Liberty Track to Compete in Pair of In-State Meets
4/15/2021 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Virginia Challenge Schedule
Virginia Challenge Live Results
Virginia Challenge Weather
Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic Meet Information/Schedule
Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic Live Video (YouTube)
Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic Live Results
Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic Weather
For the first time during the 2021 outdoor season, all segments of the Liberty men's and women's track & field teams will compete at the same meet. The Flames and Lady Flames have entered sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners, jumpers, throwers and multi-event athletes in the Virginia Challenge, slated for Friday and Saturday at Lannigan Field in Charlottesville, Va.
Meanwhile, Liberty will also send a contingent of competitors across town on Saturday for the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic at the University of Lynchburg's Dr. Jack M. Toms Track. This will mark the Flames' third meet at the University of Lynchburg this season.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live results will be available throughout the Virginia Challenge, courtesy of Flash Results, and throughout the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic, courtesy of Blue Ridge Timing.
Live video streaming will be available during the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic on the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network YouTube channel.
Weather Report
Friday and Saturday's forecast for Central Virginia calls for a high temperature in the mid-60s both days, with a mixture of sun and clouds.
Liberty has seen two meets cut short due to thunderstorms this season, including the Dr. Jack M. Toms Alumni Invitational on March 27 and the Aggie Invitational on April 10. Thankfully, rain chances are quite low this weekend.
About the Facilities
Lannigan Field and Dr. Jack M. Toms Track are both familiar facilities for Liberty. As mentioned previously, the Flames have already competed in two meets at Dr. Jack M. Toms Track this season, including the Lynchburg Hornet Open (March 13) and Dr. Jack M. Toms Alumni Invitational (March 26 & 27). Liberty won 26 total events at those two meets.
This weekend will mark the Flames' first of two visits to Lannigan Field this month. Liberty will return to Charlottesville on April 30 and May 1 for the Virginia Grand Prix.
Liberty's last meet at Lannigan Field was the 2019 Virginia Grand Prix (April 26 & 27, 2019). This is the ninth consecutive season (not including the cancelled 2020 campaign) Liberty has competed in at least one meet in Charlottesville.
Mapping Out the Multis
Liberty's trio of Anthony Bryan, Cole Peterlin and Branson Rolle will all make their collegiate decathlon debuts at the Virginia Challenge, while Meredith Engle contests her first heptathlon.
All four have enjoyed success at indoor multi-event competitions. Rolle was the 2020 ASUN heptathlon champion, while Bryan and Peterlin finished 1-2 in the 2021 ASUN heptathlon. Engle was the 2021 ASUN pentathlon runner-up, finishing just three points out of first with her Liberty freshman-record score of 3,559.
Steeplechase Spectrum
Felix Kandie is entered in his first steeplechase since June 5, 2019, Friday at the Virginia Challenge. That day, he placed 13th in the semifinals at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas to earn second team All-America honors. Kandie's most recent race saw him clock a 5K personal-best time of 14:07.77 at the Sound Running College Invite, April 2 in Irvine, Calif.
On the opposite end of the experience spectrum, Calli Doan is set to make her steeplechase debut on Friday as well. Hopes are high for Doan, who will be running her first race of any kind since placing 85th at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, March 15 in Stillwater, Okla.
Eyes on the 800
Liberty's indoor (Ally Kipchirchir) and outdoor (Bradley Prentice) men's 800 record holders are both scheduled to run the event at the Virginia Challenge on Saturday. Kipchirchir will be running his first outdoor 800 of the season and aims to improve his outdoor personal best of 1:52.06 from 2019. His last 800 overall was a program-record 1:50.40 clocking for second place in the ASUN indoor men's 800 final on Feb. 27.
Liberty men's 800 runners have fared well at Lannigan Field in recent years. Michael Todd clocked a then-program record time of 1:49.56 at the 2017 Virginia Challenge (April 21, 2017). One year later (April 28, 2018), Colin Schultz (1:48.96) and Prentice (1:49.37) both broke Todd's record at the Virginia Grand Prix. Prentice then lowered the mark to 1:48.70 the next month at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet.
Making a Strong First Impression
Quinten Clay's first career indoor long jump attempt measured 23-7.5 and was good enough to win the 2021 ASUN title on Feb. 26.
Last Saturday, Clay entered his first outdoor long jump competition. Again, his first attempt was impressive. Clay's 24-3.5 effort won the Aggie Invitational title, set a Liberty freshman record and was the longest jump by a Flame in 11 years.
Clay will not long jump this weekend, as the freshman will focus on the high jump at the Virginia Challenge on Saturday.
Atop the ASUN
About a month into the 2021 outdoor track & field season, Liberty ranks No. 1 in the ASUN Conference in the following events:
Women's 4 x 100 Relay – 46.13
Women's Shot Put – Naomi Mojica – 53-0.75
Women's Discus – Chelsea Igberaese – 175-2
Women's Javelin – Mackenzie Hainley – 154-5
Men's 100 – Diamantae Griffin – 10.19
Men's 200 – Diamantae Griffin – 20.88
Men's Long Jump – Quinten Clay – 24-3.5
Men's High Jump – Quinten Clay – 6-10.75
Men's Hammer – John Hicks – 200-2
Men's Javelin – Samuel Arter – 216-6
Punching Preliminary Round Tickets
The 2021 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet will be contested May 27-29 in Jacksonville, Fla. The East Region's top 32 performers in each event will compete at the meet, with the 12 best finishers advancing to the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Based upon past historical data, here are Liberty's potential NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round qualifiers at this point of the season.
Likely Qualifiers – Jose Ballivian (Men's Shot Put – 61-3), Warren Barrett (Men's Shot Put – 60-6.5), Chelsea Igberaese (Women's Discus – 175-2), Kyle Mitchell (Men's Shot Put – 61-11.5) and Naomi Mojica (Women's Shot Put – 53-0.75)
On the Bubble – Adelyn Ackley (Women's 5K – 16:32.63), Samuel Arter (Men's Javelin – 216-6), Quinten Clay (Men's High Jump – 6-10.75), Diamantae Griffin (Men's 200 – 20.88), John Hicks (Men's Hammer – 200-2), Felix Kandie (Men's 5K – 14:07.77) and Makenzy Mizera (Women's Triple Jump – 41-7)
Up Next
Liberty will return to Irwin Belk Track in Greensboro, N.C., for the second time in three weeks with the Aggie Classic slated for April 24.
