(L-R): Joshua Smith, Chase Johnson, Allie Zealand, Alivia Rivera-Norman
Smith, Johnson, Zealand, Rivera-Norman Earn CUSA Weekly Awards
12/9/2025 2:03:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Four of Liberty's top performers from the opening weekend of the 2025-26 indoor track & field season collected CUSA weekly honors on Tuesday. The Flames' honorees included Joshua Smith (Men's Field Athlete of the Week), Chase Johnson (Men's Freshman of the Week), Allie Zealand (Women's Track Athlete of the Week) and Alivia Rivera-Norman (Women's Freshman of the Week).
A senior from South Fulton, Ga., Smith is now a three-time CUSA Men's Field Athlete of the Week for his career. He won the Liberty Kickoff men's triple jump in dramatic fashion on Friday, reaching 51-3.5 on his sixth and final attempt. That effort broke Darrel Jones' program record of 51-0 that had stood since 2018 and ranks No. 3 nationally this season.
Johnson, who hails from Flower Mound, Texas, made a successful collegiate debut at the Liberty Kickoff on Friday. He cleared 16-6.75 to place sixth overall (fourth among collegiate entries) in a loaded men's pole vault competition. Johnson tied teammate Todd Benhase's Liberty freshman record and is currently tied for No. 14 nationally (tied for first among freshmen).
A Forest, Va., native, Zealand got her sophomore indoor track & field season off to a sensational start on Saturday, two weeks after earning All-America honors in cross country. She placed third in the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener women's 3K invitational section in 8:44.71. That time shattered her own program record of 9:07.33 and ranks No. 10 in collegiate history.
A native of Odessa, Texas, Rivera-Norman was the fastest qualifier (8.74) to Friday's Liberty Kickoff women's 60 hurdles final. She then improved to 8.69 in the final for a third-place finish (first among freshmen). Rivera-Norman's time ranks No. 10 in program history and No. 2 in CUSA this season.
Liberty will take a break from competition for Christmas and New Year's before returning to action at The Burg Open on Jan. 9. Hosted by the University of Lynchburg, the one-day meet will take place at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
A senior from South Fulton, Ga., Smith is now a three-time CUSA Men's Field Athlete of the Week for his career. He won the Liberty Kickoff men's triple jump in dramatic fashion on Friday, reaching 51-3.5 on his sixth and final attempt. That effort broke Darrel Jones' program record of 51-0 that had stood since 2018 and ranks No. 3 nationally this season.
Johnson, who hails from Flower Mound, Texas, made a successful collegiate debut at the Liberty Kickoff on Friday. He cleared 16-6.75 to place sixth overall (fourth among collegiate entries) in a loaded men's pole vault competition. Johnson tied teammate Todd Benhase's Liberty freshman record and is currently tied for No. 14 nationally (tied for first among freshmen).
A Forest, Va., native, Zealand got her sophomore indoor track & field season off to a sensational start on Saturday, two weeks after earning All-America honors in cross country. She placed third in the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener women's 3K invitational section in 8:44.71. That time shattered her own program record of 9:07.33 and ranks No. 10 in collegiate history.
A native of Odessa, Texas, Rivera-Norman was the fastest qualifier (8.74) to Friday's Liberty Kickoff women's 60 hurdles final. She then improved to 8.69 in the final for a third-place finish (first among freshmen). Rivera-Norman's time ranks No. 10 in program history and No. 2 in CUSA this season.
Liberty will take a break from competition for Christmas and New Year's before returning to action at The Burg Open on Jan. 9. Hosted by the University of Lynchburg, the one-day meet will take place at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
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Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Mid-Distance
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