her fourth straight meet as the shot put winner. Vanessa Kobialko also made the finals and finished ninth with a new personal best, 13.85m throw in her last throw.
 
Giles later placed fourth in the discus elite event with a 50.47m throw. Kobialka placed seventh with a 48.88m throw.
 
In the jumps, Myle landed a new program record, 13.10m in the triple jump breaking the previous record held by Alicia Dawson in 2023 (12.71m).
 
Ashari Pearson cleared a season best 1.62m in the high jump to place seventh.
 
It was a day of personal bests for the pole vault group A as Lily Houston cleared 4.11m to win the event. Grady Moyer placed third after also clearing a personal best height of 3.96m.
 
High Point completed its second home meet of the season. The next meet at Vert Stadium will host the Big South Outdoor Championships for the second time in four seasons.
 
UP NEXT:
High Point will compete at two meets the following weekend at the Duke Invitational (April 9-11) and at the 44 Farms Invite (April 9-11).