Kyle Harkabus

Class:
Freshman
Position:
Distance
Height:
5-9
Hometown:
Senoia, Ga.
Prev School:
East Coweta High School

TFRRS Profile (XC)

CUSA Individual Titles (2)
2024 Indoor Mile
2024 Outdoor 1,500

All-CUSA Honors (5)
2023 Cross Country – 11th
2024 Indoor Mile - 1st
2024 Indoor Distance Medley - 1st
2024 Outdoor 1,500 - 1st
2024 Cross Country - 17th

All-ASUN Honors (5)
Fall 2021 Cross Country – 11th
2022 Indoor Distance Medley - 1st
2022 Cross Country - 14th
2023 Indoor Mile - 3rd
2023 Outdoor 1,500 - 3rd

2024 Outdoor Track & Field (Sr.)

Punctuated his collegiate outdoor track career by reaching the 1,500 quarterfinals at the NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet
CUSA 1,500 champion, becoming Liberty’s first men’s 1,500 conference victor since 2014 (Caleb Edmonds – Big South) and the first Flame to sweep a conference’s indoor mile and outdoor 1,500 crowns since 2009 (Sam Chelanga – Big South)
Named CUSA Male Track Athlete of the Week on May 7 following an eight-day stretch where he notched 1,500 victories at the Charlotte Invitational, Liberty Twilight Qualifier and The Hill City Twilight (Liberty-record 3:40.78)
Joined the 5K’s sub-14:00 club with a 13:58.38 effort at the Bryan Clay Invitational
CSC Academic All-District honoree
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team member
CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member

2023-24 Indoor Track & Field (R-Jr.)

CUSA mile champion (4:06.79) and anchored the Flames’ distance medley relay squad to victory in 10:24.21. He also came in fourth in the 3K.
Won three regular-season races, headlined by the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational (personal-best 8:01.62 for No. 3 in program history)
Was also victorious in the Penn State National Open 3K and Virginia Tech Invitational mile

2023 Cross Country (R-Jr.)

Recorded personal bests for both 10K time (30:23.1) and regional placement (55^th, Liberty’s No. 3 runner) at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships
Finished as a second team all-conference performer for the third consecutive season, thanks to an 11^th-place (Liberty’s No. 3 finisher) CUSA showing
Placed a team-best 66^th in the XC23 Pre-Nationals blue race
CUSA All-Academic Team member

2023 Outdoor Track & Field (Jr.)

Earned All-ASUN honors by placing third in the ASUN 1,500 final
Climbed to No. 4 in program history with his 3:44.02 1,500 at the Bryan Clay Invitational
CSC Academic All-District member
ASUN Academic Honor Roll member

2022-23 Indoor Track & Field (R-So.)

Came in third in the ASUN mile final (after posting a personal-best 4:04.64 in the prelims) and anchored the Flames to fifth place in the distance medley relay
Ran a personal-best 8:16.98 3K at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational
ASUN All-Academic Team member

2022 Cross Country (R-So.)

Posted a 10K personal-best 31:10.4 for 66^th place (No. 3 Liberty Flame) at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championship
Dropped an 8K personal-best 24:06.8 for 14^th place at the ASUN Championship, garnering second team All-ASUN honors for the second year in a row
Recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes to start the year, coming in third at the Liberty Challenge and ninth at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational
ASUN All-Academic Team member
ASUN Fall Winner for Life

2022 Outdoor Track & Field (So.)

Placed fourth in the ASUN 4 x 400 relay and fifth in the 1,500
Dropped his 1,500 PR to 3:45.21 for fifth place at the Liberty Twilight Qualifier
ASUN Academic Honor Roll member

2021-22 Indoor Track & Field (R-Fr.)

Led off in 3:01.02 for the Flames’ ASUN-winning distance medley relay squad (meet-record 9:52.99) and placed sixth in the mile (4:09.88)
Competing unattached, clocked a personal-best 4:09.61 at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational

Fall 2021 Cross Country (R-Fr.)

Came in 93^rd at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championship in 31:36.2 in his 10K debut
Placed 11^th overall and fourth on the team at the ASUN Championship to collect his first all-conference medal. His time was an 8K personal-best 24:28.5.
Broke 25 minutes for an 8K for the first time at the FSU XC Invite/Pre-Nationals, crossing the line in 24:42.3 for 162^ndplace

2021 Outdoor Track & Field (Fr.)

Came in fifth in the ASUN 1,500 (first freshman) in a Liberty freshman-record time of 3:49.58
Won the Aggie Classic 1,500 in 3:52.25 in the rain to win ASUN Men’s Freshman of the Week honors on April 28
Fastest of his two 5Ks (14:23.29) came at the Virginia Grand Prix
ASUN Academic Honor Roll member

2021 Indoor Track & Field (Fr.)

Placed fifth overall (first among freshmen) in the ASUN mile final in a season-best 4:17.91

Spring 2021 Cross Country (Fr.)

Served as Liberty’s No. 5 runner at all three races, including his 15^th-place showing at the ASUN Championship which earned ASUN All-Freshman Team recognition
Fastest 8K of the season (25:29.9) came in his collegiate debut at the CSU Buccaneer Invitational

Prep

Graduated from East Coweta High School
Foot Locker cross country national qualifier as a sophomore and Georgia 7A cross country state champion as a junior
2018 Gatorade Georgia Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year
Georgia 7A state champion in the 1,600 as a freshman, sophomore and junior, while also winning the 800 as a sophomore
Top times included 1:52.44 (800), 4:13.35 (1,600), 9:15.77 (3,200) and 14:53.9 (cross country 5K)

Personal

Son of Richard and Carey Harkabus
Grandfather Gary Willis I competed in football and track & field at Texas A&M
Uncle Gary Willis II played football at Kentucky
Birthday is Dec. 20
Graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in sport management
Pursuing a MBA in marketing

Student-Athlete Q&A
What made Liberty University the right place for you to attend college/compete at the collegiate level?
I was looking for a great Christian environment with many other Christ-like-minded people.

Is there anything special you do pregame or postgame and why?
I just pray with my teammates and coaches’ pre-competition.

Who in your life inspires you and why are they such an inspiration?
My parents for what sacrifices they have made to get me to where I am at this point in my life and athletic career.

What is your most memorable athletic moment/accomplishment?
Becoming a conference champion and being paced by an Olympic Gold Medalist last track season in the 1500m run.

Do you have any relatives who are playing or have played college or professional sports? (Names, relation to you, what/where they played)?
My grandfather Gary Willis Sr played football and ran track at Texas A&M. My uncle Gary Will Jr and cousin Matt Layow both played football for the University of Kentucky.

Favorite meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and what is that special meal?
A Mcdonald's Sausage Egg McMuffin for breakfast because it just is so good.

What is the first app you check on your phone each day?
I open Instagram.

What is your favorite hobby outside of athletics?
Hitting golf balls at the driving range.

Who was your favorite athlete growing up?
It is Matthew Centrowitz

What is your favorite possession and why?
My skim board that I sticker bomb

What is your Go-To karaoke song?
I would pick Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver.

What is your dream vacation spot and why?
I would love to travel around Europe or go hiking in the Rocky Mountains. It just sounds really fun to me.