LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Radford Track & Field program opened its 2022-23 indoor season at Liberty University with a record breaking day at the Liberty Kickoff. This is the only meet that the Highlanders will compete in before the end of the year; the two-day event served as a tune-up for the heart of the season following the holiday break.
 
The Highlanders showed signs of a promising season ahead with seven different Highlanders etching their name in the program's record book thanks to eight different standout performances. Radford's efforts were highlighted by a strong individual display from Elyssia Fisher. The freshman placed third in the long jump with a distance of 5.36 meters, good enough for tenth all-time in program history. She also paced the Highlanders in the 300-meter dash, finishing second with a time of 40.83 seconds. That time puts her at second all-time in the team's record book.
 
The duo of Raichelle Cornelius and Breauna Lane also finished in the top five of the 300-meter dash as they posted times of 40.82 and 42.01, respectively. Those times were quick enough to put them in third and fourth in the historical archives.

Fisher, Cornelius, Lane and Julia Burkley teamed up to run the tenth-fastest 4x400-meter relay race in school history. The quartet finished in third place, posting a time of 3:55.682.
 
Parker Goldstein finished second in the high jump, recording a height of 1.59 meters. She now rounds out the program's all-time top ten in just her first collegiate indoor meet.
 
Dezmajia Carter also had an impressive start to her collegiate career. In the freshman's season opener, she posted the seventh-best triple jump score in program history with a distance of 11.22 meters to place fourth. She also finished in fourth position in the long jump with a distance of 5.25 meters.
 
Brianna Krug placed fourth in the 500-meter event with a time of 1:19.68 as she becomes the fourth-fastest Highlander to complete the race in the history of the program.
 
OTHER HIGHLANDERS IN ACTION:

• Austin Swallow opened the action on Friday with a sixth-place effort in the weight throw. She finished with a distance of 10.83 meters. 
• Kandace McIvor also opened her collegiate career by competing in the pentathlon Friday. The freshman rounded out the top ten with 2,144 points.
• Johniece Jones set personal record in the pentathlon as she tallied 2,526 points.
• The freshman duo of Sela Beatty and Jaslyne Robinson both qualified for the finals of their respective events in their first indoor meet at the collegiate level. Beatty finished fourth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.00 seconds while Robinson's 60-meter hurdle time of 9.26 seconds was quick enough for seventh place.
• Sophie Crawford paced the Highlanders in the mile, crossing the line with a time of 5:32.37 to place third. Haley Goldin's time of 5:53.72 was good enough for eighth place.
• Burkley and Jordan Jackson combined to round out a dominant day for the Highlanders in the 300-meter dash. Burkley crossed the line in sixth with a time of 42.09 seconds while Jackson was right behind her with a time of 42.40 seconds.
• Beatty earned a top-ten finish in the 200-meter dash as she posted a time of 26.89 seconds to place ninth.
• Reagan Patterson and Katelyn Lafon accompanied each other to the end of the 800-meter race with times of 2:28.54 and 2:30.18 to finish in the fifth and sixth positions.
• Radford closed out the day with a 4x400-meter relay performance from Robinson, Patterson, Jackson and Krug. The squad finished the race in sixth place with a time of 4:10.615.

QUOTABLE
Head coach Shelli Sayers couldn't have asked for much more from her team in the season opener. A dazzling performance from the freshmen help point to a bright future and successful season for the Highlanders.

"This team took a huge step forward compared to this time last season. The freshmen were simply outstanding in their first meet," she said.

"To be at our best or setting personal records this early in the season is impressive. We still have a lot of room to improve, so we are excited for what will come."

UP NEXT
The Highlanders will return to action at the Tolsma Invite on Jan. 20-21 to open the 2023 slate.

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