Liberty University
NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round
Nedrick Punches Ticket to Austin in Men’s Discus
5/26/2023 10:00:30 PM | Track and Field
Liberty All-American Kevin Nedrick punched his ticket to Austin in the men’s discus on a windy Friday at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet. The Flames’ first qualifier to the 2023 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships is heading back to the national meet for the second year in a row.
A year ago, Nedrick had to sweat it out as the East Region’s 12th and final national qualifier in the men’s discus. There was no such drama this time around, as the redshirt senior from Montego Bay, Jamaica launched his first attempt through the gusty left to right crosswind and out to 187-9. That mark stood up for sixth place among the event’s 12 Austin qualifiers on the afternoon.
Nedrick, who had nearly punched a ticket to Austin in the men’s shot put on Wednesday (14th place), joins Clendon Henderson (2007 and 2008) as the only Flames ever to make multiple appearances at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the men’s discus.
Nedrick placed 11th in the 2022 NCAA men’s discus final to earn second team All-America honors. He will try to become the Flames’ first two-time NCAA Division I discus All-American on June 9 at 8:35 p.m. Eastern at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
Liberty almost qualified two men’s discus throwers to Austin. However, redshirt freshman Desmond Coleman’s third and final attempt landed at 180-10. That left him one centimeter behind the 12th-place finisher, Jamir Gibson of Georgia Tech. Coleman became Liberty’s third men’s thrower to place either 13th or 14th this week, joining Nedrick in the shot put and John Hicks in the hammer.
A pair of ASUN champions and program record holders finished their collegiate careers for the Flames Friday evening. Rayan Holmes came in 16th in the men’s 400 hurdles quarterfinals in 51.77, while All-American Donald McClinton placed 20th in the men’s 200 quarterfinals in a wind-aided 20.84, falling one race shy of his second consecutive visit to the NCAA national meet. McClinton helped the Flames’ 4 x 100 relay squad take 12th place at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Three other Flames picked up valuable experience in their first visit to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet. Prosper Ekporere clocked a wind-aided time of 13.84 for 16th place in the men’s 110 hurdles quarterfinals, leaving him just 0.14 seconds away from moving on to Austin. The first-year Flame from Nigeria had run a program-record time of 13.67 during his first-round heat on Wednesday.
Competing in his second distance race in three nights, Tristian Merchant crossed the line 43rd in the men’s 5K with a time of 14:38.54.
One of Liberty’s two freshmen to qualify for this meet in the men’s discus, Christian Hicks was unable to record a legal mark Friday afternoon.
Men’s NCAA Division I National Qualifiers
Kevin Nedrick – Discus – 6th place – 187-9
Up Next
The meet will conclude on Saturday with a busy day of women’s events. Annika Hantho is entered in Saturday’s first event (women’s discus), set for a 1 p.m. start.
