Bryan’s Liberty Freshman Record Headlines Brant Tolsma Invite Day 1

On a Thursday full of impressive multi-event performances, Liberty’s Patasha Bryan shattered her own Liberty freshman pentathlon record with a third-place score of 3,865. Teammate Meredith Engle finished just in front of her in second with 3,891 tallies on the opening day of the third annual Brant Tolsma Invitational, contested at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

Pentathlon Recap

Bryan, who had previously set the Liberty freshman standard at 3,619 during the season-opening Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 1, was stellar from start to finish. The redshirt freshman recorded personal bests in three of five events (9.09 60 hurdles, 5-5.75 high jump and 2:20.10 800) and also long jumped a season-best 17-5.5.

Bryan catapulted to No. 4 in program history, trailing only Kylie Polsgrove, Engle and Arlene Zelinskas. She also sits just six points outside the ASUN Conference’s all-time top five pentathletes.

Engle was the pentathlon’s top collegiate finisher, claiming runner-up honors with her score of 3,891 that bettered the existing meet record of 3,872. She bookended her day with a season-best 8.92 in the 60 hurdles and a 2:20.48 800, while also high jumping an impressive 5-7.

Former Texas A&M All-American Shaina Burns claimed the gold medal with a facility and meet-record score of 4,324 which ranks No. 1 in the world this season. She equaled the facility record for the pentathlon 60 hurdles with an 8.57 clocking, sending her on the way.

Lucy Walliker of Queens eclipsed the facility pentathlon high jump record with a 5-10.5 clearance which also ranks as the best mark in ASUN Conference history.

Heptathlon Day 1 Recap

Bryan’s older brother Anthony Bryan ranks second overall and first among collegiate entrants in the heptathlon standings with 2,921 points through four events. Bryan won both the 60 (personal best-equaling 7.09) and shot put (personal-best 43-11.25) on Thursday.

Teammates Daniel Van Duren (2,751) and Cole Peterlin (2,736) rank fifth and sixth, respectively. For Peterlin, it marked his season debut after he played wide receiver for the Liberty football team during the fall.

Women’s Day 1 Record Breakers

Liberty Freshman Record – Pentathlon – Patasha Bryan – 3,865

Previous Record: 3,619 by Bryan at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 1, 2022

Day 1 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List

Pentathlon – No. 4 – Patasha Bryan – 3,865

Up Next

The Brant Tolsma Invitational will resume Friday at noon with the heptathlon 60 hurdles.

Featured in Main Photo: Patasha Bryan (center) and Meredith Engle (right)