Liberty University
Bryan Clay Invitational
Langin, Holmes Break ASUN Records to Wrap Up Bryan Clay Invite
4/15/2023 11:59:35 PM | Track and Field
Liberty closed out a memorable weekend at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a pair of ASUN Conference all-time records, Saturday at Cougar Athletic Stadium. Taylen Langin pole vaulted 13-9.25, while Rayan Holmes posted a 50.63 in the men’s 400 hurdles, as the duo accounted for the Flames’ two event victories on the day.
Liberty also fared well in the 1,500, the final and signature event of the meet. Calli Doan clocked the No. 2 women’s time in program history (4:15.34), while Jessica Palisca ran 4:28.39 to post the fourth Liberty freshman record of the three-day event hosted by Azusa Pacific.
Women’s Day 3 Recap
A senior from Meridian, Idaho, Langin posted a pair of clutch third-attempt pole vault clearances on Saturday. She made it over a season-best 13-5.25 on her third try before doing the same at 13-9.25 to pull out the victory and take down the ASUN all-time standard.
The conference record of 13-7.25 had been set by Kennesaw State’s Erica Sergeant at the 2019 ASUN meet, a competition which saw Langin grab the runner-up spot as a freshman.
Langin ranks No. 2 in program history, trailing only Liberty Athletics Hall of Famer Andrea Wildrick (14-3.25 in 2002). She is also tied for No. 16 on the NCAA Division I national list after Saturday’s big performance.
Doan fell just short of a program record that has stood since 2002 as well, improving her 1,500 best from 4:17.10 to 4:15.34. Only her coach, Heather (Sagan) Zealand, has ever run faster as a Lady Flame, clocking 4:14.71 to finish as the 2002 NCAA national runner-up.
Doan’s effort ranks No. 1 in the ASUN this season, as she held off Kennesaw State All-American Sarah Hendrick down the homestretch for that distinction.
After setting Liberty freshman records for the indoor 800 and mile in February, Palisca did so for the 1,500 late Saturday night. Her 4:28.39 clocking shaved eight seconds off her personal best and eight hundredths of a second off the previous standard, Anna Van Wyk’s 4:28.47 effort at the 2017 Liberty Twilight Qualifier. Palisca now ranks No. 8 all-time at Liberty for the “metric mile.”
Competing in the 100 and 200 for the first time this season, Isis Brooks posted top-five finishes in both events. She clocked a wind-legal 11.57 to win her heat and place third in the 100, three hours before running a wind-aided 23.53 for fifth place at 200 meters. On a day of near misses at program records, Brooks scared Abigail Flower’s Liberty 200 standard of 23.48 from 2013.
First-year Lady Flame Jasmine Williams ran well in both hurdles events. Her wind-aided 13.75 effort was good for a heat victory and third place overall in the 100 hurdles. Williams later clocked 1:01.24 in her first attempt at the 400 hurdles at Liberty, taking 18th in the event and No. 8 in program history.
Kali Grayson reached 139-8 for sixth place in the women’s javelin.
Men’s Day 3 Recap
Running just his second race as a Flame, Clemson transfer Holmes drew the unenviable lane one assignment for the 400 hurdles. It did not matter, as Holmes won the race in a time of 50.63 that shattered the ASUN record of 50.86 which had been held by FIU’s Rod Davis for the last 25 years.
Only Mike Reed’s program-record 50.52 clocking from the 1995 IC4A meet is faster in program history, and Holmes currently sits No. 16 on the NCAA Division I national list this season.
Prosper Ekporere finished a close third in the men’s 110 hurdles in a wind-legal 13.83. All-American Jovaine Atkinson (13.77 in 2018) is the only Flame ever to run faster.
Nigeria native Ekporere and Jamaica native Holmes both punched their NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round tickets with their impressive hurdles performances on Saturday.
Not to be outdone by their female counterparts, Kyle Harkabus (3:44.02, No. 4 in program history) and Brendan Pitcher (3:48.66, No. 10 in program history) each recorded 1,500 personal bests on Saturday. Harkabus leapfrogged Josh McDougal for the fourth spot on Liberty’s all-time chart, while Pitcher’s six-second personal best came one night after his Liberty freshman-record 1:50.40 800.
Omari Lewis excelled in both of his events, placing third in the 100 (wind-legal 10.41) and fifth in the 200 (wind-aided 21.05).
Like Langin on the women’s side, Anders Janes made two third-attempt pole vault clearances (16-0.75 and 16-4.75), the second of which set a season best and earned a fourth-place finish in Group A.
After finishing as the men’s discus runner-up on Friday, Desmond Coleman came in fifth in Saturday’s men’s shot put competition at 52-0.
Women’s Day 3 Event Winners
Taylen Langin – Pole Vault Group A – 13-9.25
Men’s Day 3 Event Winners
Rayan Holmes – 400 Hurdles – 50.63
Other Women’s Day 3 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Isis Brooks – 100 – 11.57
3rd – Jasmine Williams – 100 Hurdles – 13.75
Other Men’s Day 3 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Prosper Ekporere – 110 Hurdles – 13.83
3rd – Omari Lewis – 100 – 10.41
Day 3 Women’s Record Breakers
ASUN All-Time Record – Pole Vault – Taylen Langin – 13-9.25
Previous Record: 13-7.25 by Kennesaw State’s Erica Sergeant on May 10, 2019 at the ASUN Championship in Jacksonville, Fla.
Liberty Freshman Record – 1,500 – Jessica Palisca – 4:28.39
Previous Record: 4:28.47 by Anna Van Wyk on May 3, 2017 at the Liberty Twilight Qualifier
Day 3 Men’s Record Breakers
ASUN All-Time Record – 400 Hurdles – Rayan Holmes – 50.63
Previous Record: 50.86 by FIU’s Rod Davis on April 4, 1998 in Miami, Fla.
New Men’s NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Prosper Ekporere – 110 Hurdles – 13.83
Rayan Holmes – 400 Hurdles – 50.63
Day 3 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List
Pole Vault – No. 2 – Taylen Langin – 13-9.25
1,500 – No. 2 – Calli Doan – 4:15.34
1,500 – No. 8 – Jessica Palisca – 4:28.39
400 Hurdles – No. 8 – Jasmine Williams – 1:01.24
Day 3 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List
110 Hurdles – No. 2 – Prosper Ekporere – 13.83
400 Hurdles – No. 2 – Rayan Holmes – 50.63
1,500 – No. 4 – Kyle Harkabus – 3:44.02
1,500 – No. 10 – Brendan Pitcher – 3:48.66
Up Next
Liberty will compete at two different meets within the Commonwealth next week, including the Virginia Challenge (April 20-22 in Charlottesville, Va.) and Randolph College’s WildCat Twilight (April 21-22 in Lynchburg, Va.)
Featured in Main Photo: Taylen Langin
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