Thursday, April 17
Azusa, Calif.
6:50 PM ET/3:50 PM PT
Liberty University
at
Bryan Clay Invitational
Ava Gordon (middle) with Adelyn Fairley just behind her
Fairley, Gordon, Kiprop Run Fast 5Ks at Bryan Clay Invite
4/18/2025 2:34:00 AM | Track and Field
AZUSA, Calif. – Liberty's Adelyn Fairley (season-best 15:57.55) and Ava Gordon (16:25.51 in her track 5K debut) recorded impressive women's 5K clockings on Thursday, the second day of the Bryan Clay Invitational. Meanwhile, Edwin Kiprop raced to a CUSA-leading 13:52.95 in the men's 5K to close out the night at Cougar Athletic Stadium.
Women's Day 2 Recap
24 hours after blazing a program-record 33:29.29 10K, Fairley showed few signs of fatigue in the 5K. Her 15:57.55 set a season best and made her the first CUSA runner to dip under 16:00 this season. Fairley's third career sub-16:00 effort should give her the option to contest the 5K and/or the 10K at the NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet.
While Fairley contested her 19th track 5K in a Liberty uniform Thursday evening, Gordon did so for the first time. The redshirt sophomore, whose longest previous track race had been a 3K, placed fifth in her heat in 16:25.51. That time was good for No. 4 on Liberty's all-time outdoor 5K chart and made Gordon the 10th Lady Flame ever to record a sub-17:00 5K outdoors.
Defending CUSA outdoor women's 800 champion Kate Goodyear opened her 2025 outdoor campaign with a solid 2:06.62 800. Teammate Jessica Palisca followed in 2:09.39.
Men's Day 2 Recap
Competing in the night's final race with a start time just past 11 p.m. Pacific, Kiprop notched CUSA's first sub-14:00 5K of the season (13:52.95). The sophomore has now broken 14:00 twice in his career, with both performances coming at the Bryan Clay Invitational. A year ago, Kiprop ran a Liberty freshman-record 13:47.63 at this meet.
Jack Cottrell crossed the line in 14:17.58 for his first 5K of the outdoor campaign in an earlier section.
Brendan Pitcher ran his fastest 800 of the season by over a second, 1:49.39. That ranks the program record holder No. 2 in CUSA this season, and Pitcher defeated defending CUSA outdoor 800 titlist Aron Tanui of UTEP head-to-head in his heat.
New Women's NCAA Division I East First Rounds Qualifiers
Adelyn Fairley – 5K – 15:57.55
Day 2 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
5K – No. 4 – Ava Gordon – 16:25.51
Up Next
On Friday, Liberty will compete in two meets in California (Bryan Clay Invitational and Beach Invitational) and two more in Virginia (Virginia Challenge and WildCat Invitational).
Women's Day 2 Recap
24 hours after blazing a program-record 33:29.29 10K, Fairley showed few signs of fatigue in the 5K. Her 15:57.55 set a season best and made her the first CUSA runner to dip under 16:00 this season. Fairley's third career sub-16:00 effort should give her the option to contest the 5K and/or the 10K at the NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet.
While Fairley contested her 19th track 5K in a Liberty uniform Thursday evening, Gordon did so for the first time. The redshirt sophomore, whose longest previous track race had been a 3K, placed fifth in her heat in 16:25.51. That time was good for No. 4 on Liberty's all-time outdoor 5K chart and made Gordon the 10th Lady Flame ever to record a sub-17:00 5K outdoors.
Defending CUSA outdoor women's 800 champion Kate Goodyear opened her 2025 outdoor campaign with a solid 2:06.62 800. Teammate Jessica Palisca followed in 2:09.39.
Men's Day 2 Recap
Competing in the night's final race with a start time just past 11 p.m. Pacific, Kiprop notched CUSA's first sub-14:00 5K of the season (13:52.95). The sophomore has now broken 14:00 twice in his career, with both performances coming at the Bryan Clay Invitational. A year ago, Kiprop ran a Liberty freshman-record 13:47.63 at this meet.
Jack Cottrell crossed the line in 14:17.58 for his first 5K of the outdoor campaign in an earlier section.
Brendan Pitcher ran his fastest 800 of the season by over a second, 1:49.39. That ranks the program record holder No. 2 in CUSA this season, and Pitcher defeated defending CUSA outdoor 800 titlist Aron Tanui of UTEP head-to-head in his heat.
New Women's NCAA Division I East First Rounds Qualifiers
Adelyn Fairley – 5K – 15:57.55
Day 2 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
5K – No. 4 – Ava Gordon – 16:25.51
Up Next
On Friday, Liberty will compete in two meets in California (Bryan Clay Invitational and Beach Invitational) and two more in Virginia (Virginia Challenge and WildCat Invitational).
Players Mentioned
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Mid-distance
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