Liberty University
Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational
Shot Putters Shine Brightly on Saturday
3/20/2021 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
On a day when Liberty won seven events at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium, the Flames' men's shot put trio of Jose Ballivian, Kyle Mitchell and Warren Barrett posted the team's standout performance. All three Flames surpassed 18 meters on Saturday, sweeping the event's top three places. Ballivian's winning mark of 61-3 equaled Mitchell's all-time ASUN Conference outdoor record from 2019.
Anders Janes was the only other Liberty men's athlete to win his event on Saturday, prevailing in a wind-blown pole vault competition with a 15-5.5 clearance.
Liberty's other event champions included Lady Flames Lizbeth Joseph (women's triple jump – 39-10.75), Naomi Mojica (women's shot put – 48-2), Kristiana Young (women's 800 – 2:21.15) and both of the Lady Flames' relay squads.
Abby Pantlitz, Janai Scott, Alexis Rolan and Nikayla Hoyte teamed up for a 4 x 100 victory in 46.58. The quartet of Nimeesha Coleman, Ty'Asia Dansbury, Naomi Armstrong and Scott then recorded Liberty's 13th and final victory of the two-day meet with a 4 x 400 time of 3:54.28.
Back to the men's shot put, Ballivian added 20 inches to his previous lifetime best on Saturday and now sits in a tie for second place on Liberty's all-time list. Mitchell followed at 59-5.75 with Barrett claiming the no. 5 spot in program history with a 59-2.75 mark in his Flames outdoor debut.
All three Flames shot putters likely punched their tickets to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet, even with the number of qualifiers per event being reduced from 48 to 32 this season.
Earlier in the day, Ballivian (169-11), Mitchell (162-0), Barrett (156-9) and John Hicks (154-11) had placed 2-3-4-5 in the men's discus.
Mojica dominated the women's shot put, producing the five best throws of the competition. Her winning mark of 48-2 topped teammate Chelsea Igberaese (42-11.25) by more than four feet for the victory.
Igberaese also recorded a runner-up finish in the women's discus with a 156-1 effort. She was followed by Sofia Mojica (146-7) and Grace Artis (144-4) and third and fourth, respectively, as the Lady Flames' trio recorded the event's top three collegiate performances of the day. Mojica and Artis moved into Liberty's all-time top 10.
Also claiming a spot on the Lady Flames' top 10 list (at No. 7) was triple jump champion Joseph. During her first outdoor competition at Liberty, Joseph edged teammate Makenzy Mizera by two inches for the victory, 39-10.75 to 39-8.75.
Janes only needed to clear two bars to win his first pole vault competition of the outdoor season. He made it over 14-11.5 and 15-5.5 on first attempts before missing on three tries at 16-4.75.
Young came from behind on the second lap of the women's 800 to top UNC Pembroke's Erman Jepleting by a second.
Pantlitz and Scott ran the first two legs of a first-place 4 x 100 relay squad for the second Saturday in a row, following their triumph at the Lynchburg Hornet Open.
Scott was the only Lady Flame to compete on both victorious relays on Saturday. She held off Coastal Carolina for victory with the Lady Flames' fastest 4 x 400 split (56.89).
Liberty also got impressive runner-up performances by Quinten Clay (men's high jump – 6-8) and Juan Pablo Germain Ronco (men's 110 hurdles – 14.44). Germain Ronco's time moves him into a tie for seventh place all-time for the Flames.
Liberty's men's 4 x 100 relay grouping of Elijah Pierson, Diamantae Griffin, Michael Rose and Zach Wendt produced a third-place finish in a strong early-season time of 40.90. It was the Flames' fastest 4 x 100 clocking in March since 2012.
Competing outdoors for the first time since running a program-record 800 time of 1:48.70 at the 2018 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet, Bradley Prentice successfully stepped up to the mile on Saturday. He placed third in the Jamie McCarthy Mile with a time of 4:18.59 that just missed his lifetime best of 4:18.30.
Women's Event Winners (5)
Lizbeth Joseph – Triple Jump – 39-10.75
Naomi Mojica – Shot Put – 48-2
Kristiana Young – 800 – 2:21.15
Abby Pantlitz, Janai Scott, Alexis Rolan, Nikayla Hoyte – 4 x 100 Relay – 46.58
Nimeesha Coleman, Ty'Asia Dansbury, Naomi Armstrong, Janai Scott – 4 x 400 Relay – 3:54.28
Men's Event Winners (2)
Jose Ballivian – Shot Put – 61-3
Anders Janes – Pole Vault – 15-5.5
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Chelsea Igberaese – Shot Put – 43-11.25
2nd – Chelsea Igberaese – Discus – 156-1 (1st collegiate)
2nd – Makenzy Mizera – Triple Jump – 39-8.75
3rd – Brittany Carnathan – 800 – 2:22.87
3rd – Nimeesha Coleman – 400 Hurdles – 1:05.78
3rd – Sofia Mojica – Discus – 146-7
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Jose Ballivian – Discus – 169-11
2nd – Quinten Clay – High Jump – 6-8
2nd – Juan Pablo Germain Ronco – 110 Hurdles – 14.44
2nd – Kyle Mitchell – Shot Put – 59-5.75
3rd – Luke Anderson – 400 Hurdles – 55.06
3rd – Warren Barrett – Shot Put – 59-2.75
3rd – Luke Lombardi – Pole Vault – 14-5.5
3rd – Kyle Mitchell – Discus – 162-0
3rd – Bradley Prentice – Mile – 4:18.59
3rd – Elijah Pierson, Diamantae Griffin, Michael Rose, Zach Wendt – 4 x 100 Relay – 40.90
Men's Record Breakers
ASUN All-Time Record – Shot Put – Jose Ballivian – 61-3
Shared Record: 61-3 by Kyle Mitchell at the 2019 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet
Men's NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Jose Ballivian – Shot Put – 61-3
Warren Barrett – Shot Put – 59-2.75
Kyle Mitchell – Shot Put – 59-5.75
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Triple Jump – No. 7 – Lizbeth Joseph – 39-10.75
Discus – No. 9 – Sofia Mojica – 146-7
Discus – No. 10 – Grace Artis – 144-4
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Shot Put – Tie for No. 2 – Jose Ballivian – 61-3
Shot Put – No. 5 – Warren Barrett – 59-2.75
110 Hurdles – Tie for No. 7 – Juan Pablo Germain Ronco – 14.44
Up Next
Liberty will split up its team next weekend. A group of Flames and Lady Flames will fly to Austin, Texas for the 93rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays (March 25-27). Others will remain in the Hill City for the Dr. Jack M. Toms Alumni Invitational, slated for March 27 at the University of Lynchburg.
