Liberty University
Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational
Palisca, Bryan & Nedrick Headline Darius Dixon Day 2
2/11/2023 10:57:02 PM | Track and Field
Jessica Palisca clocked a Liberty freshman-record 4:49.71 mile, while fellow Flames Patasha Bryan (women’s high jump – personal-best 5-6) and Kevin Nedrick (men’s shot put – personal-best 63-5) each claimed event titles on Saturday, the second and final day of competition at the ninth annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational, at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
Men’s Day 2 Recap
Competing in the meet’s final field event (men’s shot put), Nedrick put an exclamation point on things with a big personal-best 63-5 bomb in round five. That won the competition by three feet, while moving the discus All-American up to No. 2 all-time at Liberty, No. 3 all-time in the ASUN and No. 19 in the NCAA this year.
The Flames now boast two of the nation’s top 20 men’s shot putters, as program record holder Warren Barrett (64-1.25) currently ranks No. 15.
Completing an impressive weekend by the men’s distance crew, Kyle Harkabus (personal-best 4:04.76) and Tristian Merchant (personal-best 4:05.12) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the mile.
Harkabus shaved five seconds off his previous best while climbing to No. 4 on Liberty’s all-time list, while Merchant moved to No. 6. Four of the top 10 milers in program history are part of this year’s team, also including Will Jefferson (No. 7, 4:06.63) and Graham Mussmon (No. 9, 4:08.45).
Isaiah Schulties ran 2:25.93 to finish a close second in the men’s 1,000, while Prosper Ekporere (7.98 in men’s 60 hurdles) also earned a runner-up in his first meet as a Flame.
Gabriel Willis was clean all the way through his top clearance of 6-8, tying for second place in the men’s high jump.
Competing in the elite section of the men’s pole vault, Anders Janes (16-2, seventh place) and Hunter Flack (15-8.25, 12th place) both recorded new season bests on Saturday.
Women’s Day 2 Recap
Palisca set her second Liberty freshman record in as many weeks after clocking 2:09.61 for 800 meters last Saturday at the Liberty Open. Her late charge netted a third-place finish just behind unattached teammate Katie Locker and a time of 4:49.71 which demolished her previous best of 4:55.00.
Palisca broke Katie Albright’s freshman standard of 4:53.77 achieved at the 2008 ECAC Championship in Boston and catapulted to No. 4 on the Lady Flames’ all-time top 10.
Like their male counterparts, the Lady Flames now boast four of the top 10 mile performers in program history. These also include new record holder Calli Doan (4:36.52), Adelyn Ackley-Fairley (No. 3, 4:49.18) and Marie Hostetler (No. 9, 4:53.53).
Bryan got over 5-6 on her second attempt to take the women’s high jump title and join a tie for eighth place in program history.
Megan Mann made it back-to-back days with new personal-best throws, improving her shot put best by a foot (47-8) for sixth place in the event and No. 5 all-time for the Lady Flames.
The quartet of Nimeesha Coleman, Bryan, Meredith Engle and Naomi Armstrong recorded a season-best 4 x 400 relay clocking of 3:50.78 to win its heat and take eighth place overall.
In her final unattached competition before she rejoins the Lady Flames’ active roster outdoors, Isis Brooks set a pair of personal bests while placing second in the 60 (7.47) and 200 (23.77). The 200 time would have set a program record if Brooks had indoor eligibility remaining.
Men’s Day 2 Event Winners
Kevin Nedrick – Shot Put – 63-5
Women’s Day 2 Event Winners
Patasha Bryan – High Jump – 5-6
Women’s Day 2 Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Mile – Jessica Palisca – 4:49.71
Previous Record: 4:53.77 by Katie Albright at the ECAC Championship in Boston on March 9, 2008
Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List
Shot Put – No. 2 – Kevin Nedrick – 63-5
Mile – No. 4 – Kyle Harkabus – 4:04.76
Mile – No. 6 – Tristian Merchant – 4:05.12
Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List
Mile – No. 4 – Jessica Palisca – 4:49.71
Shot Put – No. 5 – Megan Mann – 47-8
High Jump – Tie for No. 8 – Patasha Bryan – 5-6
Up Next
Liberty will now prepare to host the ASUN Indoor Track & Field Championships, Feb. 24-25 at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Both Liberty squads will look to defend their conference titles from 2022. The men’s team has won 25 straight indoor track & field conference championships dating back to 1998, including 21 in the Big South and four in the ASUN.
Featured in Main Photo: Jessica Palisca
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