Friday, April 4
Williamsburg, Va.
1:25 PM ET
Liberty University
at
Colonial Relays
Raini Mayo
Mayo Races to Liberty Freshman Record in Steeplechase
4/4/2025 8:41:00 PM | Track and Field
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Raini Mayo headlined a successful Friday for Liberty's distance runners at the 59th Colonial Relays, shattering the program freshman record for the women's steeplechase with an 11:01.60 clocking.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Mayo's 11:01.60 effort was good for a third-place finish in her second career steeplechase race. Competing near her alma mater (Jamestown High School), Mayo took down Chelsea Stocki's Liberty freshman standard of 11:21.29 from the 2019 ASUN meet in Jacksonville, Fla., and claimed the No. 10 spot in program history.
Mayo improved by 33 seconds from her steeplechase debut, two weeks earlier at the Bob Davidson Team Challenge. Teammates Sophia Park (fifth place, 11:06.37) and Sophia Mast (seventh, 11:14.78), also significantly improved upon their steeplechase bests on Friday, cutting 30 and 28 seconds, respectively.
Four Lady Flames dipped under 4:40 in the women's 1,500 invitational section, including Katie Sigerud (fourth, 4:34.32), Rachel Hill (sixth, personal-best 4:34.70), Ava Gordon (14th, 4:37.53) and Emily Atha (16th, personal-best 4:38.36), with freshmen Hill and Atha doing so for the first time.
Ryann Aycock shaved 22 seconds off her previous 5K best, crossing the line in 17:11.40 for seventh place in the event's invitational section. Molly Lashley followed in 12th place, clocking 17:22.58 in her Liberty track debut.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Dale Hall matched Mayo's third-place showing with one of his own during his collegiate steeplechase debut. Hall's time of 9:16.64 was the fastest steeplechase by a Liberty freshman since 2012 (Caleb Edmonds – 9:16.36).
Teammate Sean Aiken added a seventh-place steeplechase finish in 9:24.25.
Willem Huizenga was Liberty's only other male athlete to compete in Williamsburg on Friday. He lowered his men's 400 hurdles personal best to 55.19, setting the stage for impressive showings by his fellow 400 hurdlers (Josh Blalock and Jacob Torres) later in the day at the Florida Relays.
At that meet, Blalock joined the event's sub-53.00 club for the first time at 52.90 and Torres anchored the Flames to their fastest 4 x 400 relay time in six years, 3:10.32.
Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Raini Mayo – Steeplechase – 11:01.60
Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Dale Hall – Steeplechase – 9:16.64
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Raini Mayo – Steeplechase – 11:01.60
Previous Record: 11:21.29 by Chelsea Stocki at the 2019 ASUN Championship (May 10, 2019)
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Steeplechase – No. 10 – Raini Mayo – 11:01.60
Up Next
The Florida Relays and Colonial Relays will both wrap up on Saturday. Liberty's day in Gainesville will get started at 9 a.m. with the men's discus. The Flames' first event in Williamsburg will be the women's triple jump at 11 a.m.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Mayo's 11:01.60 effort was good for a third-place finish in her second career steeplechase race. Competing near her alma mater (Jamestown High School), Mayo took down Chelsea Stocki's Liberty freshman standard of 11:21.29 from the 2019 ASUN meet in Jacksonville, Fla., and claimed the No. 10 spot in program history.
Mayo improved by 33 seconds from her steeplechase debut, two weeks earlier at the Bob Davidson Team Challenge. Teammates Sophia Park (fifth place, 11:06.37) and Sophia Mast (seventh, 11:14.78), also significantly improved upon their steeplechase bests on Friday, cutting 30 and 28 seconds, respectively.
Four Lady Flames dipped under 4:40 in the women's 1,500 invitational section, including Katie Sigerud (fourth, 4:34.32), Rachel Hill (sixth, personal-best 4:34.70), Ava Gordon (14th, 4:37.53) and Emily Atha (16th, personal-best 4:38.36), with freshmen Hill and Atha doing so for the first time.
Ryann Aycock shaved 22 seconds off her previous 5K best, crossing the line in 17:11.40 for seventh place in the event's invitational section. Molly Lashley followed in 12th place, clocking 17:22.58 in her Liberty track debut.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Dale Hall matched Mayo's third-place showing with one of his own during his collegiate steeplechase debut. Hall's time of 9:16.64 was the fastest steeplechase by a Liberty freshman since 2012 (Caleb Edmonds – 9:16.36).
Teammate Sean Aiken added a seventh-place steeplechase finish in 9:24.25.
Willem Huizenga was Liberty's only other male athlete to compete in Williamsburg on Friday. He lowered his men's 400 hurdles personal best to 55.19, setting the stage for impressive showings by his fellow 400 hurdlers (Josh Blalock and Jacob Torres) later in the day at the Florida Relays.
At that meet, Blalock joined the event's sub-53.00 club for the first time at 52.90 and Torres anchored the Flames to their fastest 4 x 400 relay time in six years, 3:10.32.
Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Raini Mayo – Steeplechase – 11:01.60
Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Dale Hall – Steeplechase – 9:16.64
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Raini Mayo – Steeplechase – 11:01.60
Previous Record: 11:21.29 by Chelsea Stocki at the 2019 ASUN Championship (May 10, 2019)
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Steeplechase – No. 10 – Raini Mayo – 11:01.60
Up Next
The Florida Relays and Colonial Relays will both wrap up on Saturday. Liberty's day in Gainesville will get started at 9 a.m. with the men's discus. The Flames' first event in Williamsburg will be the women's triple jump at 11 a.m.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ 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