Friday, September 20
Cary, N.C.
5:15 PM ET
Liberty University
at
adidas XC Challenge
(L-R): Tristian Merchant, Kyle Harkabus and Nicholas Kiprotich
Liberty Returns to Action at adidas XC Challenge
9/18/2024 9:21:00 AM | Cross Country
LYNCHBURG, Va. – For the first time in three weeks, the Liberty men's and women's cross country teams will race this Friday. The Flames' first road meet of the 2024 season will take them to Cary, N.C., for the adidas XC Challenge.
The men's 6K will begin at 5:15 p.m. and will be followed by the women's 5K at 5:55. The races will take place at the WakeMed Cross Country Course, which will host the 2024 ACC Cross Country Championships in November.
Liberty will take on a strong field of Southeast Region foes, including four regionally-ranked men's squads (No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 7 NC State, No. 10 Duke and No. 13 Clemson). Three-time defending champion and No. 1 NC State headlines the competing women's teams, which also feature two other regionally-ranked units (No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Elon).
The Liberty men's squad posted a 1-2-3-4 individual finish at the season-opening Liberty Challenge on Aug. 30. Returning NCAA national qualifier Nicholas Kiprotich led the way in a 6K time of 19:04.8, followed by teammates Tristian Merchant (19:06.1), Kyle Harkabus (19:29.9) and Nathan Moore (19:45.2).
Four freshmen are set to make their collegiate debuts for the Flames on Friday, headlined by Dale Hall and Edwin Kiprop. Racing unattached, Hall placed fifth at the Liberty Challenge in 19:46.3. Kiprop enjoyed a strong freshman season on the track in 2024, sweeping the CUSA indoor 3K and 5K crowns.
For the Lady Flames, Adelyn Fairley (14:42.8) and Allie Zealand (14:43.8) went 1-2 in the Liberty Challenge women's 4K. As a result, they were named CUSA Female Athlete of the Week and CUSA Female Freshman of the Week, respectively. It marked Fairley's sixth career first-place finish in collegiate cross country.
Zealand's last visit to the WakeMed Cross Country Course was a memorable one. On Nov. 19, 2023, she blazed a personal-best 5K time of 16:34.3 to post a convincing victory at the NXR Southeast meet.
In total, 26 Lady Flames are entered in Friday's 5K with Cary native Ryann Aycock and nine-time Iowa state champion Danielle Hostetler among those projected to make their collegiate cross country debuts.
The adidas XC Challenge will mark Liberty's lone September meet. The team will split up between two competitions the first weekend of October, including the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational (Oct. 4 in South Bend, Ind.) and the Paul Short Run (Oct. 5 in Bethlehem, Pa.)
The men's 6K will begin at 5:15 p.m. and will be followed by the women's 5K at 5:55. The races will take place at the WakeMed Cross Country Course, which will host the 2024 ACC Cross Country Championships in November.
Liberty will take on a strong field of Southeast Region foes, including four regionally-ranked men's squads (No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 7 NC State, No. 10 Duke and No. 13 Clemson). Three-time defending champion and No. 1 NC State headlines the competing women's teams, which also feature two other regionally-ranked units (No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Elon).
The Liberty men's squad posted a 1-2-3-4 individual finish at the season-opening Liberty Challenge on Aug. 30. Returning NCAA national qualifier Nicholas Kiprotich led the way in a 6K time of 19:04.8, followed by teammates Tristian Merchant (19:06.1), Kyle Harkabus (19:29.9) and Nathan Moore (19:45.2).
Four freshmen are set to make their collegiate debuts for the Flames on Friday, headlined by Dale Hall and Edwin Kiprop. Racing unattached, Hall placed fifth at the Liberty Challenge in 19:46.3. Kiprop enjoyed a strong freshman season on the track in 2024, sweeping the CUSA indoor 3K and 5K crowns.
For the Lady Flames, Adelyn Fairley (14:42.8) and Allie Zealand (14:43.8) went 1-2 in the Liberty Challenge women's 4K. As a result, they were named CUSA Female Athlete of the Week and CUSA Female Freshman of the Week, respectively. It marked Fairley's sixth career first-place finish in collegiate cross country.
Zealand's last visit to the WakeMed Cross Country Course was a memorable one. On Nov. 19, 2023, she blazed a personal-best 5K time of 16:34.3 to post a convincing victory at the NXR Southeast meet.
In total, 26 Lady Flames are entered in Friday's 5K with Cary native Ryann Aycock and nine-time Iowa state champion Danielle Hostetler among those projected to make their collegiate cross country debuts.
The adidas XC Challenge will mark Liberty's lone September meet. The team will split up between two competitions the first weekend of October, including the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational (Oct. 4 in South Bend, Ind.) and the Paul Short Run (Oct. 5 in Bethlehem, Pa.)
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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