4 Flames Earn ASUN Weekly Honors
1/29/2020 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
After impressive showings at the Liberty Kickoff, the Liberty quartet of Christian Lyon (Men's Track Athlete of the Week), Kyle Mitchell (Men's Field Athlete of the Week), Cortney Strohman (Women's Track Athlete of the Week) and Patria Vaimaona (Women's Field Athlete of the Week) was honored by the ASUN Conference on Wednesday.
Competing on his home track for the first time as a Flame, Lyon won all three of his events on Saturday, including the men's 60 (6.75), 200 (21.12) and 4 x 400 relay (3:14.93). The 60 clocking ranks No. 2 in program history, No. 5 in ASUN history and No. 47 nationally this season. The redshirt junior's 200 effort sits No. 2 in program history, No. 3 in ASUN annals and No. 18 nationally.
Mitchell garnered his first ASUN weekly honor of 2020 after earning the award twice in 2019 (May 1 and May 8). The junior from Kingston, Jamaica won the men's shot put title with an ASUN Conference all-time record throw of 60-1.75. Mitchell is now tied for No. 2 in program history and sits No. 34 on the NCAA national list this season.
A senior from Pierre, S.D., Strohman captured a pair of first-place finishes on Saturday, including the women's 400 (55.06) and 4 x 400 relay (3:48.41). She tops the ASUN yearly list in both events this season and ranks No. 46 nationally for the 400.
Like Mitchell, Vaimaona collected her third career ASUN weekly honor. She was previously recognized as ASUN Women's Field Athlete of the Week on Jan. 30 and Feb. 6, 2019. The redshirt senior from Waimanalo, Hawaii placed second (first collegiate) in the women's weight throw (season-best 60-3.75) and fourth in the shot put (season-best 45-7.75) at the Liberty Kickoff. For the season, Vaimaona ranks No. 1 in the ASUN for the weight throw and No. 3 for the shot put.
The Flames and Lady Flames will host a meet at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex for the second straight weekend. The one-day Liberty Flames Invite is scheduled to begin Saturday at 9 a.m., pitting Liberty against Campbell, Elon, Marshall, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Ohio and St. Augustine's.
