HIGH POINT – The High Point University men’s basketball team has locked in a pair of notable matchups for the upcoming seasons.
The Panthers set a two-year agreement with St. Louis University to play on the road at Chaifetz Arena for the 2026-27 season before playing at the Qubein Center in 2027-28.
High Point has also reached an agreement to play LSU during the 2026-27 season. The Panthers will travel to St. Louis on Nov. 15 and will visit Baton Rouge on Dec. 18 – taking on both programs for the first time ever.
The matchup against LSU will be the 31st time in program High Point has faced a Power 4 opponent. It follows a 2025-26 season in which the Panthers won 31 games and upset Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
High Point will also host Washington State on Nov. 7.
LSU went 15-17 last season and 3-15 in the SEC before hiring NC State coach Will Wade, who previously coached the Tigers. St. Louis went 29-6 last season and won the Atlantic 10.
The Billikens – under head coach Josh Schertz, a former High Point assistant under Bart Lundy – defeated upset Georgia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
STRAWBRIDGE JOINS HPU WOMEN’S STAFF
HIGH POINT – High Point University has hired Kailyn Strawbridge as an assistant for head coach Waytt Foust’s women’s basketball staff. Her emphasis will be on player development.
Strawbridge was previously an assistant coach at Missouri Southern State University from 2023-2025. Her prior experience includes coaching as an assistant at Principia High School near St. Louis and at Webster Groves High School.
Strawbridge has also coached with the Missouri Phenom in the NIKE EYBL program and was a student assistant at Loyola University Chicago after her playing career there ended following an injury.
ROCKERS FALL TO LONG ISLAND
HIGH POINT – The High Point Rockers lost 5-4 against the Long Island Ducks in Atlantic League baseball Tuesday at Truist Point.
Ethan Skender had two hits for the Rockers (11-14), while Bryson Parks and Anthony Servideo each had a hit and an RBI.
High Point tied the game 3-3 in the fourth but allowed single runs in the fifth and sixth to trail 5-3. It scored once in the sixth to stay within a run but couldn’t pull closer.
Fin Del Bonta-Smith took the pitching loss, striking out three in five innings.
HITOMS PREP ALL-STAR ROSTERS
THOMASVILLE – Over a dozen area players will suit up one last time for their high school baseball teams this weekend.
The HiToms will host the fifth annual Triad Prep All-Star Baseball game on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Finch Field.
Included on the Stars roster are: Ragsdale’s Kyle Maness and Oak Grove’s Carson Everhart, Cam Sharpe and Aidan Murphy.
Featured on the Stripes roster are: Thomasville’s Travail Barnes; Trinity’s Brody Little, Lincoln Coble and Peyton Williams; Southwest Guilford’s Brendan Snider and Kaiden Morgan; East Davidson’s Landon Hollar; Bishop McGuinness’ Henry Kyle; and Ledford’s Gavin Brown.
They’ll be joined by players from East Forsyth, Reagan, Mount Tabor, Central Davidson, West Forsyth and West Davidson on the Stars, plus Walkertown, Northwest Guilford, Grimsley, Greensboro Day, Randleman, Southeast Guilford, Cornerstone Charter and Providence Day on the Stripes.