Flames from Liberty University

Lynchburg, va. -The Liberty Women's Team Leads and the men's squad sits after an action-packed opening day of the 2025 Cusa Indoor Track & Field championships on Friday at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track in Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

The defending champion Lady Flames won two events, including Meredith Engle Record-suspect pentathlon efforts (meetings and program record 4.196 points) and Adelyn Fairley's Fourth career -Indoor 5K conference title (16: 50.39). Liberty took a total of 58 points through six events and put the Lady Flames 13 points in front of the second -placed FIU.

On the side of the men, the flames will make up for some on Saturday if they hope to extend their indoor conference championship championship to 28. The newcomer from Cusa, Kennesaw State, exceeded 53.5 to 34.5 during the five men on Friday. Kimes Kimes won the weight throw of men (68-7.75) in a dominant way Omari Lewis (6.65) broke his own program record during the 60 prelims of the men.

Liberty also set three additional records on this day, including a furnishing brand (Engle's 2: 16.72 in the Pentathlon 800) and two Freshman Standards Program (Elijah Sherard 47.49 400 and Todd Benhase 16-6.75 poles vault).

Women's day 1 summary
Engle had to classify the day in Pentathlon in 17th place in Pentathlon (a place from potentially qualification to the NCAA Division I Indoor Echtle -Athletics Championships) and had to break the record of Liberty Pentathlon for the third time this season to improve their national reputation.

Engle 'profit rating of 4,196 achieved exactly this with 65 points to take them to 12th place in the NCAA by the end of the day and give her a shot to become Liberty's first penthlet to reach NCAA division I.

Engle won the last four pentathlon events, thanks to one season best with 5 to 7.25 high jump, a 44: 7.5-put, an 18: 8-long jump and a record of 2: 16.72, to set an exclamation mark for things in the 800.

Engle exceeded her teammate and the defense of Cusa Champion Patasha Bryan (3,900) in second place. Engle will have the first Lady Flame, which has ever won three conference titles in the pentathlon, as he had previously claimed in 2022 and 2023 Asun championships.

Engle shattered the Meet record of 4,004, which were brought together by two Memphis Tigers (Charlotte Abrahamsen in 2008 and Xenia Rahn in 2013). Each of the three Pentathlons from Engle this season has led to a new freedom record, including 3,989 points at the Liberty Kickoff, 4,131 points at the Penn State National Open in their home state of Pennsylvania and 4,196 Tallies on Friday.

Fairley is also used to standing on the podium on the podium after defending her Cusa 5K crown successfully a year ago. She won the race in a very similar way, loosened a last round of 31.54 seconds and took the lead in the final directly before crossing the line in 16: 50.39.

Fairley previously claimed asun Indoor 5K championships in 2021 and 2022.

Paola Bueno Improved a place from last season in the weight throw of women and achieved a second-placed one with a best of the season of 65-11.5.

Mia Bowers corresponded to her personal best pole vault of 13-3.5 for third place. The senior ended her career with podium after taking third place in Asun Indoor competition in 2022.

The distance medley -Relay quartet from Kate GoodyearPresent Maddy MerrittPresent Jessica Palisca And Marie Hostetler brought coach Heather Zealand Another smile on her birthday for her birthday during the last event of the night. The same four runners won this event in 2024 in a program and a record time of 11: 32.82. It ran six seconds faster on Friday (11: 26.93), but had to be satisfied with third place in a race, in which the three best squads all meet the previous meeting (11: 30.59) and the facility (11: 32.82).

Two Lady Flames made it in two different events until the final on Saturday, including Reese webster (60 and 200) and Allie Zealand (800 and mile).

Men's day 1 summary

Kimes (68-7.75) conquered the men's title with the men's weight throw in a dominant way and won the second-placed Jase Hunter from Kennesaw State by five feet. The redshirt is the first rookie to win this event at the Cusa -Meet (Charlottes Stevan Veselinovic) since 2016.

Benhases personal best 16-6.75 Pole Vault Clearance added his own Liberty Freshman Standard 1.25 inch and tied it with Simon Being the Kennesaw State for the second place in the event.

The final podium finish of the Flames came in the distance medley, like Dale HallPresent Revell WebsterPresent Kyle Thrush And Kyle Harkabus Tact 10: 10.71 for third place.

Due to an injury, Lewis had not disputed a 60-meter race before Friday throughout the season. The defending Cusa champion showed no signs of rust because its efforts of 6.65 put the fastest among the preliminaries and the Cusa winner time of 6.67 from 2024. Eddy VU Will connect Lewis in the final after climbing 2 on the list of flames ever at 6.70 a.m.

Sherard was the second fastest qualification game for the 400 -finals of the men after his 47.49 death had picked up more than a second from his own Liberty Freshman Standard of 48.53. Only three men in the program history ran faster on Friday than Sherards 47.49, Alejandro Perlaza Zapata, Mike Decker and Stephen Racanelli.

Gabriel Willis A total of 3,058 points on the first day of the heptathlon, which gave him an 88-point pillow about second place Matthew Jackson from Sam Houston. Willis started and ended his day with event victories, brought 7.03 60 and high jump from 6 to 7.5.

Willis is connected by teammates in the current top 5 Daniel van Duren (third, 2,834), Hunter Bloam (Fourth, 2,789) and Samuel O'regan (Fifth, 2,624), which offers the flames a considerable point potential on Saturday.

The women's team rated (up to 6 out of 17 events)
1) Freedom – 58

2) Fiu – 45
3) Kennesaw State – 43
4) Middle Tennessee – 29
5) Sam Houston – 14
6) Jacksonville State – 12
T7) State New Mexico – 10
T7) UTEP – 10
9) Louisiana Tech – 7
10) Western Kentucky – 6

The men's team achieved (up to 5 out of 17 events)

1) Kennesaw State – 53.5
2) Freedom – 34.5

3) Middle Tennessee – 31
4) Sam Houston – 22.5
5) UTEP – 22
6) Louisiana Tech – 16
7) Western Kentucky – 14.5

Cusa champions on Women's Day 1
Meredith Engle – Pentathlon – 4.196
Adelyn Fairley – 5k – 16: 50.39

Men's day 1 Cusa Champions
Kimes Kimes -Weight throw 68-7.75

Other top -3 finishers on Frauenag 1

2^nd – – Patasha Bryan – Pentathlon – 3,900
2^nd – – Paola Bueno -Weight throw-65-11.5
3^RD – – Mia Bowers -Stock high jump-13-3.5
3^RD – – Kate GoodyearPresent Maddy MerrittPresent Jessica PaliscaPresent Marie Hostetler – DMR – 11: 26.93

Other men on day 1 top 3 finishers

Tie for 2^nd – – Todd Benhase -Stock high jump-16-6.75
3^RD – – Dale HallPresent Revell WebsterPresent Kyle ThrushPresent Kyle Harkabus – DMR – 10: 10.71

Recordbreaker on day 1 of women

Meet record – pentathlon – Meredith Engle – 4.196
Previous record: 4.004 by Memphis 'Charlotte Abrahamsen in 2008 and Memphis' Xenia Rahn in 2013

Liberty Record – Pentathlon – Meredith Engle – 4.196
Previous record: 4,131 by Engle at the Penn State National Open on January 31st

Furniture record – Pentathlon 800 – Meredith Engle – 2: 16.72
Previous record: 2: 17.59 by Jacksonvilles Lauren Polomeno at the Asun Championship (February 22, 2019)

Record switch on day 1 of men

Liberty Record – 60 – Omari Lewis – 6.65
Previous record: 6.67 by Lewis at the Cusa Championship (February 24, 2024)

Liberty Freshman Record – Pole Vault – Todd Benhase -16-6.75
Previous data record: 16-5.5 from Benhase at the Virginia Tech Invitational on January 17th

Liberty Freshman Record – 400 – Elijah Sherard – 47.49
Previous record: 48.53 by Sherard at the Burg Open on January 10th

Day 1 updates to the top 10 women of all time by Liberty

No. 1 – Pentathlon – Meredith Engle – 4.196
No. 2 – DMR – Goodyear, Merritt, Palisca, Hostetler – 11: 26.93
No. 7 – 800 – Jessica Palisca – 2: 08.88
Binding for No. 10 – pole vault – Sarah Gassman -12-5.5

Day 1 updates on Libertys Top 10 of men of all time

No. 1 – 60 – Omari Lewis – 6.65
No. 2 – 60 – Eddy VU – 6.70
No. 4 – 400 – Elijah Sherard – 47.49
Binding for No. 7 – pole vault – Todd Benhase -16-6.75
No. 8 – 200 – Revell Webster – 21.40
Tie for No. 8 – 400 – Simon Lamparelli – 48.14

Next on

The meeting will be completed on Saturday with a busy day of activity. In the first place, the heptathlon 60 hurdles at 10:30 a.m. field events at noon with the shot of women, the men's triple jump and the women's triple jump of women, while the men's finals will deliver live reporting at 2 a.m. ESPN+ from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.