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High Point Panthers

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High Point Panthers
UniversityHigh Point University
ConferenceBig South Conference
DivisionDivision I
Athletic directorCraig Keilitz
LocationHigh Point, North Carolina
Varsity teams16
ArenaMillis Center
Baseball stadiumWilliard Stadium
Other venuesVert Track, Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium (track, soccer, lacrosse)
MascotProwler the Panther
NicknamePanthers
ColorsPurple and White
Websitewww.highpointpanthers.com

The High Point Panthers are the 16 varsity athletic teams that represent High Point University. All of HPU's varsity teams compete at the NCAA Division I level, with all but men's and women's lacrosse competing in the Big South Conference. The women's lacrosse team competes in the National Lacrosse Conference and will join the Big South when the conference begins sponsoring lacrosse in 2013.[1] HPU announced the addition of varsity men's lacrosse in 2010 and will begin play in 2013.[2]

The Panthers joined Division I in 1999, after previously having been Division II and being members of the NAIA prior to 1992. HPU was a founding member of the North State Conference, which is now the Division II Conference Carolinas.[3]

Craig Keilitz became High Point's Athletic Director in January 2008 after serving as Associate AD at Wake Forest. He replaced Woody Gibson, who had been AD since 1999. HPU's other previous Athletic Directors include Jerry Steele, who was also basketball coach from 1972–2003, and Virgil Yow, who was also a coach. HPU's men's basketball coach is Scott Cherry, who was a member of North Carolina's 1993 NCAA Championship team.

HPU's main athletic facilities are the Millis Center (basketball and volleyball), Vert Stadium (track, soccer and lacrosse) and Williard Stadium (baseball). In September 2010, President Nido Qubein announced plans to build a 5,000-seat basketball arena in the future.[4]

Men's Basketball

The High Point University men's basketball team is coached by Scott Cherry. The team began varsity play in 1927-28 and was a charter member of the North State Conference (now Conference Carolinas) from 1930-31 through 1996-97, when the school began its transition to NCAA Div. I. High Point won 15 regular-season championships and 13 tournament championships while in the North State Conference and participated in the NAIA national tournament in 1939, 1942, 1946, 1951, 1964, 1965, 1969 and 1979. High Point participated in the NCAA Div. II Tournament in 1997.

HPU moved up to NCAA Div. I in 1999-2000 and joined the Big South Conference. The Panthers made it to the Big South final in their first year of eligibility in 2002 and also made it to the championship game in 2004. HPU has had two Big South Players of the Year: Danny Gathings (2003-04) and Arizona Reid (2006-07, 2007-08). Reid is the only player in conference history with over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and was A.P. All-American honorable mention twice.

The team's prominent alumni include current Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith, former NBA head coach Gene Littles and former NBA referee Joe Forte. Littles is the program's all-time leading scorer, with 2,398 points from 1965-69. George Nostrand played at High Point from 1941-44 and went on to play in the first NBA game ever in 1946. Along with Cherry, High Point's prominent head coaches have been Virgil Yow (1933-45, 1953-62), J.D. Barnett (1971-72), Jerry Steele (1972-2003) and Bart Lundy (2003-09).

Cross Country/Track & Field

Head coach Mike Esposito leads HPU's men's and women's cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field teams. Esposito was coach at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., for 19 years and has been High Point's head coach since 2005. HPU's longest-tenured coach was Bob Davidson, who led HPU for 39 seasons into the early 2000s. The Panthers' strongest events are cross country and long distance events in track & field. HPU's men's cross country team won three-straight Big South Championships from 2002–04 and has been runner-up at the Big South Championship from 2007-11. The women's cross country team won its first Big South Championship in 2011 and Esposito was named conference Coach of the Year. The Panthers have had one NCAA Div. I All-American in track & field, Jemissa Hess in the indoor mile in 2005. Notable alumni include Canadian Olympian Taylor Milne, former Tennessee head coach Bill Webb, current ZAP Fitness runners Jesse Cherry and Cole Atkins. HPU's Vert Stadium is named in honor of Dick Vert, an HPU trustee who was a cross country and middle distance runner and graduated from HPU in 1960.

Football

High Point University had football from the 1920s until 1950 and was a member of the North State Conference. HPU played at NC State in the 1930 season opener, which was the first night football game played in the state of North Carolina. The team played at Albion Millis Stadium, now the site of Vert Stadium. There is often speculation about High Point restarting a football program but no timeline has been announced.[5]

Women's Golf

High Point University started women's golf in 2003-04 and the team achieved its highest Big South Championship finish - third - in 2005. HPU has had one individual Big South women's golf champion, Ann Marie Dalton in 2008. Vici Pate Flesher was named head coach in 2010 and led HPU to a fourth-place finish in the 2011 Big South Championship, up from eighth the year before.[6] Pate Flesher previously led the Methodist College women's golf team to seven-straight NCAA Div. III championships.

Men's Lacrosse

High Point University announced the addition of men's lacrosse as part of the University's $2.1 billion growth plan in September 2010. HPU's first varsity men's lacrosse season will be 2013. HPU named Jon Torpey head coach in 2010 and he remained associate head coach at Dartmouth until joining HPU on a full time basis in June 2011. Torpey's college teammate at Ohio State, Pat Tracy, as well as former Maryland attacker Michael Phipps joined HPU as assistant coaches in 2011. High Point brought in 20 players for the 2011-12 season, who will redshirt and train in preparation for the inaugural varsity season.[7]

Women's Lacrosse

High Point University announced the addition of women's lacrosse in 2009 and won the National Lacrosse Conference championship in its first season of 2011. The Panthers went 15-4 in their inaugural campaign, setting a record for wins by a first-year NCAA Div. I program. The previous record was 13-4 by Navy in 2008. The team is coached by Lyndsey Boswell, who was named NLC Coach of the Year in 2011. She previously was head coach at St. Andrews Presbyterian College and was an NCAA Div. II All-American while playing at Pfeifer. HPU attacker Grace Gaeng transferred from Maryland and was named NLC Player of the Year in 2011.

References

  1. ^ http://highpointpanthers.com/news/2011/6/8/W-Lacrosse_0608112104.aspx
  2. ^ http://highpointpanthers.com/news/2010/9/16/ATH_0916102840.aspx?path=mlacrosse
  3. ^ http://www.conferencecarolinas.com/archives/northstate/members
  4. ^ http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2010/sep/16/hpu-shows-no-sign-of-slowing-down-ar-400447/
  5. ^ http://www.greensborosports.com/2010/09/15/hpu-will-add-football-but-new-arena-for-basketball-and-pharmacy-school-will-come-first-as-part-of-2-1-billion-expansion/
  6. ^ http://highpointpanthers.com/news/2011/4/13/W-Golf_0413110630.aspx
  7. ^ http://highpointpanthers.com/news/2011/8/30/M-Lacrosse_0830111112.aspx
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