Luke Jelen

Class:
Redshirt Junior
Position:
Mid-distance
Height:
5-11
Hometown:
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Prev School:
Lipscomb

Top Efforts in a Liberty Uniform
800 - 1:54.08
1,500 - 3:53.09
Mile - 4:21.03 (Indoor)
3K - 8:57.20

Career
• At the time of his graduation, ranked No. 3 in program history for the indoor distance medley relay (9:57.32)

2017 Outdoor Track & Field (R-Jr.)
• Big South All-Academic Team member
• Final collegiate race resulted in a personal-best time of 3:53.09 for fourth place in the Big South 1,500 final
• On Senior Day, won the Liberty Twilight Qualifier 800 title with a personal-best 1:54.08 clocking
• Big South Presidential Honor Roll member

2016-17 Indoor Track & Field (R-Jr.)
• Led off for the Flames' Big South runner-up distance medley relay squad and placed 10^th in the mile in a personal-best 4:21.03
• Clocked 3:01 for the 1,200-meter leadoff leg of the distance medley relay in the IC4A prelims, helping Liberty run the third-fastest time (9:57.32) in program history

2016 Cross Country (R-Jr.)
• Finished 13^th at the Big South Championship, serving as the Flames' fifth scorer
• Came in 142^nd in his NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championship debut, with a 10K time of 32:34.6
• Lowered his 8K best to 25:43.1 at the VT Alumni Invite, placing 23^rd

2016 Outdoor Track & Field (R-So.)
• Sixth-place finisher in the Big South 1,500 final
• Set new personal bests for the 800 (1:54.62 – Liberty Twilight Qualifier), 1,500 (3:56.46 – Big South Triangular) and 3K (8:57.20 – Big South Triangular)

2015-16 Indoor Track & Field (R-So.)
• Ran the anchor leg for the Flames' runner-up distance medley relay team at the Big South meet, while also finishing 11^th in the mile
• Won the mile at the Liberty Quad in a season-best time of 4:21.89

2015 Cross Country (R-So.)
• Posted a 20^th-place finish (seventh on the team) at the Big South Championship, clocking a season-best 8K time of 26:02.82
• Made an impressive Liberty cross country debut at the UVa Duals, coming in 11^th overall and second among the Flames
• Finished 19^th at the Upstate Invitational/Big South Preview

2015 Outdoor Track & Field (R-Fr.)
• Season-best 1,500 time of 3:59.51 was good for eighth place at the Big South meet
• Clocked 1:58.84 for the 800 at the Campbell Invitational

2014-15 Indoor Track & Field (R-Fr.)
• Came in 14^th in the Big South mile
• Posted a season-best mile time of 4:21.95 at the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup

2014 Cross Country (R-Fr.)
• Did not compete in any races for Liberty

2014 Outdoor Track & Field (Fr.)
• Did not compete in any races for Liberty and was redshirted

2013-14 Indoor Track & Field (Fr.)
• Did not compete in any races after enrolling at Liberty for the spring 2014 semester and was redshirted

Previous School
• Attended Lipscomb for his first semester of college (fall 2013) and ran cross country for the Bisons
• Ran three races before suffering a season-ending injury, including a 5K time of 16:49.4 at the Belmont Opener and an 8K clocking of 26:42.5 at the Commodore Classic
• Granted a medical hardship waiver for the season

Prep
• Graduated from Lincoln High School
• Helped his team win the 2012 South Dakota AA state title with a fourth-place individual finish
• 2013 state runner-up at 3,200 meters and the 4 x 800 relay, while placing fifth in the 1,600
• Top high school times included 1:56.6 in the 800, 4:22 in the 1,600, 9:29 in the 3,200 and 15:41 in the 5K

Personal
• Son of Dale and Nancy Jelen
• Older brother Jarvis ran cross country and track & field at Liberty
• Older sisters Heather and Kayla ran cross country and track & field at Bethel
• Sport management major
• Birthday is on Feb. 28