Friday, September 19
Cary, N.C.
5:15 PM ET
Liberty University
at
adidas XC Challenge
(L-R): Raini Mayo, Ryann Aycock, Kate Loescher, Katrina Schlenker
Liberty XC Heads to Cary, N.C. for Lone September Meet
9/17/2025 2:31:00 PM | Cross Country
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty men's and women's cross country teams will return to action for the first time in three weeks Friday afternoon, competing in the adidas XC Challenge. The Flames' lone September meet will take place at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.
Headlined by competitors from North Carolina, South Carolina and host NC State, the meet will get started with the men's 6K at 5:15 p.m. The women's 5K will follow at 5:55.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live results will be provided by Flash Results.
Weather Report
Friday is expected to be a steamy day for distance running with a high temperature approaching 90 degrees under mostly sunny skies.
Defending Champs
The Liberty men's squad will look to defend its team title from the 2024 adidas XC Challenge. Led by a 6-7-8 individual finish from Nicholas Kiprotich, Edwin Kiprop and Tristian Merchant, the Flames edged NC State by five points (46-51) for first place in the 14-team field a year ago.
Keeping Up with Kiprop
Edwin Kiprop provided one of the Flames' biggest highlights of the season-opening Liberty Challenge on Aug. 29. He posted a 6K time of 18:53.4 to outdistance teammate Nicholas Kiprotich for his first collegiate cross country individual victory.
Kiprop made his first cross country appearance in a Liberty uniform at the 2024 adidas XC Challenge, placing seventh overall (first among freshmen) for the men's team champion Flames.
Welcome Back
The Lady Flames finished third at the 2024 adidas XC Challenge, and four of the team's top five finishers from that race are back.
Allie Zealand crossed the line a team-best seventh overall and second among freshmen. She was followed by fellow 2025 returnees Isabela Ross (12th place), Ava Gordon (14th) and Ryann Aycock (28th). Competing in her hometown of Cary, Aycock posted a personal-best 5K time of 17:46.3.
Zealand was the Lady Flames' top performer at the Liberty Challenge on Aug. 29, coming in third in the women's 4K, the first race of her sophomore season.
Up Next
Liberty will split its squad between two different meets on Oct. 3. A majority of the runners will compete in the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind. The remainder of the Flames will head to Kernersville, N.C., for the Spartan Classic.
Headlined by competitors from North Carolina, South Carolina and host NC State, the meet will get started with the men's 6K at 5:15 p.m. The women's 5K will follow at 5:55.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Live results will be provided by Flash Results.
Weather Report
Friday is expected to be a steamy day for distance running with a high temperature approaching 90 degrees under mostly sunny skies.
Defending Champs
The Liberty men's squad will look to defend its team title from the 2024 adidas XC Challenge. Led by a 6-7-8 individual finish from Nicholas Kiprotich, Edwin Kiprop and Tristian Merchant, the Flames edged NC State by five points (46-51) for first place in the 14-team field a year ago.
Keeping Up with Kiprop
Edwin Kiprop provided one of the Flames' biggest highlights of the season-opening Liberty Challenge on Aug. 29. He posted a 6K time of 18:53.4 to outdistance teammate Nicholas Kiprotich for his first collegiate cross country individual victory.
Kiprop made his first cross country appearance in a Liberty uniform at the 2024 adidas XC Challenge, placing seventh overall (first among freshmen) for the men's team champion Flames.
Welcome Back
The Lady Flames finished third at the 2024 adidas XC Challenge, and four of the team's top five finishers from that race are back.
Allie Zealand crossed the line a team-best seventh overall and second among freshmen. She was followed by fellow 2025 returnees Isabela Ross (12th place), Ava Gordon (14th) and Ryann Aycock (28th). Competing in her hometown of Cary, Aycock posted a personal-best 5K time of 17:46.3.
Zealand was the Lady Flames' top performer at the Liberty Challenge on Aug. 29, coming in third in the women's 4K, the first race of her sophomore season.
Up Next
Liberty will split its squad between two different meets on Oct. 3. A majority of the runners will compete in the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind. The remainder of the Flames will head to Kernersville, N.C., for the Spartan Classic.
Players Mentioned
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/ Cross Country
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