Friday, January 16
Blacksburg, Va.
4:00 PM ET
Liberty University
at
Virginia Tech Invitational
Elijah Sherard's 33.60 300 time broke a Liberty record that had stood for 39 years.
Mobley, Sherard Break Liberty 300 Dash Records
1/16/2026 10:17:00 PM | Track and Field
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Both the Liberty women's and men's 300 records went down on Friday, the opening day of the Virginia Tech Invitational. Mahogany Mobley lowered her own women's standard from 38.70 to 38.67 at Rector Field House, while Elijah Sherard's 33.60 effort eclipsed Willie Parker's men's record that had stood since 1987.
Shelby Smith clocked 39.25 to set the Liberty women's 300 freshman record for the second time this season. Meanwhile, Liberty's distance crew won the first four running events of the afternoon in Blacksburg, including the women's 3K (Katrina Schlenker – 9:50.35), men's 3K (Jack Cottrell – 8:28.84), women's 1,000 (Eden Alexander – 2:57.10) and men's 1,000 (Michael Long – 2:26.11).
Men's Day 1 Recap
After setting Liberty freshman records in three different events a year ago, Sherard's first race as a sophomore resulted in his first program record. He posted a time of 33.60 to win his heat and place second overall in the event.
Thirty-nine years ago to the date (Jan. 16, 1987), Willie Parker ran a race at ETSU which converted to a hand-timed 300 clocking of 33.4 and an auto-timed 33.64. Sherard's 33.60 effort was the first by a Flame in nearly four decades to eclipse Parker's legendary mark. The closest a Liberty runner had come prior to Friday was Christian Lyon, who posted a 33.69 for 300 meters at Virginia Tech on Jan. 17, 2020.
Markus White narrowly missed the men's long jump program record for the second time this season, finishing second in the event in an indoor personal-best 24-11.25. That trails only Quinten Clay (25-0.75 in 2022) and James McKnight (25-0.5 in 1994) on the Flames' all-time list.
Cottrell negative split his 3K to win by nearly two seconds in 8:28.84, while Long pulled out a 1,000 victory (2:26.11) on the final lap. Long's first two races in a Liberty uniform both rank No. 7 in program history, also including his 4:05.46 mile in Boston on Dec. 6.
Dale Hall closed out a strong afternoon by the Flames' distance crew with a runner-up mile finish, crossing the line in 4:12.17.
Women's Day 1 Recap
The Lady Flames won three of the seven women's 300 heats, including victories by Mobley (program-record 38.67, second overall), Smith (freshman-record 39.25, fourth overall) and Maddy Merritt (39.87, ninth overall).
Mobley sliced three hundredths of a second from her 38.70 record from the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5. That same day, Smith had clocked her previous Liberty freshman record time of 40.22.
Smith moves up to No. 4 on the Lady Flames' all-time list, trailing only Mobley, Cortney Strohman (38.94 in 2020) and Merritt (39.17 in 2025).
The Lady Flames got things started with a 1-2-3 finish in the women's 3K, courtesy of Schlenker (9:50.35), Rachel Hill (personal-best 9:51.31, second place) and Ava Gordon (9:58.14, third place).
Alexander's fifth and final split (33.48) was the fastest time posted on any lap of the women's 1,000. As a result, the freshman pulled out victory in a personal-best 2:57.10.
Fellow freshman Alivia Rivera-Norman was Liberty's top performer on the straightaway on Friday. She matched her personal-best time of 8.69 to place ninth in the prelims, missing the final by one spot and one hundredth of a second.
Former Lady Flame and current assistant Akilah Lewis raced to a runner-up finish in the women's 60 final in 7.50.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Jack Cottrell – 3K – 8:28.84
Michael Long – 1,000 – 2:26.11
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Eden Alexander – 1,000 – 2:57.10
Katrina Schlenker – 3K – 9:50.35
Other Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Dale Hall – Mile – 4:12.17
2nd – Elijah Sherard – 300 – 33.60
2nd – Markus White – Long Jump – 24-11.25
Other Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Rachel Hill – 3K – 9:51.31
2nd – Mahogany Mobley – 300 – 38.67
3rd – Ava Gordon – 3K – 9:58.14
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Elijah Sherard – 300 – 33.60
Previous Record: 33.4 by Willie Parker at ETSU on Jan. 16, 1987
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Mahogany Mobley – 300 – 38.67
Previous Record: 38.70 by Mobley at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2025
Freshman Record – Shelby Smith – 300 – 39.25
Previous Record: 40.22 by Smith at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2025
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 300 – Elijah Sherard – 33.60
No. 3 – Long Jump – Markus White – 24-11.25
No. 7 – 1,000 – Michael Long – 2:26.11
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 300 – Mahogany Mobley – 38.67
No. 4 – 300 – Shelby Smith – 39.25
Up Next
The Virginia Tech Invitational will conclude on Saturday. Liberty's first event of the day will be the women's triple jump at noon.
Shelby Smith clocked 39.25 to set the Liberty women's 300 freshman record for the second time this season. Meanwhile, Liberty's distance crew won the first four running events of the afternoon in Blacksburg, including the women's 3K (Katrina Schlenker – 9:50.35), men's 3K (Jack Cottrell – 8:28.84), women's 1,000 (Eden Alexander – 2:57.10) and men's 1,000 (Michael Long – 2:26.11).
Men's Day 1 Recap
After setting Liberty freshman records in three different events a year ago, Sherard's first race as a sophomore resulted in his first program record. He posted a time of 33.60 to win his heat and place second overall in the event.
Thirty-nine years ago to the date (Jan. 16, 1987), Willie Parker ran a race at ETSU which converted to a hand-timed 300 clocking of 33.4 and an auto-timed 33.64. Sherard's 33.60 effort was the first by a Flame in nearly four decades to eclipse Parker's legendary mark. The closest a Liberty runner had come prior to Friday was Christian Lyon, who posted a 33.69 for 300 meters at Virginia Tech on Jan. 17, 2020.
Markus White narrowly missed the men's long jump program record for the second time this season, finishing second in the event in an indoor personal-best 24-11.25. That trails only Quinten Clay (25-0.75 in 2022) and James McKnight (25-0.5 in 1994) on the Flames' all-time list.
Cottrell negative split his 3K to win by nearly two seconds in 8:28.84, while Long pulled out a 1,000 victory (2:26.11) on the final lap. Long's first two races in a Liberty uniform both rank No. 7 in program history, also including his 4:05.46 mile in Boston on Dec. 6.
Dale Hall closed out a strong afternoon by the Flames' distance crew with a runner-up mile finish, crossing the line in 4:12.17.
Women's Day 1 Recap
The Lady Flames won three of the seven women's 300 heats, including victories by Mobley (program-record 38.67, second overall), Smith (freshman-record 39.25, fourth overall) and Maddy Merritt (39.87, ninth overall).
Mobley sliced three hundredths of a second from her 38.70 record from the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5. That same day, Smith had clocked her previous Liberty freshman record time of 40.22.
Smith moves up to No. 4 on the Lady Flames' all-time list, trailing only Mobley, Cortney Strohman (38.94 in 2020) and Merritt (39.17 in 2025).
The Lady Flames got things started with a 1-2-3 finish in the women's 3K, courtesy of Schlenker (9:50.35), Rachel Hill (personal-best 9:51.31, second place) and Ava Gordon (9:58.14, third place).
Alexander's fifth and final split (33.48) was the fastest time posted on any lap of the women's 1,000. As a result, the freshman pulled out victory in a personal-best 2:57.10.
Fellow freshman Alivia Rivera-Norman was Liberty's top performer on the straightaway on Friday. She matched her personal-best time of 8.69 to place ninth in the prelims, missing the final by one spot and one hundredth of a second.
Former Lady Flame and current assistant Akilah Lewis raced to a runner-up finish in the women's 60 final in 7.50.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Jack Cottrell – 3K – 8:28.84
Michael Long – 1,000 – 2:26.11
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Eden Alexander – 1,000 – 2:57.10
Katrina Schlenker – 3K – 9:50.35
Other Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Dale Hall – Mile – 4:12.17
2nd – Elijah Sherard – 300 – 33.60
2nd – Markus White – Long Jump – 24-11.25
Other Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Rachel Hill – 3K – 9:51.31
2nd – Mahogany Mobley – 300 – 38.67
3rd – Ava Gordon – 3K – 9:58.14
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Elijah Sherard – 300 – 33.60
Previous Record: 33.4 by Willie Parker at ETSU on Jan. 16, 1987
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Mahogany Mobley – 300 – 38.67
Previous Record: 38.70 by Mobley at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2025
Freshman Record – Shelby Smith – 300 – 39.25
Previous Record: 40.22 by Smith at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2025
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 300 – Elijah Sherard – 33.60
No. 3 – Long Jump – Markus White – 24-11.25
No. 7 – 1,000 – Michael Long – 2:26.11
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 300 – Mahogany Mobley – 38.67
No. 4 – 300 – Shelby Smith – 39.25
Up Next
The Virginia Tech Invitational will conclude on Saturday. Liberty's first event of the day will be the women's triple jump at noon.
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