Friday, February 13
Lynchburg, Va.
1:40 PM ET
Liberty University
vs
Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational
Michael Long clocked 1:48.72 to set the men's 800 program record for the second meet in a row.
Long Lowers 800 Record, Records 1 of Flames’ 3 Friday Victories
2/13/2026 10:42:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Michael Long broke the Liberty men's 800 record for the second consecutive meet with a 1:48.72 and recorded one of the home team's three Friday first-place finishes at the 12th annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational. Simon Lamparelli (men's 400 invite – 47.24) and Allie Zealand (women's 800 invite – 2:06.59) were also victorious on the opening day at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Long has now competed in a pair of 800-meter races in a Liberty uniform and both have resulted in program records. Friday's 1:48.72 effort in the opening event of ESPN+'s broadcast improved upon his 1:48.82 clocking from the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational two weeks earlier and won the invite section by more than a second.
Lamparelli's winning time of 47.24 in the men's 400 invite section set an indoor personal best and ranks No. 3 in program history. The only names ahead of him on the list are those of All-Americans Alejandro Perlaza Zapata and Mike Decker.
The Flames' bid to capture their third consecutive Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational men's 3K crown fell short. But Dale Hall finished strongly for a third-place finish in 8:20.93.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Zealand went out aggressively in an attempt to set her third program record in as many races to open her sophomore season. Chasing Jaime Watson's 800 time of 2:05.42 from 2010, the All-American went out in 1:01.40. She was unable to maintain the pace over the final two laps but took the victory in a lifetime-best 2:06.59 which sits No. 3 in program history behind Watson and former teammate Kate Goodyear.
Three other Lady Flames joined Zealand inside the event's top five, including Rachel Hill (third place, personal-best 2:09.74, No. 9 in program history), Jessica Palisca (fourth, 2:10.30) and Eden Alexander (fifth, season-best 2:10.35).
Zealand later helped pace teammates to some fast 3K times. Katrina Schlenker (personal-best 9:35.63, No. 10 in program history), Katie Sigerud (9:36.32), Ava Gordon (9:42.93) and Sophia Park (personal-best 9:52.57) went 3-4-5-7 in the invite section, while Anna Fletcher (10:03.30) notched a 17-second personal best for third in the open section during her last few hours as a teenager.
Schlenker becomes the fifth current Lady Flame who is part of Liberty's top 10 list for the women's 3K, also including Zealand, Gordon, Sigerud and Isabela Ross.
Ryann Aycock added to the distance crew's strong showing by clocking a 17:14.67 5K for second overall and first among collegiate runners in the women's 5K invite section.
About four hours after teammates Mahogany Mobley and Shelby Smith achieved 400 personal-best times at Clemson, Maddy Merritt did the same on her home track. The junior's 55.58 time placed ninth in the invite section and left her just two hundredths of a second outside of Liberty's top 10 list.
Patasha Bryan was the Lady Flames' top field event performer in Lynchburg on Friday, long jumping a personal-best 18-9.25 for 14th place overall.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Simon Lamparelli – 400 Invite – 47.24
Michael Long – 800 Invite – 1:48.72
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Allie Zealand – 800 Invite – 2:06.59
Other Day 1 Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Dale Hall – 3K Invite – 8:20.93
Other Day 1 Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Ryann Aycock – 5K Invite – 17:14.67
3rd – Anna Fletcher – 3K Open – 10:03.30
3rd – Rachel Hill – 800 Invite – 2:09.74
3rd – Katrina Schlenker – 3K Invite – 9:35.63
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Michael Long – 800 – 1:48.72
Previous Record: 1:48.82 by Long at the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational on Jan. 30
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 800 – Michael Long – 1:48.72
No. 3 – 400 – Simon Lamparelli – 47.24
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 3 – 800 – Allie Zealand – 2:06.59
No. 9 – 800 – Rachel Hill – 2:09.74
No. 10 – 3K – Katrina Schlenker – 9:35.63
Up Next
Both the 12th annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational and Tiger Paw Invitational will conclude on Saturday.
The open women's high jump will get things started in Lynchburg at 8:30 a.m., while the Flames' first events in Clemson (men's triple jump and men's weight throw invite) are each set to begin at 10 a.m.
2 800 races as a ??, 2 program records!
— Liberty XC & TF (@Liberty_XCTF) February 13, 2026
Michael Long wins the men's 800 in 1:48.72, improving his own Liberty record of 1:48.82 from the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational two weeks ago.
?? @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/RexaffVWi8
Men's Day 1 Recap
Long has now competed in a pair of 800-meter races in a Liberty uniform and both have resulted in program records. Friday's 1:48.72 effort in the opening event of ESPN+'s broadcast improved upon his 1:48.82 clocking from the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational two weeks earlier and won the invite section by more than a second.
Lamparelli's winning time of 47.24 in the men's 400 invite section set an indoor personal best and ranks No. 3 in program history. The only names ahead of him on the list are those of All-Americans Alejandro Perlaza Zapata and Mike Decker.
The Flames' bid to capture their third consecutive Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational men's 3K crown fell short. But Dale Hall finished strongly for a third-place finish in 8:20.93.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Zealand went out aggressively in an attempt to set her third program record in as many races to open her sophomore season. Chasing Jaime Watson's 800 time of 2:05.42 from 2010, the All-American went out in 1:01.40. She was unable to maintain the pace over the final two laps but took the victory in a lifetime-best 2:06.59 which sits No. 3 in program history behind Watson and former teammate Kate Goodyear.
Three other Lady Flames joined Zealand inside the event's top five, including Rachel Hill (third place, personal-best 2:09.74, No. 9 in program history), Jessica Palisca (fourth, 2:10.30) and Eden Alexander (fifth, season-best 2:10.35).
Zealand later helped pace teammates to some fast 3K times. Katrina Schlenker (personal-best 9:35.63, No. 10 in program history), Katie Sigerud (9:36.32), Ava Gordon (9:42.93) and Sophia Park (personal-best 9:52.57) went 3-4-5-7 in the invite section, while Anna Fletcher (10:03.30) notched a 17-second personal best for third in the open section during her last few hours as a teenager.
Schlenker becomes the fifth current Lady Flame who is part of Liberty's top 10 list for the women's 3K, also including Zealand, Gordon, Sigerud and Isabela Ross.
Ryann Aycock added to the distance crew's strong showing by clocking a 17:14.67 5K for second overall and first among collegiate runners in the women's 5K invite section.
About four hours after teammates Mahogany Mobley and Shelby Smith achieved 400 personal-best times at Clemson, Maddy Merritt did the same on her home track. The junior's 55.58 time placed ninth in the invite section and left her just two hundredths of a second outside of Liberty's top 10 list.
Patasha Bryan was the Lady Flames' top field event performer in Lynchburg on Friday, long jumping a personal-best 18-9.25 for 14th place overall.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Simon Lamparelli – 400 Invite – 47.24
Michael Long – 800 Invite – 1:48.72
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Allie Zealand – 800 Invite – 2:06.59
Other Day 1 Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Dale Hall – 3K Invite – 8:20.93
Other Day 1 Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Ryann Aycock – 5K Invite – 17:14.67
3rd – Anna Fletcher – 3K Open – 10:03.30
3rd – Rachel Hill – 800 Invite – 2:09.74
3rd – Katrina Schlenker – 3K Invite – 9:35.63
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Michael Long – 800 – 1:48.72
Previous Record: 1:48.82 by Long at the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational on Jan. 30
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 800 – Michael Long – 1:48.72
No. 3 – 400 – Simon Lamparelli – 47.24
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 3 – 800 – Allie Zealand – 2:06.59
No. 9 – 800 – Rachel Hill – 2:09.74
No. 10 – 3K – Katrina Schlenker – 9:35.63
Up Next
Both the 12th annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational and Tiger Paw Invitational will conclude on Saturday.
The open women's high jump will get things started in Lynchburg at 8:30 a.m., while the Flames' first events in Clemson (men's triple jump and men's weight throw invite) are each set to begin at 10 a.m.
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