Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lance Bingham announced 38 newcomers to the 2026-27 men's and women's track & field/cross country program.
Liberty Track/XC Adds 38 for 2026-27 Season
8/31/2026 4:19:00 PM | Cross Country, Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty track & field/cross country program is adding 38 newcomers hailing from nine different nations for 2026-27, including 19 women and 19 men. The sizable crop of new faces includes a dozen transfer student-athletes.
"After losing a very strong senior class to graduation, I was wondering how we would replace them," stated Liberty Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lance Bingham. "I'm very thankful for the work that our coaches have done to bring in high-level student-athletes. I'm impressed with not only the level at which they compete but also their character. They fully embrace the mission that God has set before us. I'm very excited about the potential and possibilities for this incoming group."
Women's Newcomers
Kaila Atteberry
Mid-Distance
Lititz, Pa. (Manheim Township High School)
800 – 2:13.73, 1,600 – 4:57.63
Lanee Berkhimer
Distance
Duncansville, Pa. (Central High School)
Two-Mile – 10:56.25, Cross Country 5K – 17:28
Kayla Charles
Sprints
Arima, Trinidad and Tobago (El Dorado East Secondary School)
200 – 23.62, 400 – 54.94
Kierra Clum
Hurdles
Rockford, Mich. (Cornerstone University)
100 Hurdles – 14.53, 400 Hurdles – 1:02.78
Jayla Edgecombe
Sprints
Titusville, Fla. (Cocoa Junior/Senior High School)
100 – 11.96, 200 – 24.94
Raley Keith
Distance
Rochester Hills, Mich. (Rochester Adams High School)
3,200 – 10:41.95, 5K – 17:34.88
Angelina Massey
Heptathlon
Donora, Pa. (Penn State)
Pentathlon – 3,451
Lucy Minning
Sprints
Wayne, Pa. (Hillsdale College)
60 – 7.58, 100 – 11.61, 200 – 23.97
Gracie Morris
Pole Vault
Perham, Minn. (Perham High School)
Pole Vault – 12-4
Kasha Neilly
Hurdles
Nassau, Bahamas (Southern Illinois)
100 Hurdles – 13.93, 400 Hurdles – 1:00.86
Laci Nelson
Throws
Manheim, Pa. (Manheim Central High School)
Shot Put – 43-3
Mikayla Okuley
Pole Vault
Lynchburg, Va. (Brookville High School)
Pole Vault – 12-5.5
Hannah Omosigho
Throws
Crandall, Texas (Harding University)
Discus – 164-2
Cheyenh Smith
Mid-Distance
Bradford, Ill. (Home Schooled)
800 – 2:16.72
Luise Sommer
Sprints
Glauchau, Germany (Sportgymnasium Chemnitz)
400 – 55.39
Elaina Styer
Heptathlon
Estell Manor, N.J. (Stockton University)
Pentathlon – 3,765, Heptathlon – 5,050
Ella Varner
Jumps
Corvallis, Mont. (Corvallis High School)
Long Jump – 18-10.75, Triple Jump – 38-5
Tenique Vincent
Heptathlon
Cunupia, Trinidad and Tobago (Bishop Anstey High School)
Heptathlon – 5,053
Juju Williams
Sprints
Princeton, Texas (Harding University)
60 – 7.47, 100 – 11.58
Men's Newcomers
Joel Ajayi
Sprints
London, England (Emerson Park Academy)
100 – 10.38
Shavique Bascus
Sprints
All Saints, Antigua and Barbuda (Kentucky)
100 – 10.29, 200 – 20.51, 300 – 33.33
Malachi Burnett
Distance
Canton, Ga. (Creekview High School)
1,600 – 4:05.93, 3,200 – 9:03.54, 5K – 14:38.47
Calvin Chilton
Decathlon
Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. (Seacoast Collegiate High School)
Decathlon (U20) – 6,995
Eric Duncan
Distance
Roanoke, Va. (Lord Botetourt High School)
3,200 – 8:56.06, Cross Country 5K – 14:46
Devonte Edwards
Throws
Trelawny, Jamaica (Louisiana)
Shot Put – 59-6.75
Morné Engelbrecht
Hurdles
Ermelo, South Africa (Hilton College)
110 Hurdles (39 inch) – 13.72, 400 Hurdles – 51.63
Ahmad Fogg
Jumps
Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (Stockton University)
Long Jump – 24-9, Triple Jump – 49-9.25
Jacob Foord
Throws
Taunton, England (Taunton School)
Discus (1.75 kg) – 190-4
Michael Fritz
Distance
Benton, Pa. (Benton Area High School)
3,200 – 9:14.54, Cross Country 5K – 15:05
Elijah Patrick Gould
Mid-Distance
Limassol, Cyprus (Logos School of English Education)
800 – 1:51.09
Caleb Harrell
Sprints
Irvine, Calif. (CSUN)
60 – 6.83, 100 – 10.53
Riley Jones
High Jump
Berea, Ohio (Berea-Midpark High School)
High Jump – 7-0
Christopher Marshall
Decathlon
New York, N.Y. (Home Schooled)
Pentathlon (U20) – 3,569
Joseph Miraya
Throws
Meridian, Idaho (Weber State)
Shot Put – 53-5.5, Discus – 165-0
Nyle Peays
Hurdles
Blowing Rock, N.C. (Watauga High School)
100 – 10.53, 200 – 21.38, 300 Hurdles – 38.32
Mason Prokay
Javelin
Cochranville, Pa. (Octorara Area High School)
Javelin – 206-5
Tyrique Vincent
Decathlon
Cunupia, Trinidad and Tobago (Fatima College)
Decathlon (U20) – 6,824
William Zealand
Distance
Forest, Va. (Home Schooled)
3,200 – 8:57.85, 3K Steeplechase – 9:09.71
"After losing a very strong senior class to graduation, I was wondering how we would replace them," stated Liberty Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lance Bingham. "I'm very thankful for the work that our coaches have done to bring in high-level student-athletes. I'm impressed with not only the level at which they compete but also their character. They fully embrace the mission that God has set before us. I'm very excited about the potential and possibilities for this incoming group."
Women's Newcomers
Kaila Atteberry
Mid-Distance
Lititz, Pa. (Manheim Township High School)
800 – 2:13.73, 1,600 – 4:57.63
Lanee Berkhimer
Distance
Duncansville, Pa. (Central High School)
Two-Mile – 10:56.25, Cross Country 5K – 17:28
Kayla Charles
Sprints
Arima, Trinidad and Tobago (El Dorado East Secondary School)
200 – 23.62, 400 – 54.94
Kierra Clum
Hurdles
Rockford, Mich. (Cornerstone University)
100 Hurdles – 14.53, 400 Hurdles – 1:02.78
Jayla Edgecombe
Sprints
Titusville, Fla. (Cocoa Junior/Senior High School)
100 – 11.96, 200 – 24.94
Raley Keith
Distance
Rochester Hills, Mich. (Rochester Adams High School)
3,200 – 10:41.95, 5K – 17:34.88
Angelina Massey
Heptathlon
Donora, Pa. (Penn State)
Pentathlon – 3,451
Lucy Minning
Sprints
Wayne, Pa. (Hillsdale College)
60 – 7.58, 100 – 11.61, 200 – 23.97
Gracie Morris
Pole Vault
Perham, Minn. (Perham High School)
Pole Vault – 12-4
Kasha Neilly
Hurdles
Nassau, Bahamas (Southern Illinois)
100 Hurdles – 13.93, 400 Hurdles – 1:00.86
Laci Nelson
Throws
Manheim, Pa. (Manheim Central High School)
Shot Put – 43-3
Mikayla Okuley
Pole Vault
Lynchburg, Va. (Brookville High School)
Pole Vault – 12-5.5
Hannah Omosigho
Throws
Crandall, Texas (Harding University)
Discus – 164-2
Cheyenh Smith
Mid-Distance
Bradford, Ill. (Home Schooled)
800 – 2:16.72
Luise Sommer
Sprints
Glauchau, Germany (Sportgymnasium Chemnitz)
400 – 55.39
Elaina Styer
Heptathlon
Estell Manor, N.J. (Stockton University)
Pentathlon – 3,765, Heptathlon – 5,050
Ella Varner
Jumps
Corvallis, Mont. (Corvallis High School)
Long Jump – 18-10.75, Triple Jump – 38-5
Tenique Vincent
Heptathlon
Cunupia, Trinidad and Tobago (Bishop Anstey High School)
Heptathlon – 5,053
Juju Williams
Sprints
Princeton, Texas (Harding University)
60 – 7.47, 100 – 11.58
Men's Newcomers
Joel Ajayi
Sprints
London, England (Emerson Park Academy)
100 – 10.38
Shavique Bascus
Sprints
All Saints, Antigua and Barbuda (Kentucky)
100 – 10.29, 200 – 20.51, 300 – 33.33
Malachi Burnett
Distance
Canton, Ga. (Creekview High School)
1,600 – 4:05.93, 3,200 – 9:03.54, 5K – 14:38.47
Calvin Chilton
Decathlon
Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. (Seacoast Collegiate High School)
Decathlon (U20) – 6,995
Eric Duncan
Distance
Roanoke, Va. (Lord Botetourt High School)
3,200 – 8:56.06, Cross Country 5K – 14:46
Devonte Edwards
Throws
Trelawny, Jamaica (Louisiana)
Shot Put – 59-6.75
Morné Engelbrecht
Hurdles
Ermelo, South Africa (Hilton College)
110 Hurdles (39 inch) – 13.72, 400 Hurdles – 51.63
Ahmad Fogg
Jumps
Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (Stockton University)
Long Jump – 24-9, Triple Jump – 49-9.25
Jacob Foord
Throws
Taunton, England (Taunton School)
Discus (1.75 kg) – 190-4
Michael Fritz
Distance
Benton, Pa. (Benton Area High School)
3,200 – 9:14.54, Cross Country 5K – 15:05
Elijah Patrick Gould
Mid-Distance
Limassol, Cyprus (Logos School of English Education)
800 – 1:51.09
Caleb Harrell
Sprints
Irvine, Calif. (CSUN)
60 – 6.83, 100 – 10.53
Riley Jones
High Jump
Berea, Ohio (Berea-Midpark High School)
High Jump – 7-0
Christopher Marshall
Decathlon
New York, N.Y. (Home Schooled)
Pentathlon (U20) – 3,569
Joseph Miraya
Throws
Meridian, Idaho (Weber State)
Shot Put – 53-5.5, Discus – 165-0
Nyle Peays
Hurdles
Blowing Rock, N.C. (Watauga High School)
100 – 10.53, 200 – 21.38, 300 Hurdles – 38.32
Mason Prokay
Javelin
Cochranville, Pa. (Octorara Area High School)
Javelin – 206-5
Tyrique Vincent
Decathlon
Cunupia, Trinidad and Tobago (Fatima College)
Decathlon (U20) – 6,824
William Zealand
Distance
Forest, Va. (Home Schooled)
3,200 – 8:57.85, 3K Steeplechase – 9:09.71
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track and Field
/ Cross Country
Sprints
/ Track and FieldDistance
/ Track and Field
/ Cross Country
Sprints
/ Track and FieldDecathlon
/ Track and FieldHurdles
/ Track and Field
/ Cross Country
Sprints
/ Track and FieldThrows
/ Track and FieldJumps
/ Track and FieldThrows
/ Track and Field
/ Cross Country
Mid-Distance
/ Track and FieldSprints
/ Track and FieldHigh Jump
/ Track and FieldDistance
/ Track and FieldDecathlon
/ Track and FieldHeptathlon
/ Track and FieldSprints
/ Track and FieldThrows
/ Track and FieldPole Vault
/ Track and FieldHurdles
/ Track and FieldThrows
/ Track and FieldPole Vault
/ Track and FieldThrows
/ Track and FieldHurdles
/ Track and FieldJavelin
/ Track and FieldMid-Distance
/ Track and FieldSprints
/ Track and FieldHeptathlon
/ Track and FieldJumps
/ Track and FieldHeptathlon
/ Track and FieldDecathlon
/ Track and FieldSprints
/ Track and Field
/ Cross Country
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