Lynchburg Sports Hall of Fame
On the final day of the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championship, Sam Llaneza came in first place and secured the championship trophy. His title was the first outdoor national title for Lynchburg since Safwan Williams in 2000. The race got off to a slow start as no competitor took a definitive lead, allowing Llaneza to confidently take the front. The group came through the first 300 in a pedestrian pace of 47.7, playing right into the hands of Llaneza who was amongst the best of the 800-meter runners in the field. Llaneza led the entire race, holding the lead position for 3:51.05. He ran away from the field in the final 400m with a time of 55.33, outstretched his arms before crossing the finish line, and kissed the red and white ribbon on his singlet he wore in memory of his late teammate Frank Csorba, who passed away unexpectedly in April. Llaneza, along with four other Hornets, earned All-American honors for their performance during the season. Llaneza's All-American mention was his ninth such award, which is one less than the school record of 10 held by James Goss. He also was a key member of the 2023 Cross Country team that placed an ODAC record ninth overall in the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.
