Friday, December 5
Lynchburg, Va.
11:00 AM ET
Liberty University
vs
Liberty Kickoff
Mahogany Mobley raced to a Liberty-record 38.70 in the women's 300 on Friday.
Flames Close Out Liberty Kickoff with Record-Breaking Friday
12/5/2025 10:38:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Two was the Flames' magic number on Friday, the second and final day of the Liberty Kickoff at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. After competition was delayed two hours due to overnight snowfall, Liberty won two events, broke two program records and set or tied a pair of freshman records.
Joshua Smith (men's triple jump, 51-3.5) and Trevor Veenstra (men's shot put, 59-1.5) were the Flames' event champions.
Smith and Mahogany Mobley (women's 300, 38.70) took down program records, while Shelby Smith (women's 300, 40.22) set a Liberty freshman standard and Chase Johnson (men's pole vault, 16-6.75) equaled one.
Men's Day 2 Recap
After punctuating his junior season with a CUSA outdoor triple jump title in round six, Joshua Smith opened his senior campaign in similarly dramatic fashion. He trailed High Point's Mobughichukwu Nwakor entering the triple jump's final round before unleashing a record-breaking and event-winning 51-3.5 personal best.
Smith bettered the previous Liberty record of 51-0 which had been achieved by Darrel Jones at the 2018 USATF Championship in Albuquerque.
Markus White, who had won the men's long jump title Thursday evening, triple jumped a personal-best 49-2.25 on Friday. That placed third in the competition and ranks No. 7 all-time for the Flames.
Veenstra provided one of the Flames' biggest breakthrough performances of the meet. Seven months after wrapping up his freshman season with a personal best of 54-9.25, Veenstra reached 59-1.5 to win the event by three and a half feet over teammate Christian Hicks (55-8.5), the defending CUSA outdoor men's shot put champion.
Veenstra climbed to No. 8 in program history while leading four Flames among the event's top six. Jordae Edwards (fifth, 53-1.75) and Beau Backes (sixth, 51-2.75) closed out the dominating performance by the Liberty men's shot put crew.
All three Liberty men's pole vaulters sailed over 16 feet on Friday, including Reagan Wise (fifth, 16-6.75), Johnson (sixth, 16-6.75) and Todd Benhase (ninth, 16-0.75).
Johnson's clearance matched Benhase's Liberty freshman record for the event, set at the 2025 CUSA Championship. First-year Flames Wise and Johnson now share seventh place on the Liberty all-time chart.
Simon Lamparelli was Liberty's top men's track performer of the day, finishing as the men's 300 runner-up in 33.87 (No. 4 in program history). Freshman teammate Isaac Yarnell also joined the Liberty top 10 list for the first time at No. 8 with his 34.68 clocking for sixth place.
Dale Hall paced the Flames' quartet of men's 1,000 competitors in 2:27.32, taking third in the race and eighth in program history.
Newcomer Patrick Adams III came in fourth in the men's 60 hurdles final with an 8.19 clocking.
Jake Nicholson posted 4,930 points during his Liberty heptathlon debut, coming in eighth in Group A. He finished off his competition with a stellar 2:44.28 1,000.
Women's Day 2 Recap
The Lady Flames rewrote the program's women's 300 record book on Friday, led by Mobley's program-record 38.70 for fourth place. The previous mark of 38.94 had been held by Cortney Strohman since the Liberty Flames Invite on Feb. 1, 2020.
Also joining Liberty's top 10 list were Maddy Merritt (No. 3, 39.17), Marianah Scott (No. 6, 40.03), Iyana Sherard (No. 7, 40.09) and Shelby Smith (No. 9, 40.22). Smith's first collegiate race resulted in a Liberty freshman record.
Earlier in the afternoon, Scott had finished a team-best fifth in the women's 60 final in a personal-best 7.64 (No. 10 all-time at Liberty).
Merritt, Sherard, Smith and Mobley later teamed up for second place in the women's 4 x 400 relay with a time of 3:51.62.
Alivia Rivera-Norman was another Liberty freshman who got her career off to an encouraging start. After leading all qualifiers to the women's 60 hurdles final, she ran 8.69 for third place in the race and the No. 10 spot on the Lady Flames' all-time list.
In her first competition since winning the CUSA outdoor women's shot put title, Bethany Tate heaved an indoor personal-best 48-0 for the runner-up spot in Friday's event and No. 6 all-time for the Lady Flames.
Liberty boasted two of Friday's top five women's triple jumpers, including Stephanie Robson (second, 38-8.25) and freshman Mackenzie Boggess (fifth, 38-4.25).
Men's Day 2 Event Winners
Joshua Smith – Triple Jump – 51-3.5
Trevor Veenstra – Shot Put – 59-1.5
Other Men's Day 2 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Christian Hicks – Shot Put – 55-8.5
2nd – Simon Lamparelli – 300 – 33.87
3rd – Dale Hall – 1,000 – 2:27.32
3rd – Markus White – Triple Jump – 49-2.25
Women's Day 2 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Stephanie Robson – Triple Jump – 38-8.25
2nd – Bethany Tate – Shot Put – 48-0
2nd – Maddy Merritt, Iyana Sherard, Shelby Smith, Mahogany Mobley – 4 x 400 – 3:51.62
3rd – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 60 Hurdles – 8.69
Men's Day 2 Record Breakers
Program Record – Joshua Smith – Triple Jump – 51-3.5
Previous Record: 51-0 by Darrel Jones at the USATF Championship on Feb. 18, 2018
Tied Liberty Freshman Record – Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 16-6.75
Shared Record: 16-6.75 by Todd Benhase at the CUSA Championship on Feb. 28, 2025
Women's Day 2 Record Breakers
Program Record – Mahogany Mobley – 300 – 38.70
Previous Record: 38.94 by Cortney Strohman at the Liberty Flames Invite on Feb. 1, 2020
Freshman Record – Shelby Smith – 300 – 40.22
Previous Record: Unknown
Day 2 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 51-3.5
No. 4 – 300 – Simon Lamparelli – 33.87
No. 7 – Triple Jump – Markus White – 49-2.25
Tie for No. 7 – Pole Vault – Chase Johnson – 16-6.75
Tie for No. 7 – Pole Vault – Reagan Wise – 16-6.75
No. 8 – 300 – Isaac Yarnell – 34.68
No. 8 – 1,000 – Dale Hall – 2:27.32
No. 8 – Shot Put – Trevor Veenstra – 59-1.5
Day 2 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 300 – Mahogany Mobley – 38.70
No. 3 – 300 – Maddy Merritt – 39.17
No. 6 – 300 – Marianah Scott – 40.03
No. 6 – Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 48-0
No. 7 – 300 – Iyana Sherard – 40.09
No. 9 – 300 – Shelby Smith – 40.22
No. 10 – 60 – Marianah Scott – 7.64
No. 10 – 60 Hurdles – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.69
Up Next
A trio of Liberty distance runners (Jack Cottrell, Michael Long and Allie Zealand) will race in the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, Saturday at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center. Long will be first up for the Flames in the men's mile at 12:20 p.m., and all races will air on FloTrack.
Joshua Smith (men's triple jump, 51-3.5) and Trevor Veenstra (men's shot put, 59-1.5) were the Flames' event champions.
Smith and Mahogany Mobley (women's 300, 38.70) took down program records, while Shelby Smith (women's 300, 40.22) set a Liberty freshman standard and Chase Johnson (men's pole vault, 16-6.75) equaled one.
Men's Day 2 Recap
After punctuating his junior season with a CUSA outdoor triple jump title in round six, Joshua Smith opened his senior campaign in similarly dramatic fashion. He trailed High Point's Mobughichukwu Nwakor entering the triple jump's final round before unleashing a record-breaking and event-winning 51-3.5 personal best.
Smith bettered the previous Liberty record of 51-0 which had been achieved by Darrel Jones at the 2018 USATF Championship in Albuquerque.
Markus White, who had won the men's long jump title Thursday evening, triple jumped a personal-best 49-2.25 on Friday. That placed third in the competition and ranks No. 7 all-time for the Flames.
Veenstra provided one of the Flames' biggest breakthrough performances of the meet. Seven months after wrapping up his freshman season with a personal best of 54-9.25, Veenstra reached 59-1.5 to win the event by three and a half feet over teammate Christian Hicks (55-8.5), the defending CUSA outdoor men's shot put champion.
Veenstra climbed to No. 8 in program history while leading four Flames among the event's top six. Jordae Edwards (fifth, 53-1.75) and Beau Backes (sixth, 51-2.75) closed out the dominating performance by the Liberty men's shot put crew.
All three Liberty men's pole vaulters sailed over 16 feet on Friday, including Reagan Wise (fifth, 16-6.75), Johnson (sixth, 16-6.75) and Todd Benhase (ninth, 16-0.75).
Johnson's clearance matched Benhase's Liberty freshman record for the event, set at the 2025 CUSA Championship. First-year Flames Wise and Johnson now share seventh place on the Liberty all-time chart.
Simon Lamparelli was Liberty's top men's track performer of the day, finishing as the men's 300 runner-up in 33.87 (No. 4 in program history). Freshman teammate Isaac Yarnell also joined the Liberty top 10 list for the first time at No. 8 with his 34.68 clocking for sixth place.
Dale Hall paced the Flames' quartet of men's 1,000 competitors in 2:27.32, taking third in the race and eighth in program history.
Newcomer Patrick Adams III came in fourth in the men's 60 hurdles final with an 8.19 clocking.
Jake Nicholson posted 4,930 points during his Liberty heptathlon debut, coming in eighth in Group A. He finished off his competition with a stellar 2:44.28 1,000.
Women's Day 2 Recap
The Lady Flames rewrote the program's women's 300 record book on Friday, led by Mobley's program-record 38.70 for fourth place. The previous mark of 38.94 had been held by Cortney Strohman since the Liberty Flames Invite on Feb. 1, 2020.
Also joining Liberty's top 10 list were Maddy Merritt (No. 3, 39.17), Marianah Scott (No. 6, 40.03), Iyana Sherard (No. 7, 40.09) and Shelby Smith (No. 9, 40.22). Smith's first collegiate race resulted in a Liberty freshman record.
Earlier in the afternoon, Scott had finished a team-best fifth in the women's 60 final in a personal-best 7.64 (No. 10 all-time at Liberty).
Merritt, Sherard, Smith and Mobley later teamed up for second place in the women's 4 x 400 relay with a time of 3:51.62.
Alivia Rivera-Norman was another Liberty freshman who got her career off to an encouraging start. After leading all qualifiers to the women's 60 hurdles final, she ran 8.69 for third place in the race and the No. 10 spot on the Lady Flames' all-time list.
In her first competition since winning the CUSA outdoor women's shot put title, Bethany Tate heaved an indoor personal-best 48-0 for the runner-up spot in Friday's event and No. 6 all-time for the Lady Flames.
Liberty boasted two of Friday's top five women's triple jumpers, including Stephanie Robson (second, 38-8.25) and freshman Mackenzie Boggess (fifth, 38-4.25).
Men's Day 2 Event Winners
Joshua Smith – Triple Jump – 51-3.5
Trevor Veenstra – Shot Put – 59-1.5
Other Men's Day 2 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Christian Hicks – Shot Put – 55-8.5
2nd – Simon Lamparelli – 300 – 33.87
3rd – Dale Hall – 1,000 – 2:27.32
3rd – Markus White – Triple Jump – 49-2.25
Women's Day 2 Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Stephanie Robson – Triple Jump – 38-8.25
2nd – Bethany Tate – Shot Put – 48-0
2nd – Maddy Merritt, Iyana Sherard, Shelby Smith, Mahogany Mobley – 4 x 400 – 3:51.62
3rd – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 60 Hurdles – 8.69
Men's Day 2 Record Breakers
Program Record – Joshua Smith – Triple Jump – 51-3.5
Previous Record: 51-0 by Darrel Jones at the USATF Championship on Feb. 18, 2018
Tied Liberty Freshman Record – Chase Johnson – Pole Vault – 16-6.75
Shared Record: 16-6.75 by Todd Benhase at the CUSA Championship on Feb. 28, 2025
Women's Day 2 Record Breakers
Program Record – Mahogany Mobley – 300 – 38.70
Previous Record: 38.94 by Cortney Strohman at the Liberty Flames Invite on Feb. 1, 2020
Freshman Record – Shelby Smith – 300 – 40.22
Previous Record: Unknown
Day 2 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – Triple Jump – Joshua Smith – 51-3.5
No. 4 – 300 – Simon Lamparelli – 33.87
No. 7 – Triple Jump – Markus White – 49-2.25
Tie for No. 7 – Pole Vault – Chase Johnson – 16-6.75
Tie for No. 7 – Pole Vault – Reagan Wise – 16-6.75
No. 8 – 300 – Isaac Yarnell – 34.68
No. 8 – 1,000 – Dale Hall – 2:27.32
No. 8 – Shot Put – Trevor Veenstra – 59-1.5
Day 2 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 1 – 300 – Mahogany Mobley – 38.70
No. 3 – 300 – Maddy Merritt – 39.17
No. 6 – 300 – Marianah Scott – 40.03
No. 6 – Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 48-0
No. 7 – 300 – Iyana Sherard – 40.09
No. 9 – 300 – Shelby Smith – 40.22
No. 10 – 60 – Marianah Scott – 7.64
No. 10 – 60 Hurdles – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.69
Up Next
A trio of Liberty distance runners (Jack Cottrell, Michael Long and Allie Zealand) will race in the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, Saturday at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center. Long will be first up for the Flames in the men's mile at 12:20 p.m., and all races will air on FloTrack.
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