Liberty University
Virginia Challenge
Griffin, Igberaese, Mitchell Stand Out on Saturday
4/17/2021 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Liberty's Diamantae Griffin (men's 200) and Chelsea Igberaese (women's discus) each won events on Saturday, the final day of the Virginia Challenge at Lannigan Field. Meanwhile, Kyle Mitchell shattered his own program record with a 62-11.25 shot put heave.
Griffin, who had finished second in Friday's men's 100 final, took top honors in the 200 on Saturday. He posted a time of 20.90 into a headwind, taking down an impressive field headlined by ACC indoor 200 champion Jacory Patterson of Virginia Tech. Griffin also defeated the Hokies' Cole Beck, Friday's 100-meter champion.
Igberaese won the women's discus for the second week in a row as her season-best mark of 175-5 in round five leapfrogged Virginia Tech's Essence Henderson for the victory. Freshman teammate Sofia Mojica followed in eighth place with a personal-best 155-8 toss.
Mitchell reached 62-11.25 on his very first shot put attempt, adding a foot to his record-setting 61-11.5 performance from the Texas Relays on March 27. All three of Mitchell's legal throws exceeded 62 feet on Saturday, as he finished third in the competition. Jose Ballivian (fourth, 60-10) and Warren Barrett (fifth, 58-8.5) joined Mitchell in the top five.
In the women's shot put, Naomi Mojica nearly took down her own program record as well. Her 52-11.5 effort for fifth place in Saturday's competition landed just shy of her 53-0.75 from last Saturday's Aggie Invitational. Igberaese added a seventh-place finish with a season-best 49-5.5 put, closing out a stellar weekend that also included an ASUN all-time record 203-1 hammer throw on Friday.
Another record that barely survived Saturday's competition was Branson Rolle's Liberty freshman record time of 52.10 in the men's 400 hurdles from 2018. Felix Lawrence clocked 52.11 for third place in the event and No. 8 all-time for the Flames. Fellow freshman Luke Anderson won his heat and came in seventh overall in a personal-best 53.76.
Quinten Clay cleared a lifetime-best 6-11.5 on his first attempt to place third in the men's high jump. That effort, which will put him in contention for an NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round berth, is tied for No. 7 in program history.
All three Liberty women's triple jumpers recorded season bests and top-eight finishes in Charlottesville. Leading the way was Makenzy Mizera (fourth, 41-8), followed by Lizbeth Joseph (sixth, 40-7.75) and Adrianna Mitchell (eighth, 39-8).
Freshman Abby Pantlitz headlined a strong Saturday for the women's sprinters. She led off for the Lady Flames' 4 x 100 relay squad, which finished third in a season-best time of 46.04 that cracked the program's top 10 list. She was followed on the relay by Janai Scott, Dawn Hilton and Nikayla Hoyte.
Pantlitz later placed fifth with a personal-best 200 time of 24.38, moving into a tie for ninth in program history.
Freshman Meredith Engle ended up third in her heptathlon debut with 4,606 points, while Rolle came in third in his first try at the decathlon with 5,938 points. Rolle won the decathlon 110 hurdles (personal-best 14.51) and javelin (season-best 184-11) on Saturday but was unable to score in either the pole vault or 1,500 due to injury.
Women's Event Winners (1)
Chelsea Igberaese – Discus – 175-5
Men's Event Winners (1)
Diamantae Griffin – 200 – 20.90
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Meredith Engle – Heptathlon – 4,606
3rd – Abby Pantlitz, Janai Scott, Dawn Hilton, Nikayla Hoyte – 4 x 100 Relay – 46.04
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Quinten Clay – High Jump – 6-11.5
3rd – Felix Lawrence – 400 Hurdles – 52.11
3rd – Kyle Mitchell – Shot Put – 62-11.25
3rd – Branson Rolle – Decathlon – 5,938
Men's Record Breakers
Liberty Record – Shot Put – Kyle Mitchell – 62-11.25
Previous Record: 61-11.5 by Mitchell at the Texas Relays on March 27
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Triple Jump – No. 3 – Makenzy Mizera – 41-8
Triple Jump – No. 6 – Lizbeth Joseph – 40-7.75
Discus – No. 7 – Sofia Mojica – 155-8
200 – Tie for No. 9 – Abby Pantlitz – 24.38
4 x 100 Relay – No. 10 – Pantlitz, Scott, Hilton, Hoyte – 46.04
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Shot Put – No. 1 – Kyle Mitchell – 62-11.25
Decathlon 110 Hurdles – No. 3 – Branson Rolle – 14.51
High Jump – Tie for No. 7 – Quinten Clay – 6-11.5
400 Hurdles – No. 8 – Felix Lawrence – 52.11
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.
