Liberty University
WildCat Track Festival
Liberty Wins 12 Events at WildCat Track Festival
4/8/2023 7:38:13 PM | Track and Field
Liberty did not have to travel far to win 12 events on Saturday, heading across to town for the WildCat Track Festival at Randolph College’s WildCat Stadium.
Half of the Flames’ victories came in the sprints and relays, courtesy of Joelle Patton (women’s 100 – 12.69), Dawn Hilton (women’s 200 – 25.04), Emily Coates (women’s 400 – 1:00.83), Christopher Burge (men’s 100 – 11.00), Jackson Birdseye (men’s 200 – 22.13) and the men’s 4 x 400 relay quartet of Micah Dennis, Daniel Leja, Caleb Barkwell and Birdseye (3:25.46).
Liberty’s other event champions included Naomi Armstrong (women’s 1,500 – 4:45.27), Amani Hankton (women’s 100 – 15.00), Megan Mann (women’s shot put – 47-9), Makenzy Mizera (women’s triple jump – 38-4.75), Kevin Nedrick (men’s shot put – 56-10.25) and Zack Weekman (men’s 400 hurdles – 54.69).
Women’s Meet Recap
The Lady Flames’ best event from a placing standpoint was the 200 dash, where Hilton (25.04), Coates (26.36), Patton (26.45) and Gabrielle Brohard (26.72) placed 1-2-3-4, with Brohard matching her personal best.
Mann led a 1-2-3 Liberty sweep of the women’s shot put, wrapping up a busy and successful eight-day span. The reigning ASUN Women’s Field Athlete of the Week has competed at three different meets, won two events and set personal bests in all three of her disciplines (shot put, discus and hammer) during that span.
Mann’s winning mark on Saturday measured 47-9, and she was followed by teammates Sofia Mojica (42-2.75) and Myiah Scott (personal-best 41-3.75).
Patton (12.69 100) and Mizera (38-4.75 triple jump) were two Lady Flames who saw their winning efforts hampered by headwinds.
Lynchburg-area natives Hankton (15.00 100 hurdles) and Coates (1:00.83 400) both recorded victories close to home on Saturday, with Coates’ triumph marking the first of the freshman’s collegiate career.
Stepping up to the 1,500-meter distance for the first time in four years, Armstrong ran a 4:45.27 to win by more than four seconds.
Men’s Meet Recap
Like Coates on the women’s side, Burge (11.00 100) and Birdseye (22.13 200) were two freshmen who picked up their inaugural collegiate individual event victories on Saturday.
Burge edged out Birdseye in the 100 (11.00 to 11.01) before Birdseye returned the favor in the 200 (22.13 to 22.34) later in the afternoon, with both races being contested into headwinds.
Birdseye was Liberty’s only double event winner on the day, anchoring an all-freshman quartet to victory in the 4 x 400 relay in 3:25.46. He was preceded with the baton by Dennis, Leja and Barkwell.
Dennis was the top collegiate finisher in the 400 with a season-best time of 50.37 that won his heat and placed second overall.
After not getting a chance to throw the discus at the Duke Invitational due to a lengthy lightning delay Thursday night, Nedrick and Desmond Coleman competed in the shot put Saturday morning. The defending ASUN outdoor shot put champion, Nedrick won the event at 56-10.25 with Coleman grabbing runner-up honors at 48-6.25.
Liberty also went 1-2 in the men’s 400 hurdles, with both Weekman (54.69) and freshman Josh Blalock (54.99) recording new season bests.
Competing unattached, the Flames’ Kyle Thrush took home the men’s 800 title in 1:54.58.
Women’s Event Winners
Naomi Armstrong – 1,500 – 4:45.27
Emily Coates – 400 – 1:00.83
Amani Hankton – 100 Hurdles – 15.00
Dawn Hilton – 200 – 25.04
Megan Mann – Shot Put – 47-9
Makenzy Mizera – Triple Jump – 38-4.75
Joelle Patton – 100 – 12.69
Men’s Event Winners
Jackson Birdseye – 200 – 22.13
Christopher Burge – 100 – 11.00
Kevin Nedrick – Shot Put – 56-10.25
Zack Weekman – 400 Hurdles – 54.69
Micah Dennis, Daniel Leja, Caleb Barkwell, Jackson Birdseye – 4 x 400 Relay – 3:25.46
Up Next
Liberty will compete in two different meets in the Los Angeles area next week (April 13-15), including the Bryan Clay Invitational (Azusa, Calif.) and the Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.) A group of Flames will also remain in the Hill City for the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic, April 14-15 at the University of Lynchburg.
Featured in Main Photo: Jackson Birdseye
