Friday, May 2
Lynchburg, Va.
4:00 PM ET
Liberty University
at
The Hill City Twilight
Iyana Sherard (left) and Allie Zealand (right)
Sherard, Zealand Break Records at The Hill City Twilight
5/2/2025 11:11:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty broke a pair of records during Friday's The Hill City Twilight at the University of Lynchburg. Iyana Sherard (23.84) eclipsed the women's 200 facility record, while Allie Zealand (2:07.31) took down the Liberty freshman standard for the women's 800.
Sherard was one of the Lady Flames' seven event winners, also including a double victory by Bethany Tate in the women's shot put (47-8) and discus (160-5). Trinity Alexander (women's 400 – 57.69) and Sophia Mast (open women's 800 – 2:19.45) also won women's events, while Jordae Edwards (men's shot put – 54-7.75) and Graham Mussmon (open men's 800 – 1:53.30) were victorious on the men's side.
Women's Meet Recap
Sherard continued her breakthrough season, which has seen her 200 personal best drop from 25.29 to Friday's 23.84. One of the few wind-legal sprints on Friday afternoon at Dr. Jack M. Toms Track (+1.2 m/s tailwind), the clocking dipped under the previous facility record of 23.87.
Sherard is now part of impressive company in the half-lap race, as the only Lady Flames ever to run it faster are Isis Brooks, Reese Webster, Abigail Flower and Ty'Asia Dansbury.
Elle Bass followed in third place with a personal best of her own (24.53), not long after taking a close second in the 100 (wind-aided 12.05).
In her first outdoor 800 race as a Lady Flame, Zealand posted a 2:07.31 for fifth place in the invitational section. That took more than a second off Delaney McDowell's 2:08.59 freshman record effort from the 2016 Virginia Challenge, marking Zealand's fifth Liberty freshman record on the track (also indoor 1,000, mile and 3K and outdoor 1,500).
Kate Goodyear (season-best 2:05.51) finished a team-best third in the event, while Jessica Palisca's 2:07.81 was good for sixth place. Zealand and Palisca now rank No. 7 and 8, respectively, in program history, just ahead of now No. 9 Heather (Sagan) Zealand (2:08.00 from 2002), their coach.
Mast clocked a personal best of her own (2:19.45) to win the open section of the women's 800.
Alexander has now won each of her last two 400-meter races at the University of Lynchburg (also the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic) following Friday's winning effort in 57.69.
Rounding out action on the track, Ryann Aycock (fourth, 17:02.32) and Katrina Schlenker (fifth, 17:11.50) both notched 5K personal bests.
The reigning CUSA Women's Freshman of the Week, Tate made a case to repeat as the award winner on Tuesday. The Texas native won both of her events (shot put – 47-8 and discus – 160-5), with the discus mark moving her up to No. 9 all-time for the Lady Flames. Fellow freshman Tabby DeJong made it a 1-2 Lady Flames finish with a 45-1.5 shot put mark.
Men's Meet Recap
Only three men's athletes competed at The Hill City Twilight for the Flames, but each of them fared well.
Edwards heaved the shot put a season-best 54-7.75 to win by nearly eight feet.
Brendan Pitcher came in third overall and first among collegiate runners in the men's 800 invitational section, crossing the line in 1:49.47.
Meanwhile, Mussmon was the open men's 800 champion thanks to a new personal-best time of 1:53.30.
Women's Event Winners
Trinity Alexander – 400 – 57.69
Sophia Mast – Open 800 – 2:19.45
Iyana Sherard – 200 – 23.84
Bethany Tate – Shot Put – 47-8
Bethany Tate – Discus – 160-5
Men's Event Winners
Jordae Edwards – Shot Put – 54-7.75
Graham Mussmon – Open 800 – 1:53.30
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Elle Bass – 100 – 12.05
2nd – Tabby DeJong – Shot Put – 45-1.5
3rd – Elle Bass – 200 – 24.53
3rd – Catherine Farrell – Open 1500 – 4:33.56
3rd – Kate Goodyear – Invite 800 – 2:05.51
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Facility Record – Iyana Sherard – 200 – 23.84
Previous Record: 23.87 by Crawford (unattached) in 2023
Liberty Freshman Record – Allie Zealand – 800 – 2:07.31
Previous Record: 2:08.59 by Delaney McDowell at the 2016 Virginia Challenge (April 22, 2016)
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Brendan Pitcher – Invite 800 – 1:49.47
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
200 – No. 5 – Iyana Sherard – 23.84
800 – No. 7 – Allie Zealand – 2:07.31
800 – No. 8 – Jessica Palisca – 2:07.81
Discus – No. 9 – Bethany Tate – 160-5
Up Next
Liberty will wrap up the East Coast Relays with a busy Saturday at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium. The day will get started at 10:30 a.m. with the women's 100 hurdles prelims.
Sherard was one of the Lady Flames' seven event winners, also including a double victory by Bethany Tate in the women's shot put (47-8) and discus (160-5). Trinity Alexander (women's 400 – 57.69) and Sophia Mast (open women's 800 – 2:19.45) also won women's events, while Jordae Edwards (men's shot put – 54-7.75) and Graham Mussmon (open men's 800 – 1:53.30) were victorious on the men's side.
Women's Meet Recap
Sherard continued her breakthrough season, which has seen her 200 personal best drop from 25.29 to Friday's 23.84. One of the few wind-legal sprints on Friday afternoon at Dr. Jack M. Toms Track (+1.2 m/s tailwind), the clocking dipped under the previous facility record of 23.87.
Sherard is now part of impressive company in the half-lap race, as the only Lady Flames ever to run it faster are Isis Brooks, Reese Webster, Abigail Flower and Ty'Asia Dansbury.
Elle Bass followed in third place with a personal best of her own (24.53), not long after taking a close second in the 100 (wind-aided 12.05).
In her first outdoor 800 race as a Lady Flame, Zealand posted a 2:07.31 for fifth place in the invitational section. That took more than a second off Delaney McDowell's 2:08.59 freshman record effort from the 2016 Virginia Challenge, marking Zealand's fifth Liberty freshman record on the track (also indoor 1,000, mile and 3K and outdoor 1,500).
Kate Goodyear (season-best 2:05.51) finished a team-best third in the event, while Jessica Palisca's 2:07.81 was good for sixth place. Zealand and Palisca now rank No. 7 and 8, respectively, in program history, just ahead of now No. 9 Heather (Sagan) Zealand (2:08.00 from 2002), their coach.
Mast clocked a personal best of her own (2:19.45) to win the open section of the women's 800.
Alexander has now won each of her last two 400-meter races at the University of Lynchburg (also the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic) following Friday's winning effort in 57.69.
Rounding out action on the track, Ryann Aycock (fourth, 17:02.32) and Katrina Schlenker (fifth, 17:11.50) both notched 5K personal bests.
The reigning CUSA Women's Freshman of the Week, Tate made a case to repeat as the award winner on Tuesday. The Texas native won both of her events (shot put – 47-8 and discus – 160-5), with the discus mark moving her up to No. 9 all-time for the Lady Flames. Fellow freshman Tabby DeJong made it a 1-2 Lady Flames finish with a 45-1.5 shot put mark.
Men's Meet Recap
Only three men's athletes competed at The Hill City Twilight for the Flames, but each of them fared well.
Edwards heaved the shot put a season-best 54-7.75 to win by nearly eight feet.
Brendan Pitcher came in third overall and first among collegiate runners in the men's 800 invitational section, crossing the line in 1:49.47.
Meanwhile, Mussmon was the open men's 800 champion thanks to a new personal-best time of 1:53.30.
Women's Event Winners
Trinity Alexander – 400 – 57.69
Sophia Mast – Open 800 – 2:19.45
Iyana Sherard – 200 – 23.84
Bethany Tate – Shot Put – 47-8
Bethany Tate – Discus – 160-5
Men's Event Winners
Jordae Edwards – Shot Put – 54-7.75
Graham Mussmon – Open 800 – 1:53.30
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Elle Bass – 100 – 12.05
2nd – Tabby DeJong – Shot Put – 45-1.5
3rd – Elle Bass – 200 – 24.53
3rd – Catherine Farrell – Open 1500 – 4:33.56
3rd – Kate Goodyear – Invite 800 – 2:05.51
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Facility Record – Iyana Sherard – 200 – 23.84
Previous Record: 23.87 by Crawford (unattached) in 2023
Liberty Freshman Record – Allie Zealand – 800 – 2:07.31
Previous Record: 2:08.59 by Delaney McDowell at the 2016 Virginia Challenge (April 22, 2016)
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Brendan Pitcher – Invite 800 – 1:49.47
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
200 – No. 5 – Iyana Sherard – 23.84
800 – No. 7 – Allie Zealand – 2:07.31
800 – No. 8 – Jessica Palisca – 2:07.81
Discus – No. 9 – Bethany Tate – 160-5
Up Next
Liberty will wrap up the East Coast Relays with a busy Saturday at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium. The day will get started at 10:30 a.m. with the women's 100 hurdles prelims.
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