Saturday, February 15
Boston, Mass.
1:45 PM ET
Liberty University
at
David Hemery Valentine Invitational
Allie Zealand
Zealand Runs Liberty Freshman Record 4:36.68 in Collegiate Mile Debut
2/15/2025 8:33:00 PM | Track and Field
BOSTON, Mass. – One of the greatest milers in high school history, Liberty's Allie Zealand contested the distance for the first time in her collegiate career on Saturday at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston. Her 4:36.68 clocking shattered the Liberty freshman record and just missed the program record by 0.16 seconds.
Zealand ended up 26th of 276 women's milers in a deep and talented field which saw Oregon's Silan Ayyildiz set a new collegiate record of 4:23.46. Zealand's 4:36.68 effort was 13 seconds faster than the existing Liberty freshman record, teammate Jessica Palisca's 4:49.71 performance at the 2023 Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
Calli Doan's Liberty women's mile record of 4:36.52, achieved at the 2023 David Hemery Valentine Invitational, survives to see another day. However, Zealand ran faster than her mother and coach's (Heather [Sagan] Zealand) collegiate best, the 4:38.52 which won her the 2002 NCAA Division I national title.
Adelyn Fairley also raced in Boston on Saturday, placing 30th in the women's 5K in 16:00.07. The time was just off Fairley's indoor personal best of 15:58.74 accomplished on the same track in December at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.
Women's Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Mile – Allie Zealand – 4:36.68
Previous Record: 4:49.71 by Jessica Palisca at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational on Feb. 11, 2023
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Mile – No. 2 – Allie Zealand – 4:36.68
Up Next
The Flames will now prepare to host the CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships for the second year in a row. The meet is scheduled for Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Both days' events will be televised on ESPN+.
Zealand ended up 26th of 276 women's milers in a deep and talented field which saw Oregon's Silan Ayyildiz set a new collegiate record of 4:23.46. Zealand's 4:36.68 effort was 13 seconds faster than the existing Liberty freshman record, teammate Jessica Palisca's 4:49.71 performance at the 2023 Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
Calli Doan's Liberty women's mile record of 4:36.52, achieved at the 2023 David Hemery Valentine Invitational, survives to see another day. However, Zealand ran faster than her mother and coach's (Heather [Sagan] Zealand) collegiate best, the 4:38.52 which won her the 2002 NCAA Division I national title.
Adelyn Fairley also raced in Boston on Saturday, placing 30th in the women's 5K in 16:00.07. The time was just off Fairley's indoor personal best of 15:58.74 accomplished on the same track in December at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.
Women's Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Mile – Allie Zealand – 4:36.68
Previous Record: 4:49.71 by Jessica Palisca at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational on Feb. 11, 2023
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Mile – No. 2 – Allie Zealand – 4:36.68
Up Next
The Flames will now prepare to host the CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships for the second year in a row. The meet is scheduled for Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Both days' events will be televised on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and FieldCoach Zealand & Ryann Aycock Give An Update On The Cross Country Season
Wednesday, September 17
Emma Unger: Every Step of the Way
Wednesday, May 14
Follow the Leader: Lance Bingham
Tuesday, May 13
Beau Backes: Following God's Calling in Two Worlds
Friday, May 02