Liberty University
Stanford Invitational
Ackley, Drew, Kandie Dazzle at Stanford
4/2/2022 2:33:59 AM | Track and Field
Liberty’s distance trio of Adelyn Ackley (ASUN record 15:54.98 5K), Ryan Drew (ASUN record 13:40.82 5K) and Felix Kandie (8:37.00 steeplechase that ranks No. 2 in the NCAA and No. 11 in the world for 2022) excelled at the Stanford Invitational, Friday at Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Ackley’s 15:54.98 effort made her the first ASUN women’s runner and the second Liberty athlete (also Ednah Kurgat) ever to dip under 16:00 in a 5K. Ackley lopped more than 15 seconds off her own ASUN all-time record (16:10.19 from the 2021 Virginia Challenge).
Ackley produced the fastest final lap (69.51 seconds) among the 22 runners in Section 2 of the event, finishing just 0.15 seconds behind race winner Samree Dishon of New Mexico in second place. The native of Mears, Mich., currently ranks No. 14 in the NCAA this season.
Like Ackley, Drew shattered his own ASUN all-time 5K record on Friday. The Virginia Beach, Va., native shaved more than 12 seconds off his 13:53.30 performance from the 2021 Virginia Grand Prix.
Drew, who closed his final lap in 59.07 seconds, placed third in Section 2 of the event. His 13:40.82 ranks No. 15 in the NCAA in 2022 and sits No. 3 in Liberty history behind only NCAA national champions Josh McDougal and Sam Chelanga.
Drew has now broken records in each of his last four individual races. The impressive streak includes two program records (4:01.27 indoor mile on Feb. 12 and 3:41.87 outdoor 1,500 on March 24), an ASUN Championship record (4:02.10 indoor mile on Feb. 26) and Friday’s ASUN all-time 5K standard.
Two-time steeplechase All-American Kandie produced the third fastest time of his brilliant career (8:37.00) to place third overall and second among collegiate performers in the invitational section.
Kandie currently ranks No. 2 in the NCAA behind race champion Ryan Smeeton of Oklahoma State and sits No. 11 in the world for 2022. Along with Ackley and Drew, he successfully punched his ticket to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet with Friday’s performance.
Competing in the night’s final race (Section 2 of the men’s 10K), Caleb Olson likely qualified to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet as well. He clocked an ASUN-leading time of 29:14.24 that lopped 54 seconds off his previous best.
The ninth Flame ever to post a sub-30:00 10K, Olson now trails only Chelanga, McDougal and Azaria Kirwa on Liberty’s all-time list for the 25-lap event.
Landon Miller clocked a personal-best steeplechase time of 9:03.96 in his Liberty track & field debut. The transfer from Indiana Wesleyan claimed the No. 9 spot in program history.
Making a successful collegiate outdoor track & field debut, freshman Will Jefferson produced the No. 7 5K all-time for the Flames, 14:03.30.
Anna Hostetler’s fastest 5K as a Lady Flame (16:51.21) is tied for No. 2 in the ASUN conference this season and ranks No. 8 on Liberty’s all-time list.
Men’s Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Felix Kandie – Steeplechase – 8:37.00
Women’s Record Breakers
ASUN All-Time Record – 5K – Adelyn Ackley – 15:54.98
Previous Record: 16:10.19 by Ackley at the Virginia Challenge on April 16, 2021 in Charlottesville, Va.
Men’s Record Breakers
ASUN All-Time Record – 5K – Ryan Drew – 13:40.82
Previous Record: 13:53.30 by Drew at the Virginia Grand Prix on May 1, 2021 in Charlottesville, Va.
New Women’s NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Adelyn Ackley – 5K – 15:54.98
New Men’s NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Ryan Drew – 5K – 13:40.82
Felix Kandie – Steeplechase – 8:37.00
Caleb Olson – 10K – 29:14.24
Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List
5K – No. 2 – Adelyn Ackley – 15:54.98
5K – No. 8 – Anna Hostetler – 16:51.21
Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List
5K – No. 3 – Ryan Drew – 13:40.82
10K – No. 4 – Caleb Olson – 29:14.24
5K – No. 7 – Will Jefferson – 14:03.30
Steeplechase – No. 9 – Landon Miller – 9:03.96
Up Next
The VertKlasse Meeting will conclude Liberty’s weekend of competition on Saturday. Liberty’s first event, the elite section of the women’s hammer, will get started at 9:30 a.m.
