Omari Lewis
Liberty Track Ready for 5-Meet Week
4/10/2024 2:08:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty's track & field athletes will compete in five different meets this week, stretching from coast to coast.
A group of throwers will take part in a pair of California competitions (Pacific Coast Invitational in Long Beach on Thursday and Jim Bush Legends Invitational in Los Angeles on Saturday).
Some of the Flames' top distance runners will head to Azusa, Calif., for the Bryan Clay Invitational (Thursday through Saturday).
Liberty's remaining athletes will be split between the Virginia Grand Prix (Friday and Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.) and the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic (Friday and Saturday at the University of Lynchburg).
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live video streaming will be available for the Bryan Clay Invitational (FloTrack) and Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic (YouTube).
Live results will be available for all five competitions.
Weather Report
The Liberty throwers are expected to experience better conditions in Long Beach on Thursday (high near 80 degrees and abundant sunshine) than in Los Angeles on Saturday (high around 60 with rain showers).
The weather in Azusa is forecasted to progressively get more conducive for fast distance running as the meet progresses. After a high temperature near 90 on Thursday, the weather will cool to the mid-70s on Friday and 60 on a rainy Saturday.
It is expected to be a pretty nice weekend in Central Virginia, with considerable sunshine in both Charlottesville and the Hill City. After a high in the mid-60s Friday, it is expected to reach the 70s on Saturday.
Throwing Their Weight Around
Liberty's top two athletes in the current NCAA Division I national rankings are throwers, including Desmond Coleman (No. 11 in men's discus at 198-7) and Paola Bueno (No. 19 in women's hammer at 206-2). Both will be part of impressive fields in California this week.
The top two men's discus throwers in the country (South Alabama's Francois Prinsloo and BYU's Dallin Shurts) will join Coleman at Thursday's Pacific Coast Invitational. The event is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.
In Coleman's last outing at the Florida Relays, he became the third Flame ever to exceed 60 meters in the event, joining All-Americans Clendon Henderson and Kevin Nedrick.
Meanwhile, Bueno is one of three women's hammer throwers scheduled to compete at the Pacific Coast Invitational who are currently ranked among the nation's top 20 (also No. 6 Samantha Kunza of Saint Louis and No. 14 Olivia Roberts of Wisconsin). That event is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Eastern on Thursday.
Go the Distance
For the second year in a row, Liberty will send a group of distance runners out west for the Bryan Clay Invitational.
Calli Doan will get things started for the Flames, racing in the fastest section of the women's steeplechase Thursday at 10:30 p.m. Eastern. It will be Doan's first steeplechase since June 10, 2023, when she finished 11th in the NCAA Division I national final for her second career All-America honor.
Friday evening could see Katelyn Locker and Brendan Pitcher make runs at the Liberty women's and men's 800 program records. At the Florida Relays on March 30, Locker (2:06.15) just missed Jaime Watson's record of 2:06.09 which has stood since 2010. Meanwhile, Pitcher clocked 1:49.32, not far off Bradley Prentice's mark of 1:48.70 from 2018.
The 1,500 has become the signature event at the Bryan Clay Invitational, and more than 1,600 runners will compete in the event Saturday night to close out the three-day meet. Eight of them are Flames, including four whose personal bests were achieved at last year's Bryan Clay meet (Doan – 4:15.34, Jessica Palisca – 4:28.39, Kyle Harkabus – 3:44.02 and Pitcher – 3:48.66).
Harkabus, who currently tops the CUSA in both the men's 1,500 (3:48.40) and 5K (14:05.34), is entered in both events this week. The 5K will take place late Friday night.
Grand Prix Primer
A pair of Flames have broken Liberty records this season, including Omari Lewis (men's 100 – 10.18) and Indea Cartwright (women's 100 hurdles – 13.28). Both will compete in those events at the Virginia Grand Prix this week.
At the Florida Relays, first-year Lady Flame Reese Webster grabbed the No. 2 spot in program history for both the women's 100 (11.36) and 200 (23.23). The only Liberty runner to go faster in those events was 2023 graduate Isis Brooks (11.23 in the 100 and 23.09 in the 200). Brooks' first record as a Lady Flame came at Lannigan Field, as she clocked an 11.48 100 at the Virginia Open on March 19, 2022.
Katie Urbine has pole vaulted a Liberty freshman-record 13-9.25 this season, moving into a tie for No. 2 all-time for the Lady Flames with current assistant Taylen (Langin) Rey. Urbine will vault under the lights Friday evening.
After sweeping the CUSA indoor multi-event titles, siblings Anthony and Patasha Bryan will make their season debuts in the outdoor multis this week in Charlottesville.
Anthony Bryan, who owns a decathlon personal best of 6,956, will attempt to become the 18th 7,000-point scorer in program history. Patasha Bryan's personal-best heptathlon score of 5,378 from the 2023 ASUN Championship trails only Danielle McNaney's program record of 5,504 from 2005 on the Lady Flames' all-time chart.
CUSA's Best
The following Flames and Lady Flames rank No. 1 in Conference USA in their events at this stage of the 2024 outdoor track & field season. The 2024 CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take place at Larry K. Durham Track at Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas, May 10-12.
Women's 800 – Katelyn Locker – 2:06.15
Women's Hammer – Paola Bueno – 206-2
Men's 1,500 – Kyle Harkabus – 3:48.40
Men's 5K – Kyle Harkabus – 14:05.34
Men's 10K – Nathan Moore – 30:34.26
Men's 400 Hurdles – Jacob Torres – 53.26
Men's Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 48-4
Men's Discus – Desmond Coleman – 198-7
Men's Javelin – Ben Shughart – 210-4
Men's Hammer – John Hicks – 213-11
Looking Ahead to Lexington
The 2024 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet will be contested at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track and Field Facility in Lexington, Ky., May 22-25. The following Flames and Lady Flames appear to have punched their tickets to Lexington, based upon what it took to qualify a year ago.
Paola Bueno – Women's Hammer
Indea Cartwright – Women's 100 Hurdles
Katelyn Locker – Women's 800
Megan Mann – Women's Discus
Katie Urbine – Women's Pole Vault
Addilae Watts – Women's Javelin
Reese Webster – Women's 100 and 200
Beau Backes – Men's Discus
Desmond Coleman – Men's Discus
John Hicks – Men's Hammer
Kellen Kimes – Men's Hammer
Omari Lewis – Men's 100
Up Next
Liberty will remain close to home for a pair of meets next week, including the Virginia Challenge (April 19-20 in Charlottesville) and the WildCat Invitational (April 20 in Lynchburg, hosted by Randolph).
A group of throwers will take part in a pair of California competitions (Pacific Coast Invitational in Long Beach on Thursday and Jim Bush Legends Invitational in Los Angeles on Saturday).
Some of the Flames' top distance runners will head to Azusa, Calif., for the Bryan Clay Invitational (Thursday through Saturday).
Liberty's remaining athletes will be split between the Virginia Grand Prix (Friday and Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.) and the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic (Friday and Saturday at the University of Lynchburg).
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live video streaming will be available for the Bryan Clay Invitational (FloTrack) and Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic (YouTube).
Live results will be available for all five competitions.
Weather Report
The Liberty throwers are expected to experience better conditions in Long Beach on Thursday (high near 80 degrees and abundant sunshine) than in Los Angeles on Saturday (high around 60 with rain showers).
The weather in Azusa is forecasted to progressively get more conducive for fast distance running as the meet progresses. After a high temperature near 90 on Thursday, the weather will cool to the mid-70s on Friday and 60 on a rainy Saturday.
It is expected to be a pretty nice weekend in Central Virginia, with considerable sunshine in both Charlottesville and the Hill City. After a high in the mid-60s Friday, it is expected to reach the 70s on Saturday.
Throwing Their Weight Around
Liberty's top two athletes in the current NCAA Division I national rankings are throwers, including Desmond Coleman (No. 11 in men's discus at 198-7) and Paola Bueno (No. 19 in women's hammer at 206-2). Both will be part of impressive fields in California this week.
The top two men's discus throwers in the country (South Alabama's Francois Prinsloo and BYU's Dallin Shurts) will join Coleman at Thursday's Pacific Coast Invitational. The event is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.
In Coleman's last outing at the Florida Relays, he became the third Flame ever to exceed 60 meters in the event, joining All-Americans Clendon Henderson and Kevin Nedrick.
Meanwhile, Bueno is one of three women's hammer throwers scheduled to compete at the Pacific Coast Invitational who are currently ranked among the nation's top 20 (also No. 6 Samantha Kunza of Saint Louis and No. 14 Olivia Roberts of Wisconsin). That event is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Eastern on Thursday.
Go the Distance
For the second year in a row, Liberty will send a group of distance runners out west for the Bryan Clay Invitational.
Calli Doan will get things started for the Flames, racing in the fastest section of the women's steeplechase Thursday at 10:30 p.m. Eastern. It will be Doan's first steeplechase since June 10, 2023, when she finished 11th in the NCAA Division I national final for her second career All-America honor.
Friday evening could see Katelyn Locker and Brendan Pitcher make runs at the Liberty women's and men's 800 program records. At the Florida Relays on March 30, Locker (2:06.15) just missed Jaime Watson's record of 2:06.09 which has stood since 2010. Meanwhile, Pitcher clocked 1:49.32, not far off Bradley Prentice's mark of 1:48.70 from 2018.
The 1,500 has become the signature event at the Bryan Clay Invitational, and more than 1,600 runners will compete in the event Saturday night to close out the three-day meet. Eight of them are Flames, including four whose personal bests were achieved at last year's Bryan Clay meet (Doan – 4:15.34, Jessica Palisca – 4:28.39, Kyle Harkabus – 3:44.02 and Pitcher – 3:48.66).
Harkabus, who currently tops the CUSA in both the men's 1,500 (3:48.40) and 5K (14:05.34), is entered in both events this week. The 5K will take place late Friday night.
Grand Prix Primer
A pair of Flames have broken Liberty records this season, including Omari Lewis (men's 100 – 10.18) and Indea Cartwright (women's 100 hurdles – 13.28). Both will compete in those events at the Virginia Grand Prix this week.
At the Florida Relays, first-year Lady Flame Reese Webster grabbed the No. 2 spot in program history for both the women's 100 (11.36) and 200 (23.23). The only Liberty runner to go faster in those events was 2023 graduate Isis Brooks (11.23 in the 100 and 23.09 in the 200). Brooks' first record as a Lady Flame came at Lannigan Field, as she clocked an 11.48 100 at the Virginia Open on March 19, 2022.
Katie Urbine has pole vaulted a Liberty freshman-record 13-9.25 this season, moving into a tie for No. 2 all-time for the Lady Flames with current assistant Taylen (Langin) Rey. Urbine will vault under the lights Friday evening.
After sweeping the CUSA indoor multi-event titles, siblings Anthony and Patasha Bryan will make their season debuts in the outdoor multis this week in Charlottesville.
Anthony Bryan, who owns a decathlon personal best of 6,956, will attempt to become the 18th 7,000-point scorer in program history. Patasha Bryan's personal-best heptathlon score of 5,378 from the 2023 ASUN Championship trails only Danielle McNaney's program record of 5,504 from 2005 on the Lady Flames' all-time chart.
CUSA's Best
The following Flames and Lady Flames rank No. 1 in Conference USA in their events at this stage of the 2024 outdoor track & field season. The 2024 CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take place at Larry K. Durham Track at Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas, May 10-12.
Women's 800 – Katelyn Locker – 2:06.15
Women's Hammer – Paola Bueno – 206-2
Men's 1,500 – Kyle Harkabus – 3:48.40
Men's 5K – Kyle Harkabus – 14:05.34
Men's 10K – Nathan Moore – 30:34.26
Men's 400 Hurdles – Jacob Torres – 53.26
Men's Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 48-4
Men's Discus – Desmond Coleman – 198-7
Men's Javelin – Ben Shughart – 210-4
Men's Hammer – John Hicks – 213-11
Looking Ahead to Lexington
The 2024 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet will be contested at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track and Field Facility in Lexington, Ky., May 22-25. The following Flames and Lady Flames appear to have punched their tickets to Lexington, based upon what it took to qualify a year ago.
Paola Bueno – Women's Hammer
Indea Cartwright – Women's 100 Hurdles
Katelyn Locker – Women's 800
Megan Mann – Women's Discus
Katie Urbine – Women's Pole Vault
Addilae Watts – Women's Javelin
Reese Webster – Women's 100 and 200
Beau Backes – Men's Discus
Desmond Coleman – Men's Discus
John Hicks – Men's Hammer
Kellen Kimes – Men's Hammer
Omari Lewis – Men's 100
Up Next
Liberty will remain close to home for a pair of meets next week, including the Virginia Challenge (April 19-20 in Charlottesville) and the WildCat Invitational (April 20 in Lynchburg, hosted by Randolph).
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
/ Track and Field
Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
Hammer
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Sprints
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