(L-R): Christian Hicks, Kellen Kimes, Meredith Engle, Jessica Palisca, Katrina Schlenker
5 Flames Voted to CUSA All-Academic Team
6/13/2025 2:00:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A conference-high five Liberty student-athletes were named to the Conference USA All-Academic Team for men's and women's track & field on Friday. Liberty's honorees for the award, which spans both the indoor and outdoor seasons, included Christian Hicks, Kellen Kimes, Meredith Engle, Jessica Palisca and Katrina Schlenker.
Hicks maintains a 3.56 GPA as he works toward an MBA. The native of Romney, W.Va., was tabbed both CUSA Men's High Point Scorer of the Meet and CUSA Men's Field Performer of the Meet following his double victory (men's shot put and discus) at the CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Hicks also scored team points in both of his events at the CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships, finishing fifth in the men's weight throw and seventh in the men's shot put.
A biomedical sciences major with a 4.0 GPA, Kimes just wrapped up his sophomore season by placing 24th in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships men's hammer competition. The Ludington, Mich., native was the CUSA men's weight throw champion and men's hammer runner-up this season.
Engle, who owns a 4.0 GPA during her master's degree studies in cybersecurity, was recognized with the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 Award at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, where she placed 12th in the pentathlon. Engle was named CUSA Women's Fiele Performer of the Meet after winning the CUSA pentathlon title with a meet and program-record score of 4,196. The native of Dillsburg, Pa., also captured the CUSA heptathlon crown outdoors.
Palisca is also a 4.0 student as she majors in interdisciplinary studies. A Roanoke, Va., native, she scored points in five different CUSA events this year. Indoors, Palisca took third in the women's distance medley relay, fourth in the 800 and seventh in the 4 x 400 relay. She then finished fifth in the 800 and sixth in the 4 x 400 relay at the CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Schlenker, an aeronautics major with a 3.92 GPA, is the lone repeat member from the 2024 CUSA Women's Track & Field All-Academic Team. The Batavia, Ill., native was the CUSA women's steeplechase runner-up for the second year in a row. She also came in eighth in the CUSA indoor women's 5K final.
Engle, Palisca and Schlenker helped the Lady Flames sweep the CUSA indoor and outdoor women's track & field team championships for the second year in a row.
Hicks maintains a 3.56 GPA as he works toward an MBA. The native of Romney, W.Va., was tabbed both CUSA Men's High Point Scorer of the Meet and CUSA Men's Field Performer of the Meet following his double victory (men's shot put and discus) at the CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Hicks also scored team points in both of his events at the CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships, finishing fifth in the men's weight throw and seventh in the men's shot put.
A biomedical sciences major with a 4.0 GPA, Kimes just wrapped up his sophomore season by placing 24th in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships men's hammer competition. The Ludington, Mich., native was the CUSA men's weight throw champion and men's hammer runner-up this season.
Engle, who owns a 4.0 GPA during her master's degree studies in cybersecurity, was recognized with the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 Award at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, where she placed 12th in the pentathlon. Engle was named CUSA Women's Fiele Performer of the Meet after winning the CUSA pentathlon title with a meet and program-record score of 4,196. The native of Dillsburg, Pa., also captured the CUSA heptathlon crown outdoors.
Palisca is also a 4.0 student as she majors in interdisciplinary studies. A Roanoke, Va., native, she scored points in five different CUSA events this year. Indoors, Palisca took third in the women's distance medley relay, fourth in the 800 and seventh in the 4 x 400 relay. She then finished fifth in the 800 and sixth in the 4 x 400 relay at the CUSA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Schlenker, an aeronautics major with a 3.92 GPA, is the lone repeat member from the 2024 CUSA Women's Track & Field All-Academic Team. The Batavia, Ill., native was the CUSA women's steeplechase runner-up for the second year in a row. She also came in eighth in the CUSA indoor women's 5K final.
Engle, Palisca and Schlenker helped the Lady Flames sweep the CUSA indoor and outdoor women's track & field team championships for the second year in a row.
Players Mentioned
Heptathlon
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