The track and field athletes travelled to High Point University and competed at the 2026 Vertklasse Meeting this past Thursday and Friday.

The event was marked by several personal records and season-bests for the Ferrum College athletes.

The sprint and middle-distance races were led by first-year Tristan Peterson who finished his 100-meter race with a season-best time of 10.99. First-year Bryce Penn finished the same race at 11.45, and first-year Zaden Veney marked a personal best, finishing the race with a time of 12.42.

In the women’s 100-meter, first-year Camille Vaughn led the way with a personal-best time of 12.46, and a season-best 25.55 in the 200-meter.

The 200-meter race was the foundation for several records. Senior Deontae Lawson paced the group with a personal-best 22.06, followed by Peterson who reached a season best 22.8, and trailing right behind were first-years Josiah Gallegos and Penn who both achieved new personal-best times.

In the women’s 200-meter, junior Emma Kelley posted a season-best time of 29.80 while first-year Khailey Toney trailed right behind at 30.49, adding to the sprint records.

Three athletes competed in the 400-meter race, two recording new records for themselves.

Lawson clocked a personal-best time of 50.16, while Gallegos added a 52.93 finish. First-year Dezyre Christian reached her own personal-best as well, with a time of 1:04.21.

The 800-meter proved to be a successful race for the Panthers, as five, first-years recorded personal bests.

• First-year Damani Veney-Epps (1:57.37)
• First-year Seth Truett (1:58.16)
• First-year Ethan Fitzgerald ( 2:01.83)
• First-year Carlos Menendez (2:04.43)
• First-year Sarah Hudgins (2:28.88)

For hurdles, first-year Kalaib Gebrehaimanot hit a personal-best in the 110-meter hurdles race and posted a time of 1:00.83 in the 400-meter hurdles as well. Senior Logan McClung followed behind in the race finishing with a time of 1:03.84.

Two distance runners represented Ferrum College in their races. In the 3000-meter steeplechase, senior Josh Mills finished with a time of 11:04.84. First-year Carly Carwile represented Ferrum in the 1500-meter, crossing the finish line in 5:37.09.

In the field events, sophomore Jaiden Childress cleared a 1.77-meter in the high-jump while first-year Vladmir Joacin Jr. threw a mark of 12.70-meters in the shot-put.

In the women’s division, first-year Gracie Beane led the triple-jump at 10.95-meters followed by Christian who reached a season-best at 10.34 meters. Beane also placed fifth in the high-jump, clearing at 1.52-meters, while first-year Madyson Swaine cleared at 1.47-meters. To round out the women’s field events, sophomore Lilly Bigger recorded a throw of 34.13-meters in the javelin event.

The track and field teams will be at it again on Friday, April 10 at the Southside Power and Fitness Invitational. The event will be hosted at Lenior Rhyne University’s Irwin Track at Moretz Sports Athletic Campus in Hickory, NC.