Liberty Collegiate Invite to Begin Friday
4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Updated Time Schedule
Performance List
Many of Liberty's top track & field athletes will be in action, as the Flames host their first outdoor meet of the 2009 season, the Liberty Collegiate Invitational, this Friday and Saturday at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex.
All four Flames who have qualified for the NCAA Division I East Regional Championships already this season—Ryan Bell (Fr., New Wilmington, Pa.), Anthony Bryant (R-Fr., Charlottesville, Va.), Clarence Powell (So., Marianna, Fla.) and John Talbert (Fr., Newton, Kan.)—are entered in their respective specialty events this weekend.
Liberty's athletes will be challenged by competitors from 20 different universities, including sizable contingents from Campbell and Elon. Also entered is Virginia Tech's Yavgeniy Olhovsky, a two-time NCAA Division I national runner-up in the pole vault, and Roanoke's Robin Yerkes, the 2009 NCAA Division III national champion in the women's indoor 400-meter dash.
The meet gets underway at 1 p.m. Friday afternoon, with the start of the men's decathlon. The women's heptathlon will commence 15 minutes later, as the 11 entrants line up for the 100-meter hurdles.
Most of the meet's action will take place Saturday, opening at 9:30 a.m., with the women's pole vault. The gun is scheduled to go off at 12:30 p.m. for the first running event, the men's 4 x 100 relay.
Some of the meet's premier events are previewed below.
Meeting the Multi-Event Athletes
Decathlon (Friday – 1 p.m., Saturday – 10 a.m.)
The Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships are only two weeks away, and a trio of former Big South multi-event champions will contest their first decathlon of the season this weekend. The Liberty trio of Daniel Newell (R-Sr., Roanoke, Va.), Geren Woodbridge (R-So., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) and Clarence Murray (R-Sr., Birdsboro, Pa.), who have combined to win five Big South titles, highlight the field of 16 decathletes. Kyle Steiner, competing unattached, was a two-time NCAA Division III national runner-up in the decathlon while at Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Heptathlon (Friday – 1:15 p.m., Saturday – 10:30 a.m.)
Past Big South multi-event champions Marie Williams (R-Sr., Tampa, Fla.) and Krystle Matthews (So., Chesapeake, Va.) are among the top contenders for the heptathlon title, as both will be making their season debuts in the event. Buffalo's Caitlin Godin is entered with the top entry mark of 4,750 points.
Outstanding in the Field
Men's Long Jump (Saturday – Noon)
Liberty senior Matt Parker (Rome, N.Y.) will begin a busy day of competition by attempting to capture his second Liberty Collegiate Invitational title in the men's long jump. Parker won the event in 2007, but he will be challenged by 2008 champion Leon Hunt of Virginia State. Hunt placed third in the event at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, stretching the tape to 24-2.5.
Women's Triple Jump (Saturday – Approx. 2 p.m.)
The Lady Flames' Mia Aghaji (So., Chester, Va.), who will compete unattached, is the defending Liberty Collegiate Invitational women's triple jump titlist. In order to repeat, Aghaji will need to outjump Virginia State's Aishah Mujahid, who placed 11th at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Men's Triple Jump (Saturday – Approx. 2 p.m.)
Last season, favorable winds at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex helped blow Powell to a new school triple jump record and a first-place finish at the Liberty Collegiate Invitational. He is coming off a triple jump title at last weekend's prestigious Raleigh Relays, where the sophomore posted a regional qualifying mark of 49-3.5. Teammate Bryant will also aim to make a solid seasonal triple jump debut.
Men's Pole Vault (Saturday – Approx. 3 p.m.)
The Matthes-Hopkins men's pole vault facility record of 17-10.5 may come under siege if Olhovsky has a good meet. The native of Israel finished second in the men's pole vault at the 2008 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. Liberty sophomore Kolby Shepherd (Dublin, Ga.) is the defending meet titlist and will aim to improve upon his season-best clearance of 15-7.
Men's Javelin (Saturday – Approx. 3 p.m.)
Bell made an outstanding Liberty debut, when he tossed the javelin 212-11 on March 13 at the Coastal Carolina/Asics Invitational. The effort ranks No. 20 on the national performance list, and No. 3 among freshmen. The 2008 Liberty Collegiate Invitational javelin champion, Elliot Galeone (R-So., White Hall, Md.), is also entered. He has flirted with the NCAA regional qualifying standard (202-1) several times this season.
Men's Discus (Saturday – 3:30 p.m.)
Talbert is another Liberty freshman thrower who has made an immediate impact. The Big South and ECAC Athlete of the Week on March 25, Talbert will make his home collegiate debut in the discus this weekend. He is currently listed No. 10 nationally in the event, with a top effort of 181-9.
Men's High Jump (Saturday – Approx. 4 p.m.)
The men's high jump will likely be the final field event to get started Saturday afternoon, but it promises to be one of the most competitive events on the docket. Leading the way is Bryant, who has qualified for the regional meet with a 6-10.75 clearance. Parker, the defending meet high jump champion, is also aiming to reach the regional meet for the third consecutive season. Virginia State's Hoova Taylor, who sailed over 6-10.25 for fourth place at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, is another top contender for first place.
Flying Around The Track
Women's 100-Meter Dash (Saturday – 2:10 p.m.)
Liberty senior Andrea Beckles (Lynchburg, Va.) won the 100-meter dash at the 2008 Liberty Collegiate Invitational and is favored to defend her crown. Last weekend, she dipped under the 12-second barrier for the first time this season, clocking an 11.97 at the Raleigh Relays.
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles (Saturday – 2:20 p.m.)
Parker will have his hands full, as he attempts to win the 110-meter hurdles for the second consecutive year. Campbell's Adoniss Jones, the 2008 Atlantic Sun 110-meter hurdles champion, should make it a very competitive race.
Women's 400-Meter Dash (Saturday – 2:50 p.m.)
On paper, the women's 400-meter dash will be one of the top races to watch on Saturday. Liberty junior Chenoa Freeman (Lincoln, Del.) has clocked a Big South-leading time of 56.33 seconds this year, and won the event in 2008. Elon freshman Amy Salek, the Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week on March 19, has posted a 55.56. Meanwhile, Yerkes ran 56.09 indoors, while winning the NCAA Division III national title last month.
Women's 800-Meter Run (Saturday – 3:20 p.m.)
Liberty senior Ashley Teer (Abbotsford, British Columbia) has consistently improved her 800-meter time this season. Most recently, she clocked a 2:17.53 at the VMI/Washington & Lee Track & Field Carnival last weekend. Teer is expected to battle 2008 Liberty Collegiate Invitational 800-meter champion Jennine Strange of Elon for top honors on Saturday.
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles (Saturday – 3:35 p.m.)
Tim O'Donnell (R-Sr., Hurst, Texas) will make his return to the 400-meter hurdles, after a long battle with various injuries. He won the event at the 2007 Liberty Collegiate Invitational, during a season which later saw O'Donnell clock a 51.75. Another featured entrant is Campbell's Harold Sims, the two-time defending Atlantic Sun 400 hurdles champion.
Men's 200-Meter Dash (Saturday – 3:55 p.m.)
Last season, Phil Leineweber (Sr., New Freedom, Pa.) enjoyed a spectacular performance at the Liberty Collegiate Invitational, winning the 200, 400, 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 events. He will be challenged to defend his 200-meter dash championship on Saturday, as Leineweber is one of six runners entered with a seed time under 22 seconds.
Men's 5,000-Meter Run (Saturday – 4:20 p.m.)
The men's next-to-last running event of the day, the 5,000-meter run, includes 42 entrants. At the front of the sizable pack, a good battle is expected. The Flames' Evans Kigen (Jr., Eldoret, Kenya), redshirting this season, will compete for the first time since finishing 10th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the 2008 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Dayton brothers Chris and Matt Lemon, both of whom competed in the 2008 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, are also scheduled to run.
Women's 5,000-Meter Run (Saturday – 4:55 p.m.)
Lady Flames Ashley Osborne (Sr., Bristol, Va.) and Dacia Bushman (So., Castalia, Iowa) are expected to contend for the women's 5,000-meter championship. Competition could come from 34-year-old Alice Kassens Uhl, the fourth-place female finisher at the 2008 Virginia Ten-Miler.
Performance List
Many of Liberty's top track & field athletes will be in action, as the Flames host their first outdoor meet of the 2009 season, the Liberty Collegiate Invitational, this Friday and Saturday at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex.
All four Flames who have qualified for the NCAA Division I East Regional Championships already this season—Ryan Bell (Fr., New Wilmington, Pa.), Anthony Bryant (R-Fr., Charlottesville, Va.), Clarence Powell (So., Marianna, Fla.) and John Talbert (Fr., Newton, Kan.)—are entered in their respective specialty events this weekend.
Liberty's athletes will be challenged by competitors from 20 different universities, including sizable contingents from Campbell and Elon. Also entered is Virginia Tech's Yavgeniy Olhovsky, a two-time NCAA Division I national runner-up in the pole vault, and Roanoke's Robin Yerkes, the 2009 NCAA Division III national champion in the women's indoor 400-meter dash.
The meet gets underway at 1 p.m. Friday afternoon, with the start of the men's decathlon. The women's heptathlon will commence 15 minutes later, as the 11 entrants line up for the 100-meter hurdles.
Most of the meet's action will take place Saturday, opening at 9:30 a.m., with the women's pole vault. The gun is scheduled to go off at 12:30 p.m. for the first running event, the men's 4 x 100 relay.
Some of the meet's premier events are previewed below.
Meeting the Multi-Event Athletes
Decathlon (Friday – 1 p.m., Saturday – 10 a.m.)
The Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships are only two weeks away, and a trio of former Big South multi-event champions will contest their first decathlon of the season this weekend. The Liberty trio of Daniel Newell (R-Sr., Roanoke, Va.), Geren Woodbridge (R-So., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) and Clarence Murray (R-Sr., Birdsboro, Pa.), who have combined to win five Big South titles, highlight the field of 16 decathletes. Kyle Steiner, competing unattached, was a two-time NCAA Division III national runner-up in the decathlon while at Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Heptathlon (Friday – 1:15 p.m., Saturday – 10:30 a.m.)
Past Big South multi-event champions Marie Williams (R-Sr., Tampa, Fla.) and Krystle Matthews (So., Chesapeake, Va.) are among the top contenders for the heptathlon title, as both will be making their season debuts in the event. Buffalo's Caitlin Godin is entered with the top entry mark of 4,750 points.
Outstanding in the Field
Men's Long Jump (Saturday – Noon)
Liberty senior Matt Parker (Rome, N.Y.) will begin a busy day of competition by attempting to capture his second Liberty Collegiate Invitational title in the men's long jump. Parker won the event in 2007, but he will be challenged by 2008 champion Leon Hunt of Virginia State. Hunt placed third in the event at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, stretching the tape to 24-2.5.
Women's Triple Jump (Saturday – Approx. 2 p.m.)
The Lady Flames' Mia Aghaji (So., Chester, Va.), who will compete unattached, is the defending Liberty Collegiate Invitational women's triple jump titlist. In order to repeat, Aghaji will need to outjump Virginia State's Aishah Mujahid, who placed 11th at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Men's Triple Jump (Saturday – Approx. 2 p.m.)
Last season, favorable winds at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex helped blow Powell to a new school triple jump record and a first-place finish at the Liberty Collegiate Invitational. He is coming off a triple jump title at last weekend's prestigious Raleigh Relays, where the sophomore posted a regional qualifying mark of 49-3.5. Teammate Bryant will also aim to make a solid seasonal triple jump debut.
Men's Pole Vault (Saturday – Approx. 3 p.m.)
The Matthes-Hopkins men's pole vault facility record of 17-10.5 may come under siege if Olhovsky has a good meet. The native of Israel finished second in the men's pole vault at the 2008 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the 2009 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. Liberty sophomore Kolby Shepherd (Dublin, Ga.) is the defending meet titlist and will aim to improve upon his season-best clearance of 15-7.
Men's Javelin (Saturday – Approx. 3 p.m.)
Bell made an outstanding Liberty debut, when he tossed the javelin 212-11 on March 13 at the Coastal Carolina/Asics Invitational. The effort ranks No. 20 on the national performance list, and No. 3 among freshmen. The 2008 Liberty Collegiate Invitational javelin champion, Elliot Galeone (R-So., White Hall, Md.), is also entered. He has flirted with the NCAA regional qualifying standard (202-1) several times this season.
Men's Discus (Saturday – 3:30 p.m.)
Talbert is another Liberty freshman thrower who has made an immediate impact. The Big South and ECAC Athlete of the Week on March 25, Talbert will make his home collegiate debut in the discus this weekend. He is currently listed No. 10 nationally in the event, with a top effort of 181-9.
Men's High Jump (Saturday – Approx. 4 p.m.)
The men's high jump will likely be the final field event to get started Saturday afternoon, but it promises to be one of the most competitive events on the docket. Leading the way is Bryant, who has qualified for the regional meet with a 6-10.75 clearance. Parker, the defending meet high jump champion, is also aiming to reach the regional meet for the third consecutive season. Virginia State's Hoova Taylor, who sailed over 6-10.25 for fourth place at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, is another top contender for first place.
Flying Around The Track
Women's 100-Meter Dash (Saturday – 2:10 p.m.)
Liberty senior Andrea Beckles (Lynchburg, Va.) won the 100-meter dash at the 2008 Liberty Collegiate Invitational and is favored to defend her crown. Last weekend, she dipped under the 12-second barrier for the first time this season, clocking an 11.97 at the Raleigh Relays.
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles (Saturday – 2:20 p.m.)
Parker will have his hands full, as he attempts to win the 110-meter hurdles for the second consecutive year. Campbell's Adoniss Jones, the 2008 Atlantic Sun 110-meter hurdles champion, should make it a very competitive race.
Women's 400-Meter Dash (Saturday – 2:50 p.m.)
On paper, the women's 400-meter dash will be one of the top races to watch on Saturday. Liberty junior Chenoa Freeman (Lincoln, Del.) has clocked a Big South-leading time of 56.33 seconds this year, and won the event in 2008. Elon freshman Amy Salek, the Atlantic Sun Athlete of the Week on March 19, has posted a 55.56. Meanwhile, Yerkes ran 56.09 indoors, while winning the NCAA Division III national title last month.
Women's 800-Meter Run (Saturday – 3:20 p.m.)
Liberty senior Ashley Teer (Abbotsford, British Columbia) has consistently improved her 800-meter time this season. Most recently, she clocked a 2:17.53 at the VMI/Washington & Lee Track & Field Carnival last weekend. Teer is expected to battle 2008 Liberty Collegiate Invitational 800-meter champion Jennine Strange of Elon for top honors on Saturday.
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles (Saturday – 3:35 p.m.)
Tim O'Donnell (R-Sr., Hurst, Texas) will make his return to the 400-meter hurdles, after a long battle with various injuries. He won the event at the 2007 Liberty Collegiate Invitational, during a season which later saw O'Donnell clock a 51.75. Another featured entrant is Campbell's Harold Sims, the two-time defending Atlantic Sun 400 hurdles champion.
Men's 200-Meter Dash (Saturday – 3:55 p.m.)
Last season, Phil Leineweber (Sr., New Freedom, Pa.) enjoyed a spectacular performance at the Liberty Collegiate Invitational, winning the 200, 400, 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 events. He will be challenged to defend his 200-meter dash championship on Saturday, as Leineweber is one of six runners entered with a seed time under 22 seconds.
Men's 5,000-Meter Run (Saturday – 4:20 p.m.)
The men's next-to-last running event of the day, the 5,000-meter run, includes 42 entrants. At the front of the sizable pack, a good battle is expected. The Flames' Evans Kigen (Jr., Eldoret, Kenya), redshirting this season, will compete for the first time since finishing 10th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the 2008 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Dayton brothers Chris and Matt Lemon, both of whom competed in the 2008 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, are also scheduled to run.
Women's 5,000-Meter Run (Saturday – 4:55 p.m.)
Lady Flames Ashley Osborne (Sr., Bristol, Va.) and Dacia Bushman (So., Castalia, Iowa) are expected to contend for the women's 5,000-meter championship. Competition could come from 34-year-old Alice Kassens Uhl, the fourth-place female finisher at the 2008 Virginia Ten-Miler.
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