Head coach Mike Esposito has announced that eight student-athletes will join the High Point University women's track & field team this fall. Middle distance runners Colleen Hollowood and Audrey Malloy, pole vaulters Jackie Chester, Libby Cooper and Veronica Peskosky, sprinters Shannon Corbett and Megan Lowery as well as field athlete Kaitlin Whittington will join HPU.

"We have a very balanced class," said HPU head coach Mike Esposito. "We're very excited about the two cross country runners we have added. We expect them to contribute right away. We have also upgraded our scoring potential in the pole vault and jumps and we have really added flexibility in our relays."

Hollowood will join HPU after two years of varsity cross country and track & field at Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., which is arguably one of the best high school women's track programs. Hollowood was a member of Saratoga Springs' 4x800 relay team that ran a school-record time of 8:54.66 to win the New York Section 2 state qualifier last weekend. She ran a 2:16 leg on that relay and has a career-best of 58.8 in the 400-meter. She competed as a member of distance medley, 4xmile and 4x800 relay teams that competed at the Nike Indoor Nationals in 2009 and 2010.

Malloy joins the Panthers after a standout career at Upper Perkiomen High School in Pennsburg, Pa. She was a two-time first-team All-Conference selection in cross country and a three-time PIAA District 1 state qualifier in the 1,600-meter, with a career-best of 5:07. She also was an All-Area selection and qualified for two state championships in cross country, earning medalist honors her senior year. She was a four-year member of the field hockey team, helping the team qualify for the district tournament each season.

Chester joins HPU from Hopewell Valley Central High School in Pennington, N.J., where she posted a career-best of 11-0 in the pole vault. A four-year competitor in track & field, Chester placed fourth in the pole vault at the county championship as a sophomore before a major improvement lifted her to wins at both the county and sectional championships as a junior. She earned first-team All-Colonial Valley and All-Area honors as a junior. During this past indoor season, Chester repeated as county and sectional champ.

Cooper posted a career-best of 10-0 in the pole vault as a three-year varsity competitor at Chambersburg Area Senior High School in Chambersburg, Pa. She also has a background in gymnastics, where she competed in the all-around. Cooper was a two-time district qualifier and helped her team to Mid-Penn Conference titles in each of the last two years.

Peskosky joins the Panthers after four years as a pole vaulter at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, N.C. She improved every year, reaching a career-best 10-0 as a senior to set the Ardrey Kell record. She was a two-time All-Conference selection and two-time state championship qualifier. Her team won the conference championship this past outdoor season.

Corbett placed second in the 400-meter in a career-best 58.50 at the Connecticut Class MM meet while competing for Mark T. Sheehan High School in Wallingford, Conn., last weekend. A four-year competitor, Corbett's previous best was 59.22 and she has earned All-Housatonic and All-SCC honors both indoors and outdoors.

Lowery competed in the sprints and jumps for four years at Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio, and also was a four-year soccer player. She was district champ and a regional qualifier in the long jump with a career-best of 17-7 in that event. She was a two-time All-Lake Erie League selection in soccer and helped her team to three league titles and two district titles.

Whittington was a standout jumper for Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, Conn., posting career bests of 38-2 in the triple jump and 17-3.5 in the long jump. She was an All-Conference, All-Area and All-State honoree for three years and was ranked fourth in New England in the triple jump as a junior. She won the triple jump at the FCIAC Outdoor Championship this season and was also CIAC Class LL champ.

The nine recruits will join an HPU squad the finished sixth at the Big South Indoor Championship and fifth at the Big South Outdoor Championship last season. The Panthers had two athletes qualify for the first round of the NCAA Championship – Christina Fenske in the high jump and Manika Gamble in the 400-meter hurdles.