Wednesday, April 16
Azusa, Calif.
11:50 AM ET/8:50 AM PT
Liberty University
at
Bryan Clay Invitational
Trevor Veenstra
Coast-to-Coast Competition in Store for Liberty Track
4/15/2025 9:22:00 AM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty track & field athletes will compete from coast to coast this week. A group of distance runners and throwers will take part in four different events in California, including the Bryan Clay Invitational, Pacific Coast Invitational, Beach Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays. The remainder of the squad will stay much closer to home, splitting up between the Virginia Challenge and WildCat Invitational.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live video will be available for the Bryan Clay Invitational (FloTrack) and Virginia Challenge (ACC Network Extra), while live stats will be provided for all six competitions.
Weather Report
The Bryan Clay Invitational (Wednesday through Friday in Azusa, Calif.) should have nice conditions for distance running with considerable cloudiness, high temperatures in the 60s and lows in the 50s. There is a chance of rain showers from Thursday evening into Friday.
The Pacific Coast Invitational (Thursday in Long Beach, Calif.) and Beach Invitational (Friday and Saturday in Long Beach, Calif.) project highs in the mid-60s all three days with a mixture of clouds and sunshine.
The Mt. SAC Relays (Saturday in Walnut, Calif.) could see the high reach the low-70s under partly cloudy skies.
The Virginia Challenge (Friday and Saturday in Charlottesville) is expected to see warm weather with high temperatures reaching the low-80s Friday and the upper-80s Saturday.
The weather for the WildCat Invitational (Friday and Saturday in Lynchburg) should be quite similar to the Virginia Challenge, with highs in the 80s both days and increasing cloudiness on Saturday.
California Crew, Part One
For the third consecutive season, Liberty's distance runners will race against some elite collegiate and post-collegiate competition at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Fifteen Flames (eight women and seven men) will compete at Azusa Pacific's Cougar Athletic Stadium, Wednesday through Friday.
Wednesday's schedule features the steeplechase and 10K. Thursday's schedule includes the 800 and 5K. Friday's slate of events will conclude with 96 heats of the 1,500.
Liberty's travel party includes three current program record holders (Brendan Pitcher – men's 800, Kate Goodyear – women's 800 and Adelyn Fairley – women's 10K). Goodyear set her record (2:04.46) at last year's Bryan Clay Invitational.
Allie Zealand is scheduled to make her collegiate outdoor track & field debut in the women's 1,500 on Friday. She has not raced since earning Women's Freshman of the Meet honors at the CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 1.
California Crew, Part Two
A dozen Liberty throwers (seven men, five women) will compete in back-to-back meets at Long Beach's Jack Rose Track, including the Pacific Coast Invitational (Thursday) and Beach Invitational (Friday and Saturday). Paola Bueno will also throw the hammer at the Mt. SAC Relays, Saturday in Walnut, Calif.
Two of the Flames' record holders will be in action in California this week, including Bueno (women's hammer) and Addilae Watts (women's javelin). Bueno just pushed her own hammer record to 212-8 during her most recent competition at the Florida Relays, and the All-American currently ranks No. 20 nationally.
Kellen Kimes tops CUSA and ranks No. 24 nationally for the men's hammer with his 216-3 performance at the Florida Relays. The top mark of his freshman season (208-0) came at the 2024 Pacific Coast Invitational.
Commonwealth Crew
A pair of Flames (Indea Cartwright – women's 100 hurdles and Omari Lewis – men's 200) will attempt to defend their Virginia Challenge titles from 2024. Lewis clocked a personal-best 20.56 at this meet a year ago.
After running a Liberty freshman-record 46.65 for the 400 at the Florida Relays, Elijah Sherard will step down to the 100 and 200 in Charlottesville.
Todd Benhase is knocking on the door of his own Liberty freshman record after pole vaulting a season-best 16-4.75 during the Florida Relays. Anders Janes owns the current record with his 16-7.5 effort at the 2019 Raleigh Relays.
A pair of CUSA leaders will be in action at the Virginia Challenge, including Reese Webster (women's 200) and Joshua Smith (men's triple jump).
Webster (23.14) is one of six Lady Flames who have clocked sub-25.00 200 times already this season, the largest group to do so in a single season in program history. The list also includes Mahogany Mobley (24.19), Maddy Merritt (24.21), Iyana Sherard (24.52), Marianah Scott (24.53) and Elle Bass (24.79). Akilah Lewis and Amaryah White will attempt to join the party in Charlottesville on Saturday.
CUSA's Best
The following Flames and Lady Flames rank No. 1 in Conference USA in their events at this stage of the 2025 outdoor track & field season. The 2025 CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take place at Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium, May 16-18 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Women's 200 – Reese Webster – 23.14
Women's 5K – Adelyn Fairley – 16:03.91
Women's Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 49-0.75
Heptathlon – Meredith Engle – 5,414
Men's 100 – Omari Lewis – 10.05
Men's 4 x 100 – Vu, McKnight, Webster, Lewis – 39.42
Men's Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 50-8
Men's Discus – Christian Hicks – 188-3
Men's Hammer – Kellen Kimes – 216-3
Pack Your Bags for Jacksonville
The 2025 NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet will be contested at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium, May 28-31 in Jacksonville, Fla. The following Flames and Lady Flames appear to be qualified for the meet, based upon historical results.
Christian Hicks – Men's Discus
Kellen Kimes – Men's Hammer
Omari Lewis – Men's 100, 4 x 100
Troy McKnight – Men's 4 x 100
Joshua Smith – Men's Triple Jump
Eddy Vu – Men's 4 x 100
Revell Webster – Men's 4 x 100
Paola Bueno – Women's Hammer
Indea Cartwright – Women's 100 Hurdles
Addilae Watts – Women's Javelin
Reese Webster – Women's 200
Up Next
Liberty will close out the month of April with a pair of meets, including the Charlotte Invitational (April 25-26) and Virginia High Performance (April 27 in Charlottesville).
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live video will be available for the Bryan Clay Invitational (FloTrack) and Virginia Challenge (ACC Network Extra), while live stats will be provided for all six competitions.
Weather Report
The Bryan Clay Invitational (Wednesday through Friday in Azusa, Calif.) should have nice conditions for distance running with considerable cloudiness, high temperatures in the 60s and lows in the 50s. There is a chance of rain showers from Thursday evening into Friday.
The Pacific Coast Invitational (Thursday in Long Beach, Calif.) and Beach Invitational (Friday and Saturday in Long Beach, Calif.) project highs in the mid-60s all three days with a mixture of clouds and sunshine.
The Mt. SAC Relays (Saturday in Walnut, Calif.) could see the high reach the low-70s under partly cloudy skies.
The Virginia Challenge (Friday and Saturday in Charlottesville) is expected to see warm weather with high temperatures reaching the low-80s Friday and the upper-80s Saturday.
The weather for the WildCat Invitational (Friday and Saturday in Lynchburg) should be quite similar to the Virginia Challenge, with highs in the 80s both days and increasing cloudiness on Saturday.
California Crew, Part One
For the third consecutive season, Liberty's distance runners will race against some elite collegiate and post-collegiate competition at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Fifteen Flames (eight women and seven men) will compete at Azusa Pacific's Cougar Athletic Stadium, Wednesday through Friday.
Wednesday's schedule features the steeplechase and 10K. Thursday's schedule includes the 800 and 5K. Friday's slate of events will conclude with 96 heats of the 1,500.
Liberty's travel party includes three current program record holders (Brendan Pitcher – men's 800, Kate Goodyear – women's 800 and Adelyn Fairley – women's 10K). Goodyear set her record (2:04.46) at last year's Bryan Clay Invitational.
Allie Zealand is scheduled to make her collegiate outdoor track & field debut in the women's 1,500 on Friday. She has not raced since earning Women's Freshman of the Meet honors at the CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 1.
California Crew, Part Two
A dozen Liberty throwers (seven men, five women) will compete in back-to-back meets at Long Beach's Jack Rose Track, including the Pacific Coast Invitational (Thursday) and Beach Invitational (Friday and Saturday). Paola Bueno will also throw the hammer at the Mt. SAC Relays, Saturday in Walnut, Calif.
Two of the Flames' record holders will be in action in California this week, including Bueno (women's hammer) and Addilae Watts (women's javelin). Bueno just pushed her own hammer record to 212-8 during her most recent competition at the Florida Relays, and the All-American currently ranks No. 20 nationally.
Kellen Kimes tops CUSA and ranks No. 24 nationally for the men's hammer with his 216-3 performance at the Florida Relays. The top mark of his freshman season (208-0) came at the 2024 Pacific Coast Invitational.
Commonwealth Crew
A pair of Flames (Indea Cartwright – women's 100 hurdles and Omari Lewis – men's 200) will attempt to defend their Virginia Challenge titles from 2024. Lewis clocked a personal-best 20.56 at this meet a year ago.
After running a Liberty freshman-record 46.65 for the 400 at the Florida Relays, Elijah Sherard will step down to the 100 and 200 in Charlottesville.
Todd Benhase is knocking on the door of his own Liberty freshman record after pole vaulting a season-best 16-4.75 during the Florida Relays. Anders Janes owns the current record with his 16-7.5 effort at the 2019 Raleigh Relays.
A pair of CUSA leaders will be in action at the Virginia Challenge, including Reese Webster (women's 200) and Joshua Smith (men's triple jump).
Webster (23.14) is one of six Lady Flames who have clocked sub-25.00 200 times already this season, the largest group to do so in a single season in program history. The list also includes Mahogany Mobley (24.19), Maddy Merritt (24.21), Iyana Sherard (24.52), Marianah Scott (24.53) and Elle Bass (24.79). Akilah Lewis and Amaryah White will attempt to join the party in Charlottesville on Saturday.
CUSA's Best
The following Flames and Lady Flames rank No. 1 in Conference USA in their events at this stage of the 2025 outdoor track & field season. The 2025 CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take place at Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium, May 16-18 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Women's 200 – Reese Webster – 23.14
Women's 5K – Adelyn Fairley – 16:03.91
Women's Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 49-0.75
Heptathlon – Meredith Engle – 5,414
Men's 100 – Omari Lewis – 10.05
Men's 4 x 100 – Vu, McKnight, Webster, Lewis – 39.42
Men's Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 50-8
Men's Discus – Christian Hicks – 188-3
Men's Hammer – Kellen Kimes – 216-3
Pack Your Bags for Jacksonville
The 2025 NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet will be contested at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium, May 28-31 in Jacksonville, Fla. The following Flames and Lady Flames appear to be qualified for the meet, based upon historical results.
Christian Hicks – Men's Discus
Kellen Kimes – Men's Hammer
Omari Lewis – Men's 100, 4 x 100
Troy McKnight – Men's 4 x 100
Joshua Smith – Men's Triple Jump
Eddy Vu – Men's 4 x 100
Revell Webster – Men's 4 x 100
Paola Bueno – Women's Hammer
Indea Cartwright – Women's 100 Hurdles
Addilae Watts – Women's Javelin
Reese Webster – Women's 200
Up Next
Liberty will close out the month of April with a pair of meets, including the Charlotte Invitational (April 25-26) and Virginia High Performance (April 27 in Charlottesville).
Players Mentioned
Sprints
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Pole Vault
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Hammer
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Hurdles
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Heptathlon
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Distance
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Mid-distance
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Throws
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Throws
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Mid-distance
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Jumps
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Throws
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Sprints
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Javelin
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Distance
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