Friday, April 10
Lynchburg, Va.
11:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic
Chase Johnson pole vaulted 17-1.5 on Friday to break the Liberty freshman record.
Johnson Vaults Freshman-Record 17-1.5 on Friday
4/10/2026 10:43:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Chase Johnson headlined the Flames' six event winners on Friday at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic, pole vaulting a Liberty freshman-record 17-1.5.
Liberty's other first-place finishes at the University of Lynchburg's Dr. Jack M. Toms Track included Nathan Haas (men's javelin – 185-5), Dale Hall (men's Frank Csorba Invitational mile – 4:07.78), Mackenzie Boggess (women's long jump – 18-2.25), Ellie Stine (women's hammer – 175-6) and Katie Urbine (women's pole vault – 11-9.75).
Men's Day 1 Recap
Johnson made it over 17-1.5 on his first try to shatter the previous freshman standard of 16-7.5 set by Anders Janes at the 2019 Raleigh Relays. He now ranks No. 5 in program history and becomes the seventh 17-foot vaulter in program history for the Flames.
Johnson gives Liberty a second men's pole vaulter likely to qualify for the NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet next month, joining fellow first-year Flame Reagan Wise (17-0.75 season best).
Teammate Todd Benhase added a third-place pole vault finish, clearing 15-5 during Friday evening's final field event to wrap up.
Trevor Veenstra got the Liberty men's team's successful day started with an impressive men's hammer debut. The sophomore was the runner-up to redshirting teammate Kellen Kimes (213-0) with a 196-6 heave which ranks No. 6 in program history.
Liberty excelled in the Frank Csorba Invitational Mile, with current and future Flames nabbing seven of the top 10 spots. Hall led the way, outdueling UNCG's Khalid Abdullahi to win in 4:07.78. Following him were Ethan Stansbury (third, 4:10.19), Sean Aiken (fourth, 4:11.56), Andrew Schultz (sixth, 4:14.08), Jack Cottrell (eighth, 4:15.11) and Jack Holub (10th, 4:16.30). Signee William Zealand added a seventh-place finish at 4:15.00.
Haas was one of four Liberty freshmen to win events on the meet's opening day, heaving the javelin 185-5 to capture his first collegiate victory by 10 feet.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Two of the Lady Flames' three victors were freshmen, including Stine in the women's hammer and Boggess in the women's long jump.
Stine's winning throw of 175-6 added 15 feet to her previous best and won the competition by 19 feet.
Boggess (18-2.25) has now won each of her first two competitions to begin her freshman outdoor campaign, also including the Virginia Opener women's triple jump on March 21.
Urbine, who did not enter the women's pole vault until all other competitors had been eliminated, topped out at 11-9.75.
Sophia Park (4:58.62) and Raini Mayo (4:59.31) both broke 5:00 outdoors for the first time to place second and third in the Frank Csorba Invitational Mile.
Sonja Semling (39:07.21) closed out the evening by coming in third in the women's 10K for the second time in as many attempts this season.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Nathan Haas – Javelin – 185-5
Dale Hall – Mile – 4:07.78
Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 17-1.5
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Mackenzie Boggess – Long Jump – 18-2.25
Ellie Stine – Hammer – 175-6
Katie Urbine – Pole Vault – 11-9.75
Other Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Trevor Veenstra – Hammer – 196-6
3rd – Todd Benhase – Pole Vault – 15-5
3rd – Ethan Stansbury – Mile – 4:10.19
Other Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Sophia Park – Mile – 4:58.62
3rd – Raini Mayo – Mile – 4:59.31
3rd – Sonja Semling – 10K – 39:07.21
Day 1 Men's Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 17-1.5
Previous Record: 16-7.5 by Anders Janes at the Raleigh Relays on March 29, 2019
New Men's NCAA Division I East First Rounds Qualifiers
Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 17-1.5
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Pole Vault – No. 5 – Chase Johnson – 17-1.5
Hammer – No. 6 – Trevor Veenstra – 196-6
Up Next
Liberty will finish its weekend of competition on Saturday at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic. Hosted by the University of Lynchburg, the meet will get started at 10 a.m. with the men's discus and will air on FloTrack.
Liberty's other first-place finishes at the University of Lynchburg's Dr. Jack M. Toms Track included Nathan Haas (men's javelin – 185-5), Dale Hall (men's Frank Csorba Invitational mile – 4:07.78), Mackenzie Boggess (women's long jump – 18-2.25), Ellie Stine (women's hammer – 175-6) and Katie Urbine (women's pole vault – 11-9.75).
Men's Day 1 Recap
Johnson made it over 17-1.5 on his first try to shatter the previous freshman standard of 16-7.5 set by Anders Janes at the 2019 Raleigh Relays. He now ranks No. 5 in program history and becomes the seventh 17-foot vaulter in program history for the Flames.
Johnson gives Liberty a second men's pole vaulter likely to qualify for the NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet next month, joining fellow first-year Flame Reagan Wise (17-0.75 season best).
Teammate Todd Benhase added a third-place pole vault finish, clearing 15-5 during Friday evening's final field event to wrap up.
Trevor Veenstra got the Liberty men's team's successful day started with an impressive men's hammer debut. The sophomore was the runner-up to redshirting teammate Kellen Kimes (213-0) with a 196-6 heave which ranks No. 6 in program history.
Liberty excelled in the Frank Csorba Invitational Mile, with current and future Flames nabbing seven of the top 10 spots. Hall led the way, outdueling UNCG's Khalid Abdullahi to win in 4:07.78. Following him were Ethan Stansbury (third, 4:10.19), Sean Aiken (fourth, 4:11.56), Andrew Schultz (sixth, 4:14.08), Jack Cottrell (eighth, 4:15.11) and Jack Holub (10th, 4:16.30). Signee William Zealand added a seventh-place finish at 4:15.00.
Haas was one of four Liberty freshmen to win events on the meet's opening day, heaving the javelin 185-5 to capture his first collegiate victory by 10 feet.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Two of the Lady Flames' three victors were freshmen, including Stine in the women's hammer and Boggess in the women's long jump.
Stine's winning throw of 175-6 added 15 feet to her previous best and won the competition by 19 feet.
Boggess (18-2.25) has now won each of her first two competitions to begin her freshman outdoor campaign, also including the Virginia Opener women's triple jump on March 21.
Urbine, who did not enter the women's pole vault until all other competitors had been eliminated, topped out at 11-9.75.
Sophia Park (4:58.62) and Raini Mayo (4:59.31) both broke 5:00 outdoors for the first time to place second and third in the Frank Csorba Invitational Mile.
Sonja Semling (39:07.21) closed out the evening by coming in third in the women's 10K for the second time in as many attempts this season.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Nathan Haas – Javelin – 185-5
Dale Hall – Mile – 4:07.78
Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 17-1.5
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Mackenzie Boggess – Long Jump – 18-2.25
Ellie Stine – Hammer – 175-6
Katie Urbine – Pole Vault – 11-9.75
Other Men's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Trevor Veenstra – Hammer – 196-6
3rd – Todd Benhase – Pole Vault – 15-5
3rd – Ethan Stansbury – Mile – 4:10.19
Other Women's Day 1 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Sophia Park – Mile – 4:58.62
3rd – Raini Mayo – Mile – 4:59.31
3rd – Sonja Semling – 10K – 39:07.21
Day 1 Men's Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 17-1.5
Previous Record: 16-7.5 by Anders Janes at the Raleigh Relays on March 29, 2019
New Men's NCAA Division I East First Rounds Qualifiers
Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 17-1.5
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Pole Vault – No. 5 – Chase Johnson – 17-1.5
Hammer – No. 6 – Trevor Veenstra – 196-6
Up Next
Liberty will finish its weekend of competition on Saturday at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic. Hosted by the University of Lynchburg, the meet will get started at 10 a.m. with the men's discus and will air on FloTrack.
Players Mentioned
Distance
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Pole Vault
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Jumps
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Distance
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Javelin
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Throws
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Pole Vault
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Throws
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Pole Vault
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