(L-R): Maddy Hunt, Kali Grayson and Annika Hantho are three of Liberty's seniors who will be recognized Wednesday.
Flames to Honor Seniors During Wednesday’s Liberty Twilight Qualifier
4/30/2024 2:25:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Athletes from 20 different colleges and universities will descend upon the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex on Wednesday for the Liberty Twilight Qualifier, the Flames' lone home meet of the 2024 outdoor season.
Some of the teams represented include Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Virginia Tech.
The meet will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the women's discus. At 1:35 p.m., the Flames will recognize their 18-member senior class prior to the start of running events at 2.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live results will be available throughout the Liberty Twilight Qualifier, courtesy of Blue Ridge Timing.
Weather Report
Wednesday's weather forecast calls for a high temperature in the low 80s and increasing sunshine as the day progresses.
In Matthes' Memory
Wednesday's meet will be the first competition held at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex since the April 18 passing of Liberty track & field/cross country program founder and first head coach, Jake Matthes. He founded the program in 1976-77 and coached for 15 years, overseeing 25 All-Americans during his tenure.
Liberty's outdoor track & field facility was named for Matthes and former women's track & field/cross country head coach Ron Hopkins in 1991, and Matthes was named to the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
A moment of silence for Matthes and Lynchburg All-American runner Frank Csorba (who tragically died on April 22) will be held just prior to the opening prayer and national anthem at 1:55 p.m.
Salute to Seniors
With the Liberty Twilight Qualifier being the lone home meet on the Flames' 2024 outdoor schedule, Liberty will honor 18 seniors during an on-track ceremony at 1:35 p.m.
The honorees include 14 Lady Flames (Amy Ambelang, Jamie Anderson, Mackenzie Ballivian, Nimeesha Coleman, Calli Doan, Kali Grayson, Amani Hankton, Annika Hantho, Maddy Hunt, Katelyn Locker, Megan Mann, Makenzy Mizera, Anna Worth and Kristiana Young) and four Flames (Warren Barrett, Stephen Carvalho, John Hicks and Rayshawn Johnson).
Schedule Highlights
The following are some of the most highly anticipated events on Wednesday's docket, organized in chronological order.
Noon – Women's Pole Vault – Liberty freshman record holder Katie Urbine (13-9.25) will be challenged in the first outdoor home meet of her collegiate career. 2024 NCAA indoor national runner-up Riley Felts of Charlotte is entered. She ranks No. 3 nationally this season with a top clearance of 14-11. Other contenders include Felts' teammate Sarah Brown (ranked No. 20 nationally at 13-11.75) and two-time All-American Rachel Vesper.
1 p.m. – Men's Discus – Liberty's Beau Backes hopes to improve his chances of an NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round berth, as he enters the week ranked No. 44 regionally with a season best of 177-7. Flames assistant coach Kevin Nedrick is the top seed, coming off his season-best 200-8 effort at UVA on Sunday. Meanwhile, High Point's Chris Van Niekerk sits No. 15 on the NCAA national list with a season best of 192-9.
3 p.m. – Men's Pole Vault – The Flames' Hunter Flack is enjoying a strong junior season, headlined by a personal-best 16-0.75 clearance at the Florida Relays. High Point pole vault coach Scott Houston is the facility record holder at 18-4.75 from 2021. He is slated to compete along with several of his top pupils. The Panthers' Reid Holloway vaulted a personal-best 17-1.75 last week, while North Carolina's Ben Finger cleared 17-0.75 during the indoor season.
3:30 p.m. – Women's 100 Hurdles Final – The program record is in jeopardy every time Indea Cartwright takes the track for the women's 100 hurdles. On Wednesday, she will attempt to lower her own record of 13.28 from the Florida Relays. Two other possible contenders include High Point's Lindsay Cooper (2024 Big South indoor 60 hurdles champion) and JMU's Jordyn Henderson (2024 ECAC indoor 60 hurdles champion).
8:20 p.m. – Women's 800 – Liberty senior Katelyn Locker has posted personal-best times in four consecutive races. If she hopes to continue that streak on Wednesday, she will need to break her own Liberty record of 2:04.46 from the Bryan Clay Invitational. Other runners to watch include Liberty steeplechase All-American Calli Doan (2:07.08 personal best), talented NC State freshman Angelina Napoleon (2:06.79 personal best), high school senior and Liberty signee Allie Zealand and high school junior Annie Miller from North Carolina (2:09.72 personal best). The facility record (2:06.24 by Wake Forest's Johanna Schulz in 2019) could definitely be challenged.
8:30 p.m. – Men's 1,500 – Liberty's Kyle Harkabus clocked a personal-best 3:42.10 to win the Charlotte Invitational men's 1,500 on Friday. Racing on his home track, he hopes to improve his standing within the East Region and possibly take down the program record of 3:41.26, set by Ryan Drew at the 2022 Liberty Twilight Qualifier. Drew is also part of Wednesday's entry list along with reigning Big South indoor mile champion Jason Thomson of High Point and Jacob Jones of William & Mary (3:43.74 personal best).
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 – 2:04.46
Women's 1,500 – Katelyn Locker – 4:19.04
Women's Steeplechase – Calli Doan – 10:03.90
Women's Triple Jump – Makenzy Mizera – 41-6
Women's Hammer – Paola Bueno – 206-2
Heptathlon – Patasha Bryan – 5,217
Men's 200 – Omari Lewis – 20.56
Men's 1,500 – Kyle Harkabus – 3:42.10
Men's 5K – Edwin Kiprop – 13:47.63
Men's Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 48-9
Men's Shot Put – Warren Barrett – 61-9
Men's Discus – Desmond Coleman – 198-7
Men's Javelin – Ben Shughart – 226-9
Men's Hammer – John Hicks – 218-6
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 currently rank within the East Region's top 48 for their respective events.
Paola Bueno – Women's Hammer
Indea Cartwright – Women's 100 Hurdles
Calli Doan – Women's Steeplechase
Kali Grayson – Women's Javelin
Annika Hantho – Women's Hammer
Katelyn Locker – Women's 800
Megan Mann – Women's Discus and Hammer
Makenzy Mizera – Women's Triple Jump
Katie Urbine – Women's Pole Vault
Addilae Watts – Women's Javelin
Reese Webster – Women's 100 and 200
Beau Backes – Men's Discus
Warren Barrett – Men's Shot Put
Desmond Coleman – Men's Discus and Hammer
Christian Hicks – Men's Discus
John Hicks – Men's Hammer
Kellen Kimes – Men's Hammer
Edwin Kiprop – Men's 5K
Omari Lewis – Men's 100 and 200
Ben Shughart – Men's Javelin
Up Next
Liberty will make one final tune-up for the CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday, remaining in town for the University of Lynchburg's The Hill City Twilight meet.
Some of the teams represented include Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Virginia Tech.
The meet will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the women's discus. At 1:35 p.m., the Flames will recognize their 18-member senior class prior to the start of running events at 2.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live results will be available throughout the Liberty Twilight Qualifier, courtesy of Blue Ridge Timing.
Weather Report
Wednesday's weather forecast calls for a high temperature in the low 80s and increasing sunshine as the day progresses.
In Matthes' Memory
Wednesday's meet will be the first competition held at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex since the April 18 passing of Liberty track & field/cross country program founder and first head coach, Jake Matthes. He founded the program in 1976-77 and coached for 15 years, overseeing 25 All-Americans during his tenure.
Liberty's outdoor track & field facility was named for Matthes and former women's track & field/cross country head coach Ron Hopkins in 1991, and Matthes was named to the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
A moment of silence for Matthes and Lynchburg All-American runner Frank Csorba (who tragically died on April 22) will be held just prior to the opening prayer and national anthem at 1:55 p.m.
Salute to Seniors
With the Liberty Twilight Qualifier being the lone home meet on the Flames' 2024 outdoor schedule, Liberty will honor 18 seniors during an on-track ceremony at 1:35 p.m.
The honorees include 14 Lady Flames (Amy Ambelang, Jamie Anderson, Mackenzie Ballivian, Nimeesha Coleman, Calli Doan, Kali Grayson, Amani Hankton, Annika Hantho, Maddy Hunt, Katelyn Locker, Megan Mann, Makenzy Mizera, Anna Worth and Kristiana Young) and four Flames (Warren Barrett, Stephen Carvalho, John Hicks and Rayshawn Johnson).
Schedule Highlights
The following are some of the most highly anticipated events on Wednesday's docket, organized in chronological order.
Noon – Women's Pole Vault – Liberty freshman record holder Katie Urbine (13-9.25) will be challenged in the first outdoor home meet of her collegiate career. 2024 NCAA indoor national runner-up Riley Felts of Charlotte is entered. She ranks No. 3 nationally this season with a top clearance of 14-11. Other contenders include Felts' teammate Sarah Brown (ranked No. 20 nationally at 13-11.75) and two-time All-American Rachel Vesper.
1 p.m. – Men's Discus – Liberty's Beau Backes hopes to improve his chances of an NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round berth, as he enters the week ranked No. 44 regionally with a season best of 177-7. Flames assistant coach Kevin Nedrick is the top seed, coming off his season-best 200-8 effort at UVA on Sunday. Meanwhile, High Point's Chris Van Niekerk sits No. 15 on the NCAA national list with a season best of 192-9.
3 p.m. – Men's Pole Vault – The Flames' Hunter Flack is enjoying a strong junior season, headlined by a personal-best 16-0.75 clearance at the Florida Relays. High Point pole vault coach Scott Houston is the facility record holder at 18-4.75 from 2021. He is slated to compete along with several of his top pupils. The Panthers' Reid Holloway vaulted a personal-best 17-1.75 last week, while North Carolina's Ben Finger cleared 17-0.75 during the indoor season.
3:30 p.m. – Women's 100 Hurdles Final – The program record is in jeopardy every time Indea Cartwright takes the track for the women's 100 hurdles. On Wednesday, she will attempt to lower her own record of 13.28 from the Florida Relays. Two other possible contenders include High Point's Lindsay Cooper (2024 Big South indoor 60 hurdles champion) and JMU's Jordyn Henderson (2024 ECAC indoor 60 hurdles champion).
8:20 p.m. – Women's 800 – Liberty senior Katelyn Locker has posted personal-best times in four consecutive races. If she hopes to continue that streak on Wednesday, she will need to break her own Liberty record of 2:04.46 from the Bryan Clay Invitational. Other runners to watch include Liberty steeplechase All-American Calli Doan (2:07.08 personal best), talented NC State freshman Angelina Napoleon (2:06.79 personal best), high school senior and Liberty signee Allie Zealand and high school junior Annie Miller from North Carolina (2:09.72 personal best). The facility record (2:06.24 by Wake Forest's Johanna Schulz in 2019) could definitely be challenged.
8:30 p.m. – Men's 1,500 – Liberty's Kyle Harkabus clocked a personal-best 3:42.10 to win the Charlotte Invitational men's 1,500 on Friday. Racing on his home track, he hopes to improve his standing within the East Region and possibly take down the program record of 3:41.26, set by Ryan Drew at the 2022 Liberty Twilight Qualifier. Drew is also part of Wednesday's entry list along with reigning Big South indoor mile champion Jason Thomson of High Point and Jacob Jones of William & Mary (3:43.74 personal best).
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 – 2:04.46
Women's 1,500 – Katelyn Locker – 4:19.04
Women's Steeplechase – Calli Doan – 10:03.90
Women's Triple Jump – Makenzy Mizera – 41-6
Women's Hammer – Paola Bueno – 206-2
Heptathlon – Patasha Bryan – 5,217
Men's 200 – Omari Lewis – 20.56
Men's 1,500 – Kyle Harkabus – 3:42.10
Men's 5K – Edwin Kiprop – 13:47.63
Men's Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 48-9
Men's Shot Put – Warren Barrett – 61-9
Men's Discus – Desmond Coleman – 198-7
Men's Javelin – Ben Shughart – 226-9
Men's Hammer – John Hicks – 218-6
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 currently rank within the East Region's top 48 for their respective events.
Paola Bueno – Women's Hammer
Indea Cartwright – Women's 100 Hurdles
Calli Doan – Women's Steeplechase
Kali Grayson – Women's Javelin
Annika Hantho – Women's Hammer
Katelyn Locker – Women's 800
Megan Mann – Women's Discus and Hammer
Makenzy Mizera – Women's Triple Jump
Katie Urbine – Women's Pole Vault
Addilae Watts – Women's Javelin
Reese Webster – Women's 100 and 200
Beau Backes – Men's Discus
Warren Barrett – Men's Shot Put
Desmond Coleman – Men's Discus and Hammer
Christian Hicks – Men's Discus
John Hicks – Men's Hammer
Kellen Kimes – Men's Hammer
Edwin Kiprop – Men's 5K
Omari Lewis – Men's 100 and 200
Ben Shughart – Men's Javelin
Up Next
Liberty will make one final tune-up for the CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday, remaining in town for the University of Lynchburg's The Hill City Twilight meet.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
Hammer
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Javelin
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and FieldBen Shughart: Throwing Through the Pain
Thursday, May 21
Paola Bueno: Representing Liberty and Mexico
Thursday, January 29
The Sherard Family: On the Court and on the Track
Wednesday, January 21
Allie Zealand Talks About The Cross Country & Indoor Track Season
Friday, December 12