Liberty University
Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational
Drew, Sauder Take Down Records on Brant Tolsma Indoor Track Dedication Day
2/12/2022 8:20:36 PM | Track and Field
On a Saturday when the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track was officially dedicated, many of his former athletes brought a smile to his face with impressive performances. Ryan Drew (ASUN and Liberty-record 4:01.27 mile) and Kennedy Sauder (meet and Liberty-record 7-2.5 high jump) were the home team’s chief standouts on the second and final day of the eighth annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
Sauder was one of Liberty’s five event winners on the day. Diamantae Griffin swept the men’s 60 (6.77) and 200 (indoor-best 21.03) titles, while a pair of Naomis (Armstrong – 1,000 – personal-best 2:50.93 and Mojica – shot put – season-best 51-1.5) won women’s events for the Lady Flames.
In total, Liberty won six events and set four school records during the two-day meet. Ayanna Johnson won Friday’s women’s long jump in a school-record 19-10.25, while Ally Kipchirchir lowered his own men’s 800 standard to 1:49.19.
The men’s mile was arguably the most eagerly anticipated event at this meet, and it did not disappoint. The first four sub-4:00 miles in Liberty Indoor Track Complex history were recorded Saturday afternoon, topped by a 3:56.79 from Virginia Tech’s Antonio Lopez Segura.
Drew won his heat and finished fifth overall in the event while breaking the ASUN men’s mile record for the second time this season. His previous ASUN standard had been a 4:04.71 effort at Virginia Tech on Jan. 14. This time, Drew’s 4:01.27 effort eclipsed the 4:02.93 posted by Eastern Kentucky’s Ahmed Jaziri last Saturday at the Camel City Elite meet. It also made the senior one of six runners to dip under the previous facility record of 4:01.50 on the day.
Arguably most impressive was the fact that Drew also took down the program record of 4:01.63 which had stood for 16 years. NCAA national champion Josh McDougal clocked that time on Feb. 18, 2006 at the previous track facility named for Liberty’s legendary coach, the Tolsma Indoor Track Center.
Speaking of impressive, Sauder’s winning 7-2.5 high jump effort came on his opening attempt at the height. It added an inch to the program record of 7-1.5 Sauder co-held with Anthony Bryant (2009) and James Wilson (1988). The clearance also bettered the Darius Dixon meet record of 7-2.25 set by Maryland’s Samuel Shoultz in 2018.
Sauder is currently tied for No. 7 on the NCAA Division I national list, putting him in great position to qualify for next month’s 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships in Birmingham, Ala. He also ranks first nationally among freshmen.
For the second straight week, Griffin edged teammate Christian Lyon in the men’s 60 final, 6.77 to 6.78. Griffin then made it a sprint double victory with an indoor personal-best 21.03 clocking that ranks No. 2 to only Lyon’s 20.99 from the 2020 season in Liberty and ASUN Conference history.
Armstrong also climbed to No. 2 all-time for the Lady Flames in her event with her women’s 1,000 winning time of 2:50.93.
Mojica has now won the women’s shot put at all three of her home meets in 2022, winning Saturday’s competition by over a foot and a half with her season-best 51-1.5 put.
The Brant Tolsma Indoor Track was dedicated during a special ceremony at noon. The facility will now be officially known as the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, in honor of the Flames’ head coach for 34 seasons (1986-2020). Tolsma coached the Flames to 116 conference titles and six NCAA individual national titles in track & field and cross country. He oversaw 61 All-Americans and was a 77-time conference coach of the year.
Women’s Day 2 Event Winners
Naomi Armstrong – 1,000 – 2:50.93
Naomi Mojica – Shot Put – 51-1.5
Men’s Day 2 Event Winners
Diamantae Griffin – 60 – 6.77
Diamantae Griffin – 200 – 21.03
Kennedy Sauder – High Jump – 7-2.5
Other Women’s Day 2 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Lizbeth Joseph – Triple Jump – 38-1.5
Other Men’s Day 2 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Christian Lyon – 60 – 6.78
2nd – Kyle Mitchell – Shot Put – 59-4.25
Men’s Day 2 Record Breakers
ASUN Conference Record – Mile – Ryan Drew – 4:01.27
Previous Record: 4:02.93 by Eastern Kentucky’s Ahmed Jaziri on Feb. 5, 2022
Meet Record – High Jump – Kennedy Sauder – 7-2.5
Previous Record: 7-2.25 by Maryland’s Samuel Shoultz in 2018
Liberty Record – Mile – Ryan Drew – 4:01.27
Previous Record: 4:01.63 by Josh McDougal on Feb. 18, 2006 at Liberty
Liberty Record – High Jump – Kennedy Sauder – 7-2.5
Previous Record: 7-1.5 by Sauder on Jan. 15, 2022 Anthony Bryant on Feb. 7, 2009 and James Wilson on Feb. 20, 1988
Liberty Freshman Record – High Jump – Kennedy Sauder – 7-2.5
Previous Record: 7-1.5 by Sauder on Jan. 15, 2022 and Anthony Bryant on Feb. 7, 2009
Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List
1,000 – No. 2 – Naomi Armstrong – 2:50.93
300 – No. 3 – Janai Scott – 39.71
Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List
High Jump – No. 1 – Kennedy Sauder – 7-2.5
Mile – No. 1 – Ryan Drew – 4:01.27
200 – No. 2 – Diamantae Griffin – 21.03
1,000 – No. 5 – Isaiah Schulties – 2:26.68
Up Next
Liberty will take next weekend off from competition in preparation for the 2022 ASUN Indoor Track & Field Championships. The meet will take place at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, Feb. 25 & 26. The Liberty men’s squad will be seeking its fourth consecutive ASUN title and its 25th straight indoor conference championship overall.
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