Friday, April 18
Azusa, Calif.
10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT
Liberty University
at
Bryan Clay Invitational
Allie Zealand
Zealand’s 4:15.67 Headlines Fast 1,500s at Bryan Clay
4/19/2025 12:36:00 AM | Track and Field
AZUSA, Calif. – Liberty's Allie Zealand made an impressive collegiate outdoor track & field debut, clocking a Liberty freshman record 4:15.67 1,500 on Friday, the third and final day of the Bryan Clay Invitational.
Zealand achieved Liberty's third record-setting performance of the meet. On Wednesday, Adelyn Fairley notched a program-record 33:29.29 10K and Dale Hall lowered the Liberty freshman steeplechase standard to 8:59.36.
Women's Day 3 Recap
Racing for the first time in seven weeks, Zealand clocked 4:15.67 to shave 13 seconds off the Liberty freshman record for the women's 1,500 (Jessica Palisca's 4:28.39 at the 2023 Bryan Clay Invitational). She also fell just a second shy of eclipsing the program record (4:14.71), which has been held by her coach and mother, Heather (Sagan) Zealand, since 2002.
This marked the second time in three years Zealand's record was narrowly missed at this meet. Calli Doan, also a member of the current coaching staff, ran 4:15.34 in 2023. All-Americans Sagan and Doan are the only two women's 1,500 runners ahead of Zealand on Liberty's all-time list following Friday's performance.
Zealand's time should give her the opportunity to become the first Lady Flame to run the 1,500 at the NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet since 2012 (Jennifer Klugh).
Zealand was not the only Lady Flame to clock a fast 1,500 on the evening. Marie Hostetler's 4:20.21 effort, a personal best by seven seconds, landed the senior at No. 5 in program history.
Kate Goodyear's first 1,500 of the season was a 4:20.61, just a second and a half off her lifetime best.
The aforementioned Palisca set the tone for the successful evening by lowering her 1,500 personal best to 4:27.15 in heat one of the invitational section. However, the junior was knocked out of the Lady Flames' all-time top 10 by Zealand and Hostetler.
Men's Day 3 Recap
Edwin Kiprop was Liberty's only men's runner to compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational on Friday. Less than 24 hours removed from a 13:52.95 5K, the sophomore ran a season-best 3:45.97 for third place in his 1,500 heat. Kiprop closed the final lap in 56.59 seconds to move up through the field considerably.
Women's Day 3 Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Allie Zealand – 1,500 – 4:15.67
Previous Record: 4:28.39 by Jessica Palisca at the 2023 Bryan Clay Invitational (April 15, 2023)
New Women's NCAA Division I East First Rounds Qualifiers
Allie Zealand – 1,500 – 4:15.67
Day 3 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
1,500 – No. 3 – Allie Zealand – 4:15.67
1,500 – No. 5 – Marie Hostetler – 4:20.21
Up Next
The Flames will wrap up a busy week of competition on Saturday with a pair of meets in California (Beach Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays) and two more in Virginia (Virginia Challenge and WildCat Invitational).
Zealand achieved Liberty's third record-setting performance of the meet. On Wednesday, Adelyn Fairley notched a program-record 33:29.29 10K and Dale Hall lowered the Liberty freshman steeplechase standard to 8:59.36.
Women's Day 3 Recap
Racing for the first time in seven weeks, Zealand clocked 4:15.67 to shave 13 seconds off the Liberty freshman record for the women's 1,500 (Jessica Palisca's 4:28.39 at the 2023 Bryan Clay Invitational). She also fell just a second shy of eclipsing the program record (4:14.71), which has been held by her coach and mother, Heather (Sagan) Zealand, since 2002.
This marked the second time in three years Zealand's record was narrowly missed at this meet. Calli Doan, also a member of the current coaching staff, ran 4:15.34 in 2023. All-Americans Sagan and Doan are the only two women's 1,500 runners ahead of Zealand on Liberty's all-time list following Friday's performance.
Zealand's time should give her the opportunity to become the first Lady Flame to run the 1,500 at the NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet since 2012 (Jennifer Klugh).
Zealand was not the only Lady Flame to clock a fast 1,500 on the evening. Marie Hostetler's 4:20.21 effort, a personal best by seven seconds, landed the senior at No. 5 in program history.
Kate Goodyear's first 1,500 of the season was a 4:20.61, just a second and a half off her lifetime best.
The aforementioned Palisca set the tone for the successful evening by lowering her 1,500 personal best to 4:27.15 in heat one of the invitational section. However, the junior was knocked out of the Lady Flames' all-time top 10 by Zealand and Hostetler.
Men's Day 3 Recap
Edwin Kiprop was Liberty's only men's runner to compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational on Friday. Less than 24 hours removed from a 13:52.95 5K, the sophomore ran a season-best 3:45.97 for third place in his 1,500 heat. Kiprop closed the final lap in 56.59 seconds to move up through the field considerably.
Women's Day 3 Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Allie Zealand – 1,500 – 4:15.67
Previous Record: 4:28.39 by Jessica Palisca at the 2023 Bryan Clay Invitational (April 15, 2023)
New Women's NCAA Division I East First Rounds Qualifiers
Allie Zealand – 1,500 – 4:15.67
Day 3 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
1,500 – No. 3 – Allie Zealand – 4:15.67
1,500 – No. 5 – Marie Hostetler – 4:20.21
Up Next
The Flames will wrap up a busy week of competition on Saturday with a pair of meets in California (Beach Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays) and two more in Virginia (Virginia Challenge and WildCat Invitational).
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