Sauder Wins High Jump & Kipchirchir Breaks 800 Record, Saturday at Clemson

Liberty’s final day at the Bob Pollock Invitational featured one event victory (Kennedy Sauder – men’s high jump – 7-1.75) and one program record (Ally Kipchirchir – men’s 800 – 1:49.18), Saturday at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Complex.

Men’s Day 2 Recap

Entering the weekend, All-American Sauder owned a high jump season-best clearance of “only” (by his lofty standards) 6-10.75. On Saturday, he bumped his season best up to 7-1.75, outdueling Mississippi State’s Tony Jones on misses for Sauder’s second victory of the year. The impressive mark is currently tied for 10^th in the NCAA this season.

Kipchirchir’s first race of the season was an outstanding one. He clocked 1:49.18 for fifth place in the men’s 800, improving his own program record of 1:49.19 set at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational on Feb. 11, 2022.

Prior to Kipchirchir’s arrival on campus, the Liberty indoor men’s 800 record had stood since 1992. He has now lowered it four times during the last three seasons.

Competing in his first 800 as a sophomore, Isaiah Schulties clocked a solid time of 1:52.20 to place 14^th overall in the event.

Warren Barrett had won his first three shot put competitions of the season before being defeated by Cincinnati’s Fred Moudani on Saturday. Barrett claimed the runner-up position at 61-5.5 with teammate Kevin Nedrick right behind him in third (season-best 61-5).

Tristian Merchant ran a personal-best 8:04.97 3K for seventh in the race and fifth in program history. Fellow Flames Jack Cottrell (8:23.28) and Kyle Harkabus (8:24.51) also achieved personal bests in subsequent heats.

Donald McClinton’s season-best 21.49 200 moved him up to No. 7 on Liberty’s all-time chart and was good for 10^th place in the competition.

Anders Janes (sixth place, season-best 16-1.25) was the best of the Flames’ pole vaulters, while freshman Joshua Smith (seventh, 48-4) paced Liberty’s triple jump trio.

Women’s Day 2 Recap

Returning to the scene of her Liberty-record 42-8 triple jump from the 2021 Bob Pollock Invitational, Makenzy Mizera fared well once again. She saved her best triple jump for last, reaching a big season-best 41-3.75 on her sixth and final attempt to claim runner-up honors.

A day after racing to a big personal-best 4:39.91 mile, Calli Doan led Liberty’s women’s 800 crew. She placed 13^th in the event in 2:11.08.

Doan was one of five Lady Flames to break 2:15, also including freshman Jessica Palisca (personal-best 2:12.23), Marie Hostetler (personal-best 2:12.76), Naomi Armstrong (2:13.71) and Anna Hostetler (personal-best 2:14.34). Palisca, Hostetler and Hostetler now rank No. 8, 9 and 10, respectively, in program history after pushing their coach (Heather (Sagan) Zealand) outside the top 10.

Focusing on individual events this weekend, Meredith Engle added a foot to her shot put best (41-10.75) after high jumping 5-5 earlier in the session.

Rounding out the Lady Flames’ meet on the track, all three 200 runners set new season bests in the one-lap event, including Jasmine Williams (25.30), Nimeesha Coleman (25.52) and Emily Coates (25.78).

Men’s Day 2 Event Winners

Kennedy Sauder – High Jump – 7-1.75

Men’s Day 2 Record Breakers

Liberty Record – 800 – Ally Kipchirchir – 1:49.18

Previous Record: 1:49.19 by Kipchirchir at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational on Feb. 11, 2022

Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Men’s Top 10 List

800 – No. 1 – Ally Kipchirchir – 1:49.18

Shot Put – No. 4 – Kevin Nedrick – 61-5

3K – No. 5 – Tristian Merchant – 8:04.97

200 – No. 7 – Donald McClinton – 21.49

Day 2 Updates to Liberty’s All-Time Women’s Top 10 List

800 – No. 8 – Jessica Palisca – 2:12.23

800 – No. 9 – Marie Hostetler – 2:12.76

800 – No. 10 – Anna Hostetler – 2:14.34

Up Next

The Flames will return to Lynchburg for the Liberty Open, their first of three February home meets. The one-day event is slated for Feb. 4 at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

Featured in Main Photo: Kennedy Sauder