CHARLOTTE — High Point University’s Charli Montalvo has been named the 2024 Big South Conference Women’s Cross-Country Runner of the Year.
Montalvo, a junior, finished 22nd at the NCAA Southeast Regional with a 6K time of 21:17.6. The performance earned her All-Southeast Region Team honors following the race, becoming the first Panther to claim a spot on the list since 2019 and the fifth Big South runner to earn All-Region distinction since 2018.
Her finish at Regionals was her fifth-straight meet in the top 25. Montalvo clinched her third career All-Big South medal following her third-place finish at the Conference Championship, where she crossed the line with a personal-best 17:05.08 in the 5K.
She was High Point’s top finisher in the last two meets of the regular-season — taking sixth at the Panorama Farms Invitational (20:48.9 in 6K) and 25th in the Paul Short Run (20:41.5 in 6K). Montalvo recorded a 16th-place finish at the Adidas XC Challenge in September with a 5K time of 17:26.0.
GIFFA, BODO BODO NAMED TO LOU HENSON WATCH LIST
HIGH POINT — High Point University men’s basketball players Kezza Giffa and Juslin Bodo Bodo have been selected for the Lou Henson Early Season Watch List.
Giffa was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award last season, while Bodo Bodo won both the Big South’s Defensive and Freshman Player of the Year awards last year.
The recipient is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com. The award will be announced in San Antonio, Texas, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES AT WOFFORD
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — High Point University lost 71-65 against Wofford in nonconference women’s basketball Thursday at Wofford.
Nevaeh Zavala had 15 points, making 4 of 7 from the field and 6 of 8 from the foul line, and six rebounds to lead the Panthers (3-3). Aaliyah Collins added 14 points and three assists while Lauren Scott also had 14 points. Jaleesa Lawrence chipped in 13 points.
High Point, which shot 43% from the field while the Terriers shot 45%, led by 11 in the first half before taking a 32-29 lead into halftime. It led by eight in the third and six in the fourth. But Wofford, led by Helen Matthews and Maddie Heiss with 17 points each, jumped ahead six with five minutes left.
The Panthers got within one with two minutes remaining. But Wofford made free throws and a key layup inside the final minute to seal it.
High Point will next play West Virginia on Friday, Nov. 29, in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Florida.
SOCCER STUDENT-ATHLETES EARN CSC ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
CHARLOTTE — Fifty-five student-athletes from the Big South Conference’s men’s and women’s soccer teams — including 11 from High Point University — have been named Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators.
Kari Powell, Ella Vaughn, Carly Smith, Megan Garmey, Aubrey McKessy and Tessa Carlin were selected from the women’s team. Ross Johnstone, Jefferson Amaya, Beau Yantz, Afred Baafi and Celestin Blondel were chosen from the men’s team.
Carlin and Amaya are finalists for the Academic All-America teams, which will be announced Dec. 10.
