Megan Mann
22 Flames Qualify for NCAA Division I East First Rounds
5/16/2024 1:04:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A group of 22 Liberty track & field athletes have qualified for next week's NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet (May 22-25) in Lexington, Ky. For the first time since 2017, the meet will be contested at the UK Track & Field Complex.
Eleven of Liberty's qualifiers are women, marking the second most Lady Flames ever to reach this meet. Liberty sent a program-record 14 women to the 2018 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet in Tampa, Fla.
The Lady Flames who will compete in Lexington include Paola Bueno (hammer), Indea Cartwright (100 hurdles), Calli Doan (steeplechase), Kali Grayson (javelin), Annika Hantho (hammer), Katelyn Locker (800), Megan Mann (discus and hammer), Makenzy Mizera (triple jump), Katie Urbine (pole vault), Addilae Watts (javelin) and Reese Webster (100).
Liberty will also send 11 men to the Bluegrass State, including Beau Backes (discus), Warren Barrett (shot put), Desmond Coleman (discus), Kyle Harkabus (1,500), Christian Hicks (discus), John Hicks (hammer), Kellen Kimes (hammer), Edwin Kiprop (5K), Omari Lewis (100), Brendan Pitcher (800) and Ben Shughart (javelin).
The Flames' 22 NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet qualifiers mark the fourth time Liberty has ever sent 20+ athletes to this event, including the third time in the last four years.
The four-day competition, which will determine the qualifiers to the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, will begin May 22 at 10 a.m. with the men's hammer. All men's events will be contested on May 22 and 24, with the women's events slated for May 23 and 25.
The 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be contested June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
The top 12 finishers in each event in Lexington will advance to Eugene, along with the top 12 finishers from the NCAA Division I West First Rounds meet, scheduled for May 22-25 in Fayetteville, Ark.
The following is a breakdown of Liberty's NCAA First Rounds qualifiers by the numbers.
1: Omari Lewis' CUSA-winning 100 time of 9.88 (+5.1 m/s tailwind) is the No. 1 time in the world in 2024 in all conditions. His fastest wind-legal effort of the season (10.08) has Lewis entering the meet as the No. 14 seed.
2: Two of the Flames' NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifiers are All-Americans, including Warren Barrett (2023 indoor men's shot put and 2024 indoor men's shot put) and Calli Doan (2021 women's cross country and 2023 outdoor women's steeplechase).
2: Megan Mann will be Liberty's only athlete competing in multiple events in Lexington, including the women's discus and hammer.
3: Three Liberty freshmen will compete in Lexington, including Kellen Kimes (men's hammer), Edwin Kiprop (men's 5K) and Katie Urbine (women's pole vault).
3: A trio of Lady Flames will throw the men's hammer in Lexington on May 23, including Paola Bueno, Annika Hantho and Megan Mann. Liberty and Ole Miss are the only East Region teams with three women's hammer qualifiers. This is the second time the Lady Flames have sent three competitors to this meet in a single event (also 2013 discus – Mychelle Cumings, Jennifer Nicholson and Jocelyn Williams).
3: Liberty will also send three men's discus throwers to Lexington, including Beau Backes, Desmond Coleman and Christian Hicks. This is the third consecutive year the Flames have boasted three NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifiers in the men's discus. Northwestern State is the only other East Region team who will have three men's discus throwers in action on May 24.
4: John Hicks will throw the men's hammer at this meet for the fourth year in a row. He joins Ryan Smith (2010-13 shot put) and Denzel Pratt (2016-19 javelin) as the only Liberty men's athletes to make four NCAA Division I East First Rounds appearances.
4: Kyle Harkabus has won four straight men's 1,500 races entering his NCAA Division I East First Rounds debut, including the Charlotte Invitational (April 26), Liberty Twilight Qualifier (May 1), The Hill City Twilight (May 3) and Conference USA final (May 12).
6: Katie Urbine's qualification makes it six consecutive years a Liberty women's pole vaulter will compete at this meet. The streak began with Jessie Glynn's appearance in 2018.
7: Desmond Coleman is Liberty's top seed in any event at this meet, coming in at No. 7 in the men's discus. He threw a personal-best 198-7 at the Florida Relays on March 30.
8: Eight Liberty athletes will compete in the same events they won at last week's CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in El Paso, Texas, including Warren Barrett (men's shot put), Paola Bueno (women's hammer), Calli Doan (women's steeplechase), Kyle Harkabus (men's 1,500), John Hicks (men's hammer), Omari Lewis (men's 100), Katelyn Locker (women's 800) and Ben Shughart (men's javelin).
9: Nine Flames will make their NCAA Division I East First Rounds debuts next week, including Kyle Harkabus, Kellen Kimes, Edwin Kiprop, Omari Lewis, Katelyn Locker, Megan Mann, Brendan Pitcher, Katie Urbine and Reese Webster.
12: Twelve of Liberty's 22 NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifiers are throwers, which will keep Coach Luke Johnson busy during the four-day meet. Liberty will be represented in seven of the eight throwing events in Lexington (all but women's shot put), with multiple entrants in the men's discus, men's hammer, women's hammer and women's javelin.
14: Indea Cartwright will be the Lady Flames' first 100-meter hurdler to compete at this meet in 14 years. Olivia Charnuski made the women's 100 hurdles field at the inaugural NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet in 2010 in Greensboro, N.C.
52: Beau Backes was the Flames' most unlikely NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifier, making it into the men's discus field despite being seeded No. 52 in the East Region at season's end. Backes was the last person to get into the 48-member field after four athletes listed ahead of him scratched from the competition.
Eleven of Liberty's qualifiers are women, marking the second most Lady Flames ever to reach this meet. Liberty sent a program-record 14 women to the 2018 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet in Tampa, Fla.
The Lady Flames who will compete in Lexington include Paola Bueno (hammer), Indea Cartwright (100 hurdles), Calli Doan (steeplechase), Kali Grayson (javelin), Annika Hantho (hammer), Katelyn Locker (800), Megan Mann (discus and hammer), Makenzy Mizera (triple jump), Katie Urbine (pole vault), Addilae Watts (javelin) and Reese Webster (100).
Liberty will also send 11 men to the Bluegrass State, including Beau Backes (discus), Warren Barrett (shot put), Desmond Coleman (discus), Kyle Harkabus (1,500), Christian Hicks (discus), John Hicks (hammer), Kellen Kimes (hammer), Edwin Kiprop (5K), Omari Lewis (100), Brendan Pitcher (800) and Ben Shughart (javelin).
The Flames' 22 NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet qualifiers mark the fourth time Liberty has ever sent 20+ athletes to this event, including the third time in the last four years.
The four-day competition, which will determine the qualifiers to the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, will begin May 22 at 10 a.m. with the men's hammer. All men's events will be contested on May 22 and 24, with the women's events slated for May 23 and 25.
The 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be contested June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
The top 12 finishers in each event in Lexington will advance to Eugene, along with the top 12 finishers from the NCAA Division I West First Rounds meet, scheduled for May 22-25 in Fayetteville, Ark.
The following is a breakdown of Liberty's NCAA First Rounds qualifiers by the numbers.
1: Omari Lewis' CUSA-winning 100 time of 9.88 (+5.1 m/s tailwind) is the No. 1 time in the world in 2024 in all conditions. His fastest wind-legal effort of the season (10.08) has Lewis entering the meet as the No. 14 seed.
2: Two of the Flames' NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifiers are All-Americans, including Warren Barrett (2023 indoor men's shot put and 2024 indoor men's shot put) and Calli Doan (2021 women's cross country and 2023 outdoor women's steeplechase).
2: Megan Mann will be Liberty's only athlete competing in multiple events in Lexington, including the women's discus and hammer.
3: Three Liberty freshmen will compete in Lexington, including Kellen Kimes (men's hammer), Edwin Kiprop (men's 5K) and Katie Urbine (women's pole vault).
3: A trio of Lady Flames will throw the men's hammer in Lexington on May 23, including Paola Bueno, Annika Hantho and Megan Mann. Liberty and Ole Miss are the only East Region teams with three women's hammer qualifiers. This is the second time the Lady Flames have sent three competitors to this meet in a single event (also 2013 discus – Mychelle Cumings, Jennifer Nicholson and Jocelyn Williams).
3: Liberty will also send three men's discus throwers to Lexington, including Beau Backes, Desmond Coleman and Christian Hicks. This is the third consecutive year the Flames have boasted three NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifiers in the men's discus. Northwestern State is the only other East Region team who will have three men's discus throwers in action on May 24.
4: John Hicks will throw the men's hammer at this meet for the fourth year in a row. He joins Ryan Smith (2010-13 shot put) and Denzel Pratt (2016-19 javelin) as the only Liberty men's athletes to make four NCAA Division I East First Rounds appearances.
4: Kyle Harkabus has won four straight men's 1,500 races entering his NCAA Division I East First Rounds debut, including the Charlotte Invitational (April 26), Liberty Twilight Qualifier (May 1), The Hill City Twilight (May 3) and Conference USA final (May 12).
6: Katie Urbine's qualification makes it six consecutive years a Liberty women's pole vaulter will compete at this meet. The streak began with Jessie Glynn's appearance in 2018.
7: Desmond Coleman is Liberty's top seed in any event at this meet, coming in at No. 7 in the men's discus. He threw a personal-best 198-7 at the Florida Relays on March 30.
8: Eight Liberty athletes will compete in the same events they won at last week's CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in El Paso, Texas, including Warren Barrett (men's shot put), Paola Bueno (women's hammer), Calli Doan (women's steeplechase), Kyle Harkabus (men's 1,500), John Hicks (men's hammer), Omari Lewis (men's 100), Katelyn Locker (women's 800) and Ben Shughart (men's javelin).
9: Nine Flames will make their NCAA Division I East First Rounds debuts next week, including Kyle Harkabus, Kellen Kimes, Edwin Kiprop, Omari Lewis, Katelyn Locker, Megan Mann, Brendan Pitcher, Katie Urbine and Reese Webster.
12: Twelve of Liberty's 22 NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifiers are throwers, which will keep Coach Luke Johnson busy during the four-day meet. Liberty will be represented in seven of the eight throwing events in Lexington (all but women's shot put), with multiple entrants in the men's discus, men's hammer, women's hammer and women's javelin.
14: Indea Cartwright will be the Lady Flames' first 100-meter hurdler to compete at this meet in 14 years. Olivia Charnuski made the women's 100 hurdles field at the inaugural NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet in 2010 in Greensboro, N.C.
52: Beau Backes was the Flames' most unlikely NCAA Division I East First Rounds qualifier, making it into the men's discus field despite being seeded No. 52 in the East Region at season's end. Backes was the last person to get into the 48-member field after four athletes listed ahead of him scratched from the competition.
Players Mentioned
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Hammer
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Hurdles
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Distance
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Mid-distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Sprints
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Throws
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Jumps
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Mid-distance
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Javelin
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Pole Vault
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Javelin
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Sprints
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