Liberty University
Liberty Elite Invitational
3 Event Victories, Milnes' ASUN Record Highlight Liberty Elite Invitational Day 3
1/23/2021 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
The third and final day of the season-opening Liberty Elite Invitational, Saturday at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, featured the Flames' first three event victories of 2021 and an ASUN Conference all-time record 13-1.5 women's pole vault clearance by Rachel Milnes.
Liberty's individual champions included Jose Ballivian (men's shot put), Felix Lawrence (men's 400) and Makenzy Mizera (women's long jump invitational section). Meanwhile, Naomi Armstrong (women's 800), Chelsea Igberaese (women's shot put) and Gabriel Willis (men's high jump) each placed first among collegiate entrants in their respective events.
Milnes made a first-attempt clearance at 13-1.5 to place sixth in the women's pole vault invitational section, one of the day's most competitive events. The senior's top collegiate effort to date took down the previous ASUN record of 12-11.75 co-held by Kennesaw State's Erica Sergeant (2018) and North Florida's Louisa Washburn (2020). Milnes now ranks No. 2 in program history, trailing only recent Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Andrea (Wildrick) Hampson. Teammate Taylen Langin added a seventh-place finish in the event with a 12-7.5 effort.
Ballivian's 58-6.75 mark won the men's shot put title by more than a foot. Jacob Strickler followed in third place with a personal-best 50-10.75 put.
Lawrence came from behind on the second lap to pull out victory in the men's 400 with a 49.33 clocking. Earlier in the afternoon, the sophomore had come in fourth in the 60 hurdles final in 8.22 after notching a conference-leading time of 8.10 in the prelims.
Mizera also waited until the latter stages of her event to claim victory. The junior's fifth-round leap of 19-0.75 overtook Appalachian State's Taylor Smith by two inches for the title.
Igberaese (49-7.25) and Naomi Mojica (48-10.25) repeated their 2-3 finish from Friday's weight throw competition during Saturday's women's shot put. Igberaese's new indoor shot put best ranks No. 2 in ASUN history and No. 3 all-time for the Lady Flames.
Freshman Willis (personal-best 6-11.75) and sophomore Quinten Clay (personal-best 6-10.75) were the top two collegiate performers in the men's high jump, coming in third and fourth overall. Willis already ranks No. 6 all-time at Liberty after his first collegiate meet, while Clay sits No. 9 on the list.
Willis was one of numerous Liberty freshmen to make impressive debuts this weekend. Anna Worth shared third place in the women's high jump at 5-4.25, while Luize Velmere's 38-8.75 triple jump ranks 10th on the Liberty all-time chart.
Armstrong (800, 2:14.06) and Abby Pantlitz (60, 7.70) were the Lady Flames' top finishers in track events on Saturday, each coming in second overall.
Pantlitz's 7.69 clocking in the women's 60 prelims was one of four ASUN-leading performances posted by Liberty athletes on Saturday. The others included Milnes (women's pole vault, 13-1.5), Igberaese (women's shot put, 49-7.25) and Lawrence (men's 60 hurdles, 8.10).
Former Liberty All-American Alejandro Perlaza Zapata took down his own facility record in the men's 500 with a 1:00.66 effort on Saturday. Liberty Indoor Track Complex all-time marks were also eclipsed in the women's mile (4:44.96, Anna Shields), women's triple jump (47-7.75, Thea LaFond), and men's pole vault (18-10.25, Scott Houston) during an action-packed day.
Women's Event Winners (1)
Makenzy Mizera – Long Jump Invite – 19-0.75
Men's Event Winners (2)
Jose Ballivian – Shot Put – 58-6.75
Felix Lawrence – 400 – 49.33
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Naomi Armstrong – 800 – 2:14.06 (1st collegiate)
2nd – Chelsea Igberaese – Shot Put – 49-7.25 (1st collegiate)
2nd – Abby Pantlitz – 60 – 7.70
3rd – Naomi Mojica – Shot Put – 48-10.25
Tie for 3rd – Anna Worth – High Jump – 5-4.25
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Jacob Strickler – Shot Put – 50-10.75
3rd – Gabriel Willis – High Jump – 6-11.75 (1st collegiate)
Women's Record Breakers
ASUN Record – Pole Vault – Rachel Milnes – 13-1.5
Old Record: 12-11.75 by Louisa Washburn (North Florida, 2020) and Erica Sergeant (Kennesaw State, 2018)
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Pole Vault – No. 2 – Rachel Milnes – 13-1.5
Shot Put – No. 3 – Chelsea Igberaese – 49-7.25
Triple Jump – No. 10 – Luize Velmere – 38-8.75
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
High Jump – No. 6 – Gabriel Willis – 6-11.75
High Jump – No. 9 – Quinten Clay – 6-10.75
Up Next
Liberty will travel to Clemson for its lone road competition of the regular season, the Bob Pollock Meet. Events will take place on Friday and Saturday at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Complex.
