Wednesday, May 22
Lexington, Ky.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
NCAA Division I East First Rounds
John Hicks
Hicks, Shughart Qualify for Eugene
5/22/2024 9:13:00 PM | Track and Field
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The opening day of the 2024 NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet was a successful one for Liberty's Conference USA event champions on Wednesday. John Hicks (men's hammer) and Ben Shughart (men's javelin) successfully qualified to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, while Kyle Harkabus (men's 1,500) and Omari Lewis (men's 100) advanced to Friday's quarterfinal round in their respective events at the UK Track & Field Complex.
A CUSA titlist himself, Warren Barrett nearly punched his ticket to Eugene, Ore., as well. However, he finished just one spot and one centimeter out of the 12th and final qualifying position in the men's shot put.
As it turns out, Hicks' second of three men's hammer attempts (212-9) would have been good enough for the Romney, W.Va., native to book a trip to the West Coast. However, he left no doubt in round three with a personal-best mark of 220-7 that was good for fifth place in the competition.
Hicks improved upon his previous best of 218-5 from the Virginia Challenge on April 20. He was one of two Eugene qualifiers in the men's hammer to record a lifetime best on Wednesday (also Cornell's Brad Morell).
The No. 15 seed entering the meet, Hicks completed an impressive career progression at this event. After finishing 38th as a freshman in 2021, he improved to 23rd in 2022, 14th a year ago and fifth on Wednesday.
Hicks becomes Liberty's first men's hammer thrower to advance to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships since program record holder Jon Hart made it in 2008. Hicks will open the Flames' competition in Eugene in two weeks, with the men's hammer national final slated for June 5 at 5 p.m. Eastern.
On the opposite end of the experience spectrum, freshman Kellen Kimes made his NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet debut on Wednesday. After breaking Hicks' Liberty freshman record with a 208-0 effort earlier this season, Kimes topped out at 186-9 for 44th place on Wednesday.
Following the second lightning delay of the day, Shughart showed zero signs of rust in the men's javelin. As had been the case at the CUSA meet, the junior from Shippensburg, Pa., recorded his best mark in round one. A 223-7 effort, the third-longest effort of Shughart's career, had him sitting in fourth place with one flight yet to compete.
Fast forward about an hour and through some nervous moments, and Shughart ended up in the 12th and final qualifying position to Eugene. After making a huge improvement upon his 44th-place finish at this meet in 2023, Shughart will become Liberty's first men's javelin thrower to compete at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships since Denzel Pratt in 2019. Shughart's event in Eugene will take place at 8:45 p.m. Eastern on June 5.
Barrett very nearly made it a trio of throwers to make it to Eugene on Wednesday. However, his top shot put mark of 61-7 left him in the agonizing 13th position, just one centimeter behind 12th-place Joshua Boamah of Navy, the event's final national qualifier.
Barrett concludes his collegiate career as a two-time All-American in the indoor men's shot put (2023 and 2024) and the Liberty indoor men's shot put record holder at 64-1.25.
Harkabus extended his collegiate outdoor track & field career by at least two days on Wednesday. The senior's 1,500 time of 3:43.19 was good for sixth place in his heat and first among the time qualifiers to Friday's quarterfinal round.
The CUSA 1,500 champion and program record holder will next try to become the first Flame to advance to Eugene in the "metric mile" since Coach Isaac Wendland in 2013. Harkabus' quarterfinal race is slated for Friday at 5:15 p.m.
Ten days after running the fastest 100 time in the world this year (9.88) with the assistance of a huge 5.1 m/s tailwind, Lewis had to battle a -1.4 m/s headwind on Wednesday in Lexington. However, the CUSA champion powered through the wind for a time of 10.39, taking fourth place in his section and earning a time qualifier into Friday's quarterfinals.
After becoming Liberty's first-ever NCAA men's 100 quarterfinalist at this meet, Lewis will now attempt to become the Flames' first men's 100 runner to reach the NCAA national meet since 1994 (Jacob Swinton). Lewis' quarterfinal will take place Friday at 6:35 p.m.
Racing about two hours away from his hometown of Mason, Ohio, Brendan Pitcher wrapped up his redshirt sophomore campaign with an 800 time of 1:52.99. That was good for seventh in his heat and 44th place overall in the two-lap event during his first NCAA Division I East First Rounds appearance. Pitcher's successful year was headlined by a CUSA indoor men's 800 victory and an outdoor program record of 1:48.26.
Men's NCAA Division I National Qualifiers
John Hicks – Hammer – 220-7
Ben Shughart – Javelin – 223-7
Men's Qualifiers to Friday's Quarterfinal Round
Kyle Harkabus – 1,500 – 3:43.19
Omari Lewis – 100 – 10.39
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 2 – Hammer – John Hicks – 220-7
Up Next
The women's portion of the meet will begin on Thursday. The women's hammer, featuring the Liberty trio of Paola Bueno, Annika Hantho and Megan Mann, is first up on the schedule at 10 a.m.
A CUSA titlist himself, Warren Barrett nearly punched his ticket to Eugene, Ore., as well. However, he finished just one spot and one centimeter out of the 12th and final qualifying position in the men's shot put.
As it turns out, Hicks' second of three men's hammer attempts (212-9) would have been good enough for the Romney, W.Va., native to book a trip to the West Coast. However, he left no doubt in round three with a personal-best mark of 220-7 that was good for fifth place in the competition.
Hicks improved upon his previous best of 218-5 from the Virginia Challenge on April 20. He was one of two Eugene qualifiers in the men's hammer to record a lifetime best on Wednesday (also Cornell's Brad Morell).
The No. 15 seed entering the meet, Hicks completed an impressive career progression at this event. After finishing 38th as a freshman in 2021, he improved to 23rd in 2022, 14th a year ago and fifth on Wednesday.
Hicks becomes Liberty's first men's hammer thrower to advance to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships since program record holder Jon Hart made it in 2008. Hicks will open the Flames' competition in Eugene in two weeks, with the men's hammer national final slated for June 5 at 5 p.m. Eastern.
On the opposite end of the experience spectrum, freshman Kellen Kimes made his NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet debut on Wednesday. After breaking Hicks' Liberty freshman record with a 208-0 effort earlier this season, Kimes topped out at 186-9 for 44th place on Wednesday.
Following the second lightning delay of the day, Shughart showed zero signs of rust in the men's javelin. As had been the case at the CUSA meet, the junior from Shippensburg, Pa., recorded his best mark in round one. A 223-7 effort, the third-longest effort of Shughart's career, had him sitting in fourth place with one flight yet to compete.
Fast forward about an hour and through some nervous moments, and Shughart ended up in the 12th and final qualifying position to Eugene. After making a huge improvement upon his 44th-place finish at this meet in 2023, Shughart will become Liberty's first men's javelin thrower to compete at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships since Denzel Pratt in 2019. Shughart's event in Eugene will take place at 8:45 p.m. Eastern on June 5.
Barrett very nearly made it a trio of throwers to make it to Eugene on Wednesday. However, his top shot put mark of 61-7 left him in the agonizing 13th position, just one centimeter behind 12th-place Joshua Boamah of Navy, the event's final national qualifier.
Barrett concludes his collegiate career as a two-time All-American in the indoor men's shot put (2023 and 2024) and the Liberty indoor men's shot put record holder at 64-1.25.
Harkabus extended his collegiate outdoor track & field career by at least two days on Wednesday. The senior's 1,500 time of 3:43.19 was good for sixth place in his heat and first among the time qualifiers to Friday's quarterfinal round.
The CUSA 1,500 champion and program record holder will next try to become the first Flame to advance to Eugene in the "metric mile" since Coach Isaac Wendland in 2013. Harkabus' quarterfinal race is slated for Friday at 5:15 p.m.
Ten days after running the fastest 100 time in the world this year (9.88) with the assistance of a huge 5.1 m/s tailwind, Lewis had to battle a -1.4 m/s headwind on Wednesday in Lexington. However, the CUSA champion powered through the wind for a time of 10.39, taking fourth place in his section and earning a time qualifier into Friday's quarterfinals.
After becoming Liberty's first-ever NCAA men's 100 quarterfinalist at this meet, Lewis will now attempt to become the Flames' first men's 100 runner to reach the NCAA national meet since 1994 (Jacob Swinton). Lewis' quarterfinal will take place Friday at 6:35 p.m.
Racing about two hours away from his hometown of Mason, Ohio, Brendan Pitcher wrapped up his redshirt sophomore campaign with an 800 time of 1:52.99. That was good for seventh in his heat and 44th place overall in the two-lap event during his first NCAA Division I East First Rounds appearance. Pitcher's successful year was headlined by a CUSA indoor men's 800 victory and an outdoor program record of 1:48.26.
Men's NCAA Division I National Qualifiers
John Hicks – Hammer – 220-7
Ben Shughart – Javelin – 223-7
Men's Qualifiers to Friday's Quarterfinal Round
Kyle Harkabus – 1,500 – 3:43.19
Omari Lewis – 100 – 10.39
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 2 – Hammer – John Hicks – 220-7
Up Next
The women's portion of the meet will begin on Thursday. The women's hammer, featuring the Liberty trio of Paola Bueno, Annika Hantho and Megan Mann, is first up on the schedule at 10 a.m.
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