Liberty Sets 2024 Cross Country Schedule
7/12/2024 10:53:00 AM | Cross Country
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty announced its 2024 cross country schedule on Friday, including its first home meet in two years. The Flames will open the season by hosting the Liberty Challenge on Aug. 30.
Notes on all nine of Liberty's 2024 competitions appear below.
Aug. 30 – Liberty Challenge (Lynchburg, Va.)
The Flames will get things started with the Liberty Challenge on their home course, located adjacent to the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Liberty's most recent home competition took place on Sept. 1, 2022 (also the Liberty Challenge). Aug. 30 marks the Flames' earliest start to a cross country season since 2019.
Sept. 20 – Adidas XC Challenge (Cary, N.C.)
NC State will host the Adidas XC Challenge on Sept. 20 at the WakeMed Soccer Park Cross Country Course in Cary, N.C. The Lady Flames will match up against the three-time defending national champion Wolfpack women's squad during their lone September event.
Oct. 4 – Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)
For the second time in three years, Liberty will head to the Burke Golf Course for the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Oct. 4. This traditionally high-level event saw the Lady Flames post some blazing 5K times in 2022. Calli Doan clocked a program-record 16:15.1, while Ava Gordon ran 16:34.7 for a Liberty freshman record.
Oct. 5 – Paul Short Run (Bethlehem, Pa.)
Liberty will split up its runners for the first time in 2024, as the athletes not competing in South Bend will take part in the Paul Short Run. It will mark the third straight season the Flames are represented in the 50th edition of the historic meet, hosted by Lehigh.
Oct. 19 – Wisconsin Pre-Nationals (Madison, Wis.)
The Flames and Lady Flames will make their annual trek to the Pre-Nationals event, previewing the site of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. This year's event will take place at Wisconsin's Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course.
Oct. 19 – Roanoke XC Invitational (Salem, Va.)
Liberty's second and final split weekend of competition will see some of the Flames and Lady Flames remain in the Commonwealth for the Roanoke XC Invitational. The field at Green Hill Park will consist primarily of NCAA Division III competitors previewing the ODAC Cross Country Championships course.
Nov. 2 – Conference USA Cross Country Championships (Oxford, Ala.)
The Flames and Lady Flames will chase their first team titles during their second CUSA Cross Country Championships appearance. The event will be hosted by Jacksonville State at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala., marking its first visit to Alabama since 2020.
Nov. 15 – NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Winthrop will host the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships for the first time since 2018. That year, Azaria Kirwa (seventh place) led the Liberty men's squad to an impressive sixth-place team showing.
Nov. 23 – NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships (Madison, Wis.)
The NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships will be contested in Madison, Wis., for the first time since 2018. Azaria Kirwa closed out his collegiate cross country career by placing 81st individually on the snow-covered Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course.
Notes on all nine of Liberty's 2024 competitions appear below.
Aug. 30 – Liberty Challenge (Lynchburg, Va.)
The Flames will get things started with the Liberty Challenge on their home course, located adjacent to the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Liberty's most recent home competition took place on Sept. 1, 2022 (also the Liberty Challenge). Aug. 30 marks the Flames' earliest start to a cross country season since 2019.
Sept. 20 – Adidas XC Challenge (Cary, N.C.)
NC State will host the Adidas XC Challenge on Sept. 20 at the WakeMed Soccer Park Cross Country Course in Cary, N.C. The Lady Flames will match up against the three-time defending national champion Wolfpack women's squad during their lone September event.
Oct. 4 – Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)
For the second time in three years, Liberty will head to the Burke Golf Course for the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Oct. 4. This traditionally high-level event saw the Lady Flames post some blazing 5K times in 2022. Calli Doan clocked a program-record 16:15.1, while Ava Gordon ran 16:34.7 for a Liberty freshman record.
Oct. 5 – Paul Short Run (Bethlehem, Pa.)
Liberty will split up its runners for the first time in 2024, as the athletes not competing in South Bend will take part in the Paul Short Run. It will mark the third straight season the Flames are represented in the 50th edition of the historic meet, hosted by Lehigh.
Oct. 19 – Wisconsin Pre-Nationals (Madison, Wis.)
The Flames and Lady Flames will make their annual trek to the Pre-Nationals event, previewing the site of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. This year's event will take place at Wisconsin's Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course.
Oct. 19 – Roanoke XC Invitational (Salem, Va.)
Liberty's second and final split weekend of competition will see some of the Flames and Lady Flames remain in the Commonwealth for the Roanoke XC Invitational. The field at Green Hill Park will consist primarily of NCAA Division III competitors previewing the ODAC Cross Country Championships course.
Nov. 2 – Conference USA Cross Country Championships (Oxford, Ala.)
The Flames and Lady Flames will chase their first team titles during their second CUSA Cross Country Championships appearance. The event will be hosted by Jacksonville State at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala., marking its first visit to Alabama since 2020.
Nov. 15 – NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Winthrop will host the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships for the first time since 2018. That year, Azaria Kirwa (seventh place) led the Liberty men's squad to an impressive sixth-place team showing.
Nov. 23 – NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships (Madison, Wis.)
The NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships will be contested in Madison, Wis., for the first time since 2018. Azaria Kirwa closed out his collegiate cross country career by placing 81st individually on the snow-covered Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course.
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