Friday, April 19
Charlottesville, Va.
11:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
Virginia Challenge
Katelyn Locker
Locker Clocks Impressive 4:19 1,500 at UVA on Friday
4/19/2024 10:34:00 PM | Track and Field
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Liberty's Katelyn Locker continued her string of impressive performances with a personal-best and CUSA-leading 4:19.04 clocking for 1,500 meters, highlighting the Flames' Friday at the Virginia Challenge.
Women's Day 1 Recap
A week ago, Locker's 1,500 personal best stood at 4:25.91. Since then, she has lowered it to 4:23.15 at the Bryan Clay Invitational on Saturday in California and then to 4:19.04 tonight in Charlottesville.
Her most recent effort, good for eighth place in the invitational section, makes Locker just the third Lady Flame ever to dip under 4:20 for the 1,500. She joins her coach (Heather [Sagan] Zealand – 4:14.71 in 2002) and her teammate (Calli Doan – 4:15.34 in 2023) in that exclusive club.
Locker now tops the CUSA chart in two events, also including her program-record 2:04.46 clocking in the 800 from one week ago in California. Dating back to the Florida Relays 800 on March 30, Locker's last four races have all resulted in new personal bests.
Earlier in the day, Jessica Palisca (season-best 4:34.72) and Ava Gordon (4:36.33) had become the fifth and sixth Lady Flames to run a 1,500 faster than 4:40 this season. For Gordon, it marked her first race in three months.
Kali Grayson was the Lady Flames' highest placer in any event on Friday, taking third in the women's javelin with a 145-10 effort under the Lannigan Field lights.
Makenzy Mizera is the only CUSA women's triple jumper to reach the 12-meter mark thus far in 2024. She did so on all six attempts Friday, topping out at 40-11.5 (12.48 meters) for fifth place in the event.
All three of Liberty's pole vaulters went over 12 feet on Friday, including Katie Urbine (12-7.25), Mia Bowers (12-1.25) and Colleen Schaner (12-1.25). Schaner matched her season best for the second straight week in Charlottesville.
Megan Mann got Liberty's day started off with an eighth-place women's discus showing. Her best effort measured 156-0.
Kristiana Young (season-best 11:31.56) and Sophia Park (personal-best 11:36.49) placed 7-8 in the open women's steeplechase.
Running the 5K for the first time in her collegiate career, freshman Ryann Aycock posted the fastest time by a Lady Flame this season to date, 17:33.54.
Competing unattached, Liberty's Adelyn Fairley (16:14.53) and Marie Hostetler (personal-best 16:42.48) ran well in their respective sections of the women's 5K.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Liberty boasted a top-10 finisher in all four of Friday's men's field events, including a pair in the discus. Christian Hicks led the way in third place at 175-2 with Beau Backes following in ninth at 163-9.
Coming off a personal-best 226-9 effort six days earlier at UCLA, Ben Shughart heaved the javelin 211-1 for seventh place on Friday.
Joshua Smith triple jumped a season-best 48-9 to finish ninth in the event and extend his lead atop the CUSA standings.
Rounding out the field events, Hunter Flack came in eighth in the invitational men's pole vault with a 15-5 clearance.
Brendan Pitcher matched his fastest 800 time of the season (1:49.32) to finish 19th in a loaded invitational section.
Freshman Sean Aiken lopped 21 seconds off his steeplechase best, posting a 9:21.11 for 10th place in the event's open section.
Revell Webster clocked a wind-legal 10.68 for 11th place out of 49 competitors in the men's 100 prelims, just missing out on a spot in the final.
Simon Lamparelli continued his comeback from injury with a season-best 48.90 in the men's 400.
Jacob Hess wrapped up the Flames' day with a 31:30.15 clocking for 19th place in his 10K debut.
Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Kali Grayson – Javelin – 145-10
Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Christian Hicks – Discus – 175-2
New Women's NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Katelyn Locker – 1,500 – 4:19.04
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
1,500 – No. 3 – Katelyn Locker – 4:19.04
Up Next
Liberty's first Virginia Challenge event on Saturday will be the women's hammer at 10 a.m.
Grace Ervi is also scheduled to compete in the women's 1,500 at the WildCat Invitational, Saturday at 1:15 p.m.
Women's Day 1 Recap
A week ago, Locker's 1,500 personal best stood at 4:25.91. Since then, she has lowered it to 4:23.15 at the Bryan Clay Invitational on Saturday in California and then to 4:19.04 tonight in Charlottesville.
Her most recent effort, good for eighth place in the invitational section, makes Locker just the third Lady Flame ever to dip under 4:20 for the 1,500. She joins her coach (Heather [Sagan] Zealand – 4:14.71 in 2002) and her teammate (Calli Doan – 4:15.34 in 2023) in that exclusive club.
Locker now tops the CUSA chart in two events, also including her program-record 2:04.46 clocking in the 800 from one week ago in California. Dating back to the Florida Relays 800 on March 30, Locker's last four races have all resulted in new personal bests.
Earlier in the day, Jessica Palisca (season-best 4:34.72) and Ava Gordon (4:36.33) had become the fifth and sixth Lady Flames to run a 1,500 faster than 4:40 this season. For Gordon, it marked her first race in three months.
Kali Grayson was the Lady Flames' highest placer in any event on Friday, taking third in the women's javelin with a 145-10 effort under the Lannigan Field lights.
Makenzy Mizera is the only CUSA women's triple jumper to reach the 12-meter mark thus far in 2024. She did so on all six attempts Friday, topping out at 40-11.5 (12.48 meters) for fifth place in the event.
All three of Liberty's pole vaulters went over 12 feet on Friday, including Katie Urbine (12-7.25), Mia Bowers (12-1.25) and Colleen Schaner (12-1.25). Schaner matched her season best for the second straight week in Charlottesville.
Megan Mann got Liberty's day started off with an eighth-place women's discus showing. Her best effort measured 156-0.
Kristiana Young (season-best 11:31.56) and Sophia Park (personal-best 11:36.49) placed 7-8 in the open women's steeplechase.
Running the 5K for the first time in her collegiate career, freshman Ryann Aycock posted the fastest time by a Lady Flame this season to date, 17:33.54.
Competing unattached, Liberty's Adelyn Fairley (16:14.53) and Marie Hostetler (personal-best 16:42.48) ran well in their respective sections of the women's 5K.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Liberty boasted a top-10 finisher in all four of Friday's men's field events, including a pair in the discus. Christian Hicks led the way in third place at 175-2 with Beau Backes following in ninth at 163-9.
Coming off a personal-best 226-9 effort six days earlier at UCLA, Ben Shughart heaved the javelin 211-1 for seventh place on Friday.
Joshua Smith triple jumped a season-best 48-9 to finish ninth in the event and extend his lead atop the CUSA standings.
Rounding out the field events, Hunter Flack came in eighth in the invitational men's pole vault with a 15-5 clearance.
Brendan Pitcher matched his fastest 800 time of the season (1:49.32) to finish 19th in a loaded invitational section.
Freshman Sean Aiken lopped 21 seconds off his steeplechase best, posting a 9:21.11 for 10th place in the event's open section.
Revell Webster clocked a wind-legal 10.68 for 11th place out of 49 competitors in the men's 100 prelims, just missing out on a spot in the final.
Simon Lamparelli continued his comeback from injury with a season-best 48.90 in the men's 400.
Jacob Hess wrapped up the Flames' day with a 31:30.15 clocking for 19th place in his 10K debut.
Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Kali Grayson – Javelin – 145-10
Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Christian Hicks – Discus – 175-2
New Women's NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Katelyn Locker – 1,500 – 4:19.04
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
1,500 – No. 3 – Katelyn Locker – 4:19.04
Up Next
Liberty's first Virginia Challenge event on Saturday will be the women's hammer at 10 a.m.
Grace Ervi is also scheduled to compete in the women's 1,500 at the WildCat Invitational, Saturday at 1:15 p.m.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
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Throws
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Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
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Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-Distance
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Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
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