Liberty University
VertKlasse Meeting
Griffin Leads Way on Record-Setting Saturday at VertKlasse
4/2/2022 7:47:37 PM | Track and Field
Liberty wrapped up its weekend in impressive fashion, winning six events and breaking or tying records in three different disciplines, Saturday at the VertKlasse Meeting. Diamantae Griffin led the way for the Flames at Vert Stadium, posting a trio of first-place finishes, breaking one event record (men’s 4 x 100 relay – 39.44) and tying another (men’s 200 – 20.63).
Griffin won all three of his events on the afternoon, including the men’s 100 (10.45), men’s 200 (Liberty and ASUN record-tying 20.63) and 4 x 100 relay (Liberty and ASUN record 39.44). For the second straight week, he ran the second leg on the Flames’ record-setting relay and was joined by Brandon Letts, Christian Lyon and Donald McClinton.
Liberty won the three women’s sprints contested on Saturday, including the 100 (Isis Brooks – 11.51), 200 (Brooks – 23.82) and 400 (Janai Scott – 54.07).
First-year Flame Kevin Nedrick was the day’s final record-setter. Competing in just his third meet at Liberty, Nedrick unleashed a 186-3 effort in the last round of the elite men’s discus to break the ASUN all-time record by one centimeter.
Going back to Friday night’s Stanford Invitational, Liberty ended up taking down four all-time ASUN Conference records in a span of 18 hours, also including the men’s 5K (Ryan Drew – 13:40.82) and women’s 5K (Adelyn Ackley – 15:54.98) standards.
Men’s Sprints
Liberty’s sprinters set the tone for what was to follow by sweeping four of the top five spots in a blanket finish in the men’s 100 dash final. Griffin (10.45) eked out the victory, closely followed by Lyon (third, 10.47), McClinton (fourth, 10.48) and Letts (fifth, 10.49). McClinton’s first 100 as a Flame laned him at ninth on the program’s all-time list.
About 30 minutes later, the same quartet blitzed the field for a dominating 4 x 100 relay victory in 39.44. Host High Point broke a long-standing program record but was more than a second behind in the runner-up spot in 40.61.
The Flames improved upon their own Liberty and ASUN standards of 39.65, which had been set in the Texas Relays prelims on March 25. At the time of the race, the Flames moved into a tie with LSU for No. 11 on the NCAA national list for the 2022 season.
Griffin then closed out his impressive day by winning his 200 season debut in a wind-legal (+1.9) 20.63. The time matched his own Liberty and ASUN records set at the 2021 ASUN Championship in Jacksonville, Fla. McClinton added a season-best 20.90 clocking for fourth place, becoming the sixth Flame ever to dip under 21 seconds. Both Griffin and McClinton qualifie for the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet in the process.
Women’s Sprints
Brooks continued her fast start to her Liberty career, sweeping the women’s 100 (11.51) and 200 (season-best 23.82) titles, both of which came in wind-aided fashion. Her 200 clocking sits No. 3 all-time for the Lady Flames.
A former teammate of Brooks at Campbell, Scott produced the No. 4 400 in program history (54.07) to win the one-lap event. She made a massive leap from her previous personal best of 55.48, set one week earlier at the Bobcat Invitational.
Men’s Throws
Nedrick’s big 186-3 effort netted third place in the elite men’s discus and edged the ASUN record (also 186-3) set by Kennesaw State’s Daniel Haugh during the 2019 ASUN Championship in Jacksonville, Fla. It was the best discus mark by a Flame in 13 years and ranks Nedrick third all-time for the Flames.
Reigning ASUN Men’s Freshman of the Week Beau Backes joined Nedrick in the event’s top five, placing fifth with a personal-best 173-7 effort (No. 8 all-time at Liberty).
Women’s Throws
Grace Artis was the top collegiate finisher in Saturday morning’s opening event, the elite women’s hammer, placing second overall at 183-7.
Later on, sophomores Megan Mann (157-4) and Annika Hantho (155-3) both set personal bests in the elite women’s discus, placing third and fourth, respectively. Mann now ranks No. 6 in program history, while Hantho moved up to No. 9 on the list.
Miscellaneous Musings
Not to be outdone by the other members of Coach Pete McFadden’s training group, Annamarie McKenzie (2:12.07 for second in the women’s 800) and Michael Rose (48.04 for sixth in the men’s 400) also produced personal-best times on Saturday.
Abby Phillips competed in her first athletic event in 386 days on Saturday, taking seventh place in Group A of the women’s high jump with a 5-1.25 clearance. The two-time ASUN women’s high jump runner-up was coming back from injury, having not seen action in any sport since a March 12, 2021 volleyball match at Bellarmine.
Women’s Event Winners
Isis Brooks – 100 – 11.51
Isis Brooks – 200 – 23.82
Janai Scott – 400 – 54.07
Men’s Event Winners
Diamantae Griffin – 100 – 10.45
Diamantae Griffin – 200 – 20.63
Brandon Letts, Diamantae Griffin, Christian Lyon, Donald McClinton – 4 x 100 – 39.44
Other Women’s Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Grace Artis – Elite Hammer – 183-7 (1st collegiate finisher)
2nd – Annamarie McKenzie – 800 – 2:12.07
3rd – Annika Hantho – Hammer – 152-7
3rd – Megan Mann – Elite Discus – 157-4
Other Men’s Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Christian Lyon – 100 – 10.47
3rd – Kevin Nedrick – Elite Discus – 186-3
Men’s Record Breakers
Liberty and ASUN All-Time Records – 4 x 100 – Letts, Griffin, Lyon, McClinton – 39.44
Previous Records: 39.65 by the same quartet at the Texas Relays on March 25 in Austin, Texas
ASUN All-Time Record – Discus – Kevin Nedrick – 186-3 (56.78m)
Previous Record: 186-3 (56.77m) by Kennesaw State’s Daniel Haugh at the ASUN Championship on May 11, 2019 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Shared Liberty and ASUN All-Time Records – 200 – Diamantae Griffin – 20.63
Shared Record: 20.63 by Griffin at the ASUN Championship on May 15, 2021 in Jacksonville, Fla.
New Men’s NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Diamantae Griffin – 200 – 20.63
Donald McClinton – 200 – 20.90
Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List
200 – No. 3 – Isis Brooks – 23.82
400 – No. 4 – Janai Scott – 54.07
Discus – No. 6 – Megan Mann – 157-4
Discus – No. 9 – Annika Hantho – 155-3
Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List
4 x 100 – No. 1 – Letts, Griffin, Lyon, McClinton – 39.44
200 – No. 1 – Diamantae Griffin – 20.63
Discus – No. 3 – Kevin Nedrick – 186-3
200 – No. 6 – Donald McClinton – 20.90
Discus – No. 8 – Beau Backes – 173-7
100 – No. 9 – Donald McClinton – 10.48
Up Next
Liberty will divide up its athletes for the third consecutive weekend. Most of the team will compete in the Aggie Invitational, April 8-9 in Greensboro, N.C. A small group of hurdlers and jumpers will head to San Diego for the Triton Invitational (April 9).
