Lynchburg Reporter

Liberty University Athletics issued the following announcement on Feb. 5

The host Flames swept the four Liberty Open throwing event titles on Saturday, accounting for half of Liberty’s first-place finishes at the one-day meet contested at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

Naomi Mojica won both of the women’s throws, thanks to a season-best 51-0 shot put and a personal-best 62-5.25 weight throw. On the men’s side, the Flames’ event victors included Kyle Mitchell (58-7.25 shot put) and John Hicks (64-11.5 weight throw).

Diamantae Griffin was also a double event champion, taking top honors in the 60 (6.76) and 4 x 400 relay (3:16.06). He was joined on the victorious relay quartet by Ally Kipchirchir, Christian Lyon and Michael Rose.

Nimeesha Coleman, Annamarie McKenzie, Janai Scott, Meredith Engle (3:54.16) made it a Liberty sweep of the 4 x 400 crowns, while Anna Hostetler led a 1-2-3 Lady Flames finish in the women’s mile with a 4:58.29 clocking.

Throws

Mojica’s season-best 51-0 effort won the women’s shot put by more than 2.5 feet. Meanwhile, she added more than a foot to her personal best with her winning weight throw mark of 62-5.25, climbing into fifth place all-time for the Lady Flames.

Also posting notable performances in the women’s throws were Grace Artis (third place, 58-8.75 weight throw) and Megan Mann (fourth place, personal-best 46-0.5 shot put and fifth place, personal-best 53-9.75 weight throw). Mann’s shot put effort, which shattered her previous best by nearly two feet, puts her fifth on Liberty’s all-time chart.

Speaking of shattering personal bests, that’s just what Hicks (64-11.5) and Sam Mastro (58-4.75) did while going 1-2 in the men’s weight throw. Hicks boosted his personal best by more than two feet, while Mastro added almost 6.5 feet to his. The best throw by a Flame in 14 years puts Hicks at No. 2 in program history and No. 3 all-time in the ASUN. Mastro joins Liberty’s all-time top 10 ledger at No. 9.

Mitchell (58-7.25) and Jose Ballivian (57-7.5) posted a 1-2 finish of their own in the men’s shot put.

Sprints/Relays

Prior to Saturday, Lyon had not lost a men’s 60 final at home since the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational on Feb. 15, 2020. He clocked a season-best 6.77 but was edged out for top honors by teammate Griffin (6.76).

Liberty’s men’s and women’s 4 x 400 relay titles on Saturday were the Flames’ first relay victories of the season. Griffin, Kipchirchir, Lyon and Rose defeated runner-up Delaware State by one second with their 3:16.06 effort.

On the women’s side, Coleman, Scott, McKenzie and Engle edged William & Mary by just 0.18 seconds with their winning time of 3:54.16.

Distance/Mid-Distance

Liberty’s lone podium sweep of the day came in the women’s mile, with Hostetler (4:58.29), Priscillah Kiplagat (season-best 4:59.48) and Marie Hostetler (personal-best 4:59.68) doing the honors. Stepping down to the 800 for the first time as a Lady Flame, Anna Hostetler later placed a team-best third in the 800 in 2:17.71.

A number of Liberty men’s distance runners performed well while competing unattached on Saturday, headlined by a 1-2 800 finish by freshmen Isaiah Schulties (1:52.50) and Brendan Pitcher (1:53.18). Also racing unattached, Caleb Olson won the men’s 3K (8:14.35) and Kyle Harkabus was the men’s mile runner-up (4:11.31).

High school senior Ava Gordon, who is signed to attend Liberty this fall, claimed the women’s 3K title in 9:57.61.

Pole Vault

Taylen Langin was the top collegiate finisher in the women’s pole vault, taking fourth place overall with an indoor personal-best 13-0.25 clearance. Freshman teammate Mia Bowers made it over a personal-best 12-0.5 for 11th place. Langin becomes the third Lady Flame ever to clear 13 feet indoors, while Bowers is the 10th to go over 12 feet indoors.

The women’s vault also produced the day’s lone facility record, as post-collegiate Alina McDonald sailed over 15-1 to take down her own standard.

Women’s Event Winners

Anna Hostetler – Mile – 4:58.29

Naomi Mojica – Shot Put – 51-0

Naomi Mojica – Weight Throw – 62-5.25

Nimeesha Coleman, Annamarie McKenzie, Janai Scott, Meredith Engle – 4 x 400 Relay – 3:54.16

Men’s Event Winners

Diamantae Griffin – 60 – 6.76

John Hicks – Weight Throw – 64-11.5

Kyle Mitchell – Shot Put – 58-7.25

Diamantae Griffin, Ally Kipchirchir, Christian Lyon, Michael Rose – 4 x 400 Relay – 3:16.06

Other Women’s Top 3 Finishers

2nd – Kacy Cox – High Jump – 5-3.25

2nd – Priscillah Kiplagat – Mile – 4:59.48

3rd – Grace Artis – Weight Throw – 58-8.75

3rd – Anna Hostetler – 800 – 2:17.71

3rd – Marie Hostetler – Mile – 4:59.68

Other Men’s Top 3 Finishers

2nd – Jose Ballivian – Shot Put – 57-7.5

2nd – Christian Lyon – 60 – 6.77

2nd – Sam Mastro – Weight Throw – 58-4.75

Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List

Pole Vault – No. 3 – Taylen Langin – 13-0.25

Shot Put – No. 5 – Megan Mann – 46-0.5

Weight Throw – No. 5 – Naomi Mojica – 62-5.25

Pole Vault – No. 10 – Mia Bowers – 12-0.5

Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List

Weight Throw – No. 2 – John Hicks – 64-11.5

Weight Throw  – No. 9 – Sam Mastro – 58-4.75 

Up Next

Liberty will host the eighth annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational, Feb. 11-12 at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

The Brant Tolsma Indoor Track will officially be dedicated during a ceremony at noon on Feb. 12.

Original source can be found here.