Friday, January 31
University Park, Pa.
11:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
Penn State National Open
Meredith Engle
Engle Shatters Liberty Pentathlon Record with 4,131 Points at Penn State
1/31/2025 8:48:00 PM | Track and Field
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – For the second time this season, Liberty's Meredith Engle broke the program pentathlon record, Friday at the Penn State National Open. Her record-breaking score of 4,131 currently ranks No. 4 nationally.
Women's Day 1 Recap
During her first pentathlon of the season (Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5), Engle had scored 3,989 points to edge Kylie Polsgrove's record from 2019 by three points. Competing about 100 miles from her hometown of Dillsburg on Friday, Engle added 142 more points to the standard.
Engle's event marks included a season-best 8.84 in the 60 hurdles, a 5-5 high jump clearance, a 43-0.5 shot put, an 18-8.5 long jump (her best-ever leap within a multi event) and a big personal-best 2:14.64 800.
Engle's score of 4,131 placed her second in the competition and ranks No. 4 on the NCAA Division I list this year. The redshirt junior is now in contention to become the Lady Flames' first pentathlete ever to qualify for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. A year ago, the event's 16th and final qualifier punched her national ticket with a score of 4,132.
Engle also compiled the best pentathlon score by a CUSA athlete since 2013 (Memphis' Xenia Rahn – 4,191).
Teammate Patasha Bryan followed in fourth place with a score of 3,965 points that added 100 to her previous personal best and sits No. 3 all-time for the Lady Flames. Bryan equaled her lifetime best high jump clearance of 5-6 and later joined Engle in producing a speedy 800 time (indoor personal-best 2:16.57).
Engle and Bryan set the stage for some notable mid-distance clockings later in the day at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Four Lady Flames posted sub-5:00 miles, including Marie Hostetler (personal-best 4:47.75, No. 3 in program history), Adelyn Fairley (4:50.66), Katie Sigerud (personal-best 4:51.46, No. 9 in program history) and Rachel Hill (personal-best 4:58.60).
Three quarters of the Lady Flames' planned distance medley relay squad for Saturday tuned up with 800s Friday evening. Kate Goodyear led the way with a season-best 2:07.27, Allie Zealand's first collegiate 800 resulted in a 2:11.08 (No. 10 in program history) and Jessica Palisca ran 2:13.31 in her first 800 of the campaign.
Paola Bueno led Liberty's women's field event competitors, heaving the weight 62-3 for sixth place.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Liberty's men's runners also found success in mid-distance races on Friday. Three Flames recorded 4:07 miles, including Will Jefferson (season-best 4:07.08), Kyle Harkabus (season-best 4:07.14) and freshman Dale Hall (personal-best 4:07.55, No. 8 all-time at Liberty).
Kyle Thrush won his heat of the men's 800 in 1:53.24, matching his lifetime best for the four-lap event.
Todd Benhase shared third place in the men's pole vault's invitational section, thanks to a first-attempt clearance at 16-1.25.
Fellow freshman Kellen Kimes was the Flames' top finisher in the men's weight throw. His 59-9.5 heave stood up for seventh place.
Gabriel Willis leads the heptathlon standings by 257 points after recording a personal-best day one score of 3,063. He won three events on Friday, including the 60 (season-best 7.10), shot put (personal-best 41-0.25) and high jump (season-best 6-9), while also long jumping a season-best 21-8.
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Record – Pentathlon – Meredith Engle – 4,131
Previous Record: 3,989 by Engle at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2024
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Pentathlon – No. 1 – Meredith Engle – 4,131
Pentathlon – No. 3 – Patasha Bryan – 3,965
Mile – No. 3 – Marie Hostetler – 4:47.75
Mile – No. 9 – Katie Sigerud – 4:51.46
800 – No. 10 – Allie Zealand – 2:11.08
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Mile – No. 8 – Dale Hall – 4:07.55
Up Next
Liberty will close out its split team weekend on Saturday with competition taking place at both the Bob Pollock Invitational and Penn State National Open.
Women's Day 1 Recap
During her first pentathlon of the season (Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5), Engle had scored 3,989 points to edge Kylie Polsgrove's record from 2019 by three points. Competing about 100 miles from her hometown of Dillsburg on Friday, Engle added 142 more points to the standard.
Engle's event marks included a season-best 8.84 in the 60 hurdles, a 5-5 high jump clearance, a 43-0.5 shot put, an 18-8.5 long jump (her best-ever leap within a multi event) and a big personal-best 2:14.64 800.
Engle's score of 4,131 placed her second in the competition and ranks No. 4 on the NCAA Division I list this year. The redshirt junior is now in contention to become the Lady Flames' first pentathlete ever to qualify for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. A year ago, the event's 16th and final qualifier punched her national ticket with a score of 4,132.
Engle also compiled the best pentathlon score by a CUSA athlete since 2013 (Memphis' Xenia Rahn – 4,191).
Teammate Patasha Bryan followed in fourth place with a score of 3,965 points that added 100 to her previous personal best and sits No. 3 all-time for the Lady Flames. Bryan equaled her lifetime best high jump clearance of 5-6 and later joined Engle in producing a speedy 800 time (indoor personal-best 2:16.57).
Engle and Bryan set the stage for some notable mid-distance clockings later in the day at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Four Lady Flames posted sub-5:00 miles, including Marie Hostetler (personal-best 4:47.75, No. 3 in program history), Adelyn Fairley (4:50.66), Katie Sigerud (personal-best 4:51.46, No. 9 in program history) and Rachel Hill (personal-best 4:58.60).
Three quarters of the Lady Flames' planned distance medley relay squad for Saturday tuned up with 800s Friday evening. Kate Goodyear led the way with a season-best 2:07.27, Allie Zealand's first collegiate 800 resulted in a 2:11.08 (No. 10 in program history) and Jessica Palisca ran 2:13.31 in her first 800 of the campaign.
Paola Bueno led Liberty's women's field event competitors, heaving the weight 62-3 for sixth place.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Liberty's men's runners also found success in mid-distance races on Friday. Three Flames recorded 4:07 miles, including Will Jefferson (season-best 4:07.08), Kyle Harkabus (season-best 4:07.14) and freshman Dale Hall (personal-best 4:07.55, No. 8 all-time at Liberty).
Kyle Thrush won his heat of the men's 800 in 1:53.24, matching his lifetime best for the four-lap event.
Todd Benhase shared third place in the men's pole vault's invitational section, thanks to a first-attempt clearance at 16-1.25.
Fellow freshman Kellen Kimes was the Flames' top finisher in the men's weight throw. His 59-9.5 heave stood up for seventh place.
Gabriel Willis leads the heptathlon standings by 257 points after recording a personal-best day one score of 3,063. He won three events on Friday, including the 60 (season-best 7.10), shot put (personal-best 41-0.25) and high jump (season-best 6-9), while also long jumping a season-best 21-8.
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Record – Pentathlon – Meredith Engle – 4,131
Previous Record: 3,989 by Engle at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2024
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Pentathlon – No. 1 – Meredith Engle – 4,131
Pentathlon – No. 3 – Patasha Bryan – 3,965
Mile – No. 3 – Marie Hostetler – 4:47.75
Mile – No. 9 – Katie Sigerud – 4:51.46
800 – No. 10 – Allie Zealand – 2:11.08
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Mile – No. 8 – Dale Hall – 4:07.55
Up Next
Liberty will close out its split team weekend on Saturday with competition taking place at both the Bob Pollock Invitational and Penn State National Open.
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
Hammer
/ Track and Field
Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
/ Track and Field
Distance
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