Brooks Returns to NCAA 100 Quarterfinals with Record-Breaking 11.29 Clocking
Liberty redshirt senior Isis Brooks advanced to the quarterfinal round of the women’s 100 with a program and ASUN-record 11.29 clocking, highlighting the first day of women’s events at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet. Fellow senior Taylen Langin also punctuated her career with an impressive 16th-place finish in the women’s pole vault, Thursday at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium.
Brooks’ 11.29 clocking was wind-legal (+1.9 m/s tailwind) and placed her fifth in her heat and 20th overall in the event. As a result, the ASUN champion will race in the NCAA women’s 100 quarterfinals for the second year in a row, Saturday at 6:35 p.m., with a trip to Austin on the line.
Brooks took down her own Liberty and ASUN Conference records, which were both set when she raced to the 2022 ASUN 100 title in 11.35 seconds.
Brooks nearly earned the right to race twice on Saturday. Her time of 23.25 in the first round of the women’s 200 earned fifth place in her heat and 25th overall. That left Brooks just one spot and two hundredths of a second away from reaching the 200 quarterfinals as well.
Two weeks after winning her third straight ASUN women’s pole vault title in Jacksonville, Langin returned to the same facility to seek her first NCAA national qualification. She battled crosswinds throughout the 2.5-hour competition, clearing 12-6.25 (second attempt), 13-0.25 (first attempt) and 13-6.25 (third attempt).
One of only 16 vaulters in the 48-member field to make it over 13-6.25, Langin then had a couple near misses at 13-10, which would have broken her own ASUN all-time record and punched her ticket to Austin. In the end, Langin was left out of the East Region’s group of 12 national qualifiers on misses.
Langin wraps up her time as a Lady Flame as a four-time ASUN pole vault champion (three outdoor, one indoor), the ASUN outdoor pole vault record holder (13-9.25) and one of three Lady Flames (also Mychelle Cumings and Naomi Mojica) ever to qualify for the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet four times.
Paola Bueno competed in the morning’s opening event, the women’s hammer. The first-year Lady Flame from Mexico reached 194-10 on her third and final attempt. That mark was good for 20th place overall, including second among freshmen.
After qualifying for this meet in 2021 and being unable to compete due to injury, Kali Grayson made her long-anticipated NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round debut on Thursday. She posted a mark of 133-5 for 44th place.
Adelyn Ackley-Fairley closed out Liberty’s night by racing in the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round women’s 10K for the second year in a row. She ended up 38th with a time of 35:34.12.
Women’s Day 2 Record Breakers
Liberty and ASUN Conference Record – 100 – Isis Brooks – 11.29
Previous Record: 11.35 by Brooks in the 2022 ASUN Championship final on May 14, 2022
Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List
100 – No. 1 – Isis Brooks – 11.29
Up Next
Friday will mark the final day of men’s competition, with a trio of Flames (Desmond Coleman, Christian Hicks and Kevin Nedrick) entered in the first event (men’s discus at 1 p.m.)
Featured in Main Photo: Isis Brooks
