Liberty University
Liberty Kickoff
Cartwright, Barrett Take Down Records on Friday at Liberty Kickoff
12/2/2022 5:35:34 PM | Track and Field
Liberty’s Indea Cartwright (Liberty and ASUN-record 8.23 in women’s 60 hurdles) and Warren Barrett (Liberty-record 63-3.5 in men’s shot put) both set new records during a successful Friday at the Liberty Kickoff. They were also among the home team’s eight event champions on the second and final day of the 2022-23 season opener at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
Also winning events for the Flames were Kacy Cox (women’s high jump – 5-4.5), Anthony Bryan (heptathlon – 5,334), Elonzo Burroughs (men’s 300 – 34.37), Quinten Clay (men’s triple jump – 50-1.75), Felix Lawrence (men’s 60 hurdles – 8.09) and Kennedy Sauder (men’s high jump – 6-8.25).
Burroughs’ winning 300 time set a new Liberty freshman record. Meanwhile, Clay won his second event in as many days after claiming the men’s long jump title on Thursday.
Women’s Day 2 Recap
Cartwright arrived at Liberty with impressive credentials, having been a three-time Summit League runner-up and owning a 60 hurdles personal best of 8.40 during her two seasons at Oral Roberts.
The native of Nassau, Bahamas, matched her personal best during Friday’s 60 hurdles prelims, taking down a long-standing Liberty record in the process. The record had stood at 8.47 since Arlene Zelinskas clocked that time on Feb. 18, 2007 at the Big South Championship in Clemson, S.C.
About a half-hour later, Cartwright dominated the women’s 60 hurdles final in 8.23, shattering her own school record and also taking down the ASUN Conference all-time standard. Prior to Friday, the fastest an ASUN 60-meter hurdler had ever run was 8.27, achieved by Jacksonville’s Shanique Walker during the 2014 ASUN Championship.
Finishing second behind Cartwright was another first-year Lady Flame, Jasmine Williams (8.68). The ULM transfer had clocked a personal-best 8.49 during the prelims to rank No. 3 all-time for Liberty, behind only Cartwright and Zelinskas.
The Lady Flames’ other event victory on Friday came in the first field event to wrap up, the women’s high jump. Sophomore Cox took top honors with a third-attempt clearance at 5-4.5, the best mark of her collegiate career to date.
Freshmen Alexa Wenger (women’s 800 – 2:24.15) and Jessica Palisca (women’s 1,000 – 2:56.44) were the top attached finishers in their respective events.
Palisca and Nimeesha Coleman (women’s 300 – 40.91) each posted the No. 8 mark in program history during their races.
Men’s Day 2 Recap
Making his debut as Liberty’s throws coach, Luke Johnson got to oversee a program record. Barrett’s sixth and final shot put attempt measured 63-3.5, winning the competition and eclipsing Kyle Mitchell’s school record of 62-10.5 from the 2020 ASUN Championship on Feb. 28, 2020 at Liberty. Prior to Friday, Barrett’s lifetime best measured 61-2. Only one ASUN Conference men’s shot putter (Kennesaw State’s Tyler Blalock with a 64-1.75 last season) has ever thrown farther indoors.
Competing in his first indoor meet in a Liberty uniform, Kevin Nedrick placed second to Barrett with a shot put effort of 59-6.75 that is tied for fifth in program history.
Burroughs’ first collegiate meet was a good one, as he won the men’s 300 in 34.37 and clocked a 47.93 anchor leg in the 4 x 400 relay. His 300 time was a new Liberty freshman record and ranks No. 5 in program history.
Bryan added more than 300 points to his heptathlon personal best with his winning score of 5,334. He now ranks No. 4 in both Liberty and ASUN Conference history after a strong second day. Bryan won the 60 hurdles (8.29), pole vaulted a solid 14-9 and clocked a personal-best 1,000 time of 3:03.19.
After winning the men’s long jump with a 24-4.25 leap in round one on Thursday, Clay saved his best for last on Friday. His sixth and final triple jump measured 50-1.75. That added more than a foot to his personal best, won the event by almost six feet and ranks No. 5 all-time both at Liberty and in the ASUN Conference.
Following a defeat by Virginia’s Peter Djan in the men’s 60 hurdles prelims, Lawrence recorded a clear victory in the final with his 8.09 clocking.
Competing at home for the first time since his magical 7-4.25 clearance to win the 2022 ASUN indoor title, two-time All-American Kennedy Sauder posted another first-place high jump finish on Friday. His top clearance on the day measured 6-8.25, and Sauder had to survive a lengthy jump-off with teammate Gabriel Willis to come out on top.
Outside of the Flames’ event champions, arguably the team’s top performance of the day came in the men’s 60. First-year Flame Omari Lewis was the event runner-up in a time of 6.78. That ranks the Trinidad and Tobago native No. 5 in program history.
Anders Janes opened his final season in impressive fashion. His 15-11 pole vault clearance was good for second place overall and first among collegiate entrants.
Women’s Day 2 Event Winners
Indea Cartwright – 60 Hurdles – 8.23
Kacy Cox – High Jump – 5-4.5
Men’s Day 2 Event Winners
Warren Barrett – Shot Put – 63-3.5
Anthony Bryan – Heptathlon – 5,334
Elonzo Burroughs – 300 – 34.37
Quinten Clay – Triple Jump – 50-1.75
Felix Lawrence – 60 Hurdles – 8.09
Kennedy Sauder – High Jump – 6-8.25
Women’s Day 2 Record Breakers
ASUN Conference Record – 60 Hurdles – Indea Cartwright – 8.23
Previous Record: 8.27 by Jacksonville’s Shanique Walker at the 2014 ASUN Championship
Liberty Record – 60 Hurdles – Indea Cartwright – 8.23
Previous Record: 8.47 by Arlene Zelinskas at the 2007 Big South Championship (Feb. 18, 2007)
Men’s Day 2 Record Breakers
Liberty Record – Shot Put – Warren Barrett – 63-3.5
Previous Record: 62-10.5 by Kyle Mitchell at the 2020 ASUN Championship (Feb. 28, 2020)
Liberty Freshman Record – 300 – Elonzo Burroughs – 34.37
Previous Record: Unknown
Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List
60 Hurdles – No. 1 – Indea Cartwright – 8.23
60 Hurdles – No. 3 – Jasmine Williams – 8.49
300 – No. 8 – Nimeesha Coleman – 40.91
1,000 – No. 8 – Jessica Palisca – 2:56.44
Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List
Shot Put – No. 1 – Warren Barrett – 63-3.5
Heptathlon – No. 4 – Anthony Bryan – 5,334
60 – No. 5 – Omari Lewis – 6.78
300 – No. 5 – Elonzo Burroughs – 34.37
Triple Jump – No. 5 – Quinten Clay – 50-1.75
Shot Put – Tie for No. 5 – Kevin Nedrick – 59-6.75
Up Next
Tristian Merchant will close out Liberty’s opening weekend of the 2022-23 indoor track & field season on Saturday in Boston. The first-year Flame will compete in the men’s 5K at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center. The first heat of the 5K is scheduled for 6:10 p.m., and the meet will be streamed on FloTrack.
Featured in Main Photo: Indea Cartwright
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