Liberty Sweeps New Balance Indoor Track & Field Championships

The Liberty men\'s and women\'s swept the 2005 New Balance Big South Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships this afternoon at the Rector Fieldhouse in Blacksburg, Va. The men\'s squad won with a total of 190.5 points, while the Lady Flames captured 176.5 points for the Big South Title.

Head Coach Brant Tolsma took home Coach of the Year honors for both the men's and women's, while Danielle McNaney was named the 2005 Big South Indoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

For the women, McNaney placed first in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.65, while Kena Butts finished first in the high jump and Amiee Riley picked-up a first-place finish in the pole vault, jumping 5'4 ¼ and 11'5 ¾.

On the men's side, Liberty swept the distance races as Dane Rabe won the mile race with a time of 4:16.72 and Chris Lyons placed first in the 800 meter run, running 1:54.48. In the 3000 meter run, Josh McDougal placed first with a time of 8:01.73, while Evan Falat won the 5000 meter run in 14:45.19. Finishing out the winners for the Flames was Larry Evans as he jumped 46'9 to win the triple jump.

Women\'s Track Performer of the Year
Jemissa Hess, High Point

Women\'s Field Performer of the Year
Chasity Johnson, Coastal Carolina

Women\'s Coach of the Year
Brant Tolmsa, Liberty

Men\'s Track Performer of the Year
Paulvince Obuon, VMI

Men\'s Field Performer of the Year
Garrett Brickner, VMI

Men\'s Coach of the Year
Brant Tolmsa, Liberty

Women\'s ITF Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Danielle McNaney, Liberty

Women\'s All-Academic:
LaCoya Jones, Charleston Southern
Kim Nemergut, Coastal Carolina
Jemissa Hess, High Point
Danielle McNaney, Liberty
Lauren Diggs, Radford
LaTonya Harris, UNC Asheville
Gabriela Arraiz, Virginia Military Institute
Sarah Wengryniuk, Winthrop

Men\'s ITF Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
Ty Denby, Virginia Military Institute

Men\'s All-Academic:
Allan Batiste, Charleston Southern
Kyle Lounsbury, High Point
Evan Falat, Liberty
Brian Richotte, Radford
Nick Christian, UNC Asheville
Ty Denby, Virginia Military Institute