Friday, February 28
Lynchburg, Va.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
vs
Conference USA Indoor Track Championships
Brendan Pitcher has won back-to-back conference titles in the indoor men's 800.
Liberty to Host CUSA Indoor Track Championships, Friday and Saturday
2/26/2025 1:08:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty is preparing to host the Conference USA Indoor Track & Field Championships for the second year in a row, Friday and Saturday at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
The Liberty men's squad will attempt to claim its 28th straight indoor conference championship, following 21 consecutive Big South titles (1998-2018), five ASUN titles in a row (2019-23) and the 2024 CUSA crown. Meanwhile, the Lady Flames will aim for their fourth consecutive indoor conference title, after Liberty captured back-to-back ASUN crowns in 2022 and 2023 and its first CUSA championship in 2024.
The meet will begin Friday at 10 a.m. with the pentathlon 60-meter hurdles. Saturday's action will commence at 10:30 a.m. with the heptathlon 60-meter hurdles.
Liberty will host its conference's indoor track & field championship for the eighth consecutive year, spanning three leagues (Big South – 2018, ASUN – 2019-23 and CUSA – 2024-25).
Liberty hopes its home track advantage continues this weekend. The Flames and Lady Flames have won 29 of a possible 30 conference men's and women's indoor and outdoor team titles in Lynchburg. The lone setback came on the women's side at the 2021 ASUN Indoor Track & Field Championships, when Kennesaw State edged the Lady Flames by five points.
This year's meet will feature 10 women's teams (FIU, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP and Western Kentucky) and seven men's squads (Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Sam Houston, UTEP and Western Kentucky). Kennesaw State's addition is the only change to the conference's membership from 2024.
The meet will be missing a familiar face in former WKU head coach Brent Chumbley, who passed away suddenly in January.
How to Follow the Action
Admission is free of charge to both days of the 2025 CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Live video streaming will be available on ESPN+. The live broadcast windows include Friday from 3-8 p.m. and Saturday from 2-6 p.m.
Live results will be available throughout the meet, featuring live splits in the running events and throw-by-throw and jump-by-jump updates in the field events, courtesy of Blue Ridge Timing.
Women's Meet Preview
A year ago, the Lady Flames posted a 70-point triumph (169-99) over runner-up UTEP, marking the largest women's margin of victory in meet history. The Lady Flames became the first CUSA newcomer ever to hoist the team championship trophy in their first season as conference members, capturing Liberty's 18th indoor conference title in the last 27 years.
Liberty expects a stiffer challenge this week as it attempts to become the first CUSA women's squad to win back-to-back indoor titles since Southern Miss in 2021 and 2022.
UTEP is currently ranked No. 28 nationally, led by standout individuals Niesha Burgher and Marissa Simpson. Meanwhile, Kennesaw State appears ready to resume its rivalry with Liberty following its ASUN championship in 2024.
The Lady Flames own CUSA's top performance in the following five events this season: mile (Allie Zealand), 3K (Zealand), 5K (Adelyn Fairley), pentathlon (Meredith Engle) and distance medley relay.
Four Lady Flames are back to defend their CUSA titles from 2024, including Reese Webster (60), Kate Goodyear (800), Patasha Bryan (pentathlon) and Fairley (5K). Meanwhile, all four legs return from Liberty's victorious distance medley relay, including Goodyear, Maddy Merritt, Jessica Palisca and Marie Hostetler.
Engle enters the week ranked No. 16 nationally in the pentathlon, thanks to her program-record score of 4,131 from the Penn State National Open. The top 16 athletes in each event following this week's meets will be invited to compete in the 2025 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, slated for March 14-15 in Virginia Beach, Va.
Men's Meet Preview
The Liberty men's indoor track & field team has never lost a conference meet at the NCAA Division I level, going 27 for 27 in claiming the team championship trophy. The Flames captured the team title at each of the 21 editions of the Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships they competed in (1998-2018), won five straight ASUN indoor crowns (2019-23) and hoisted the 2024 CUSA trophy, extending the longest active championship streak in NCAA Division I men's indoor track & field.
During its inaugural CUSA appearance, Liberty finished 78 points (215.5-137.5) clear of second-place Sam Houston for the largest margin of victory at this meet in 20 years.
This time around, the Flames expect a serious challenge from conference newcomer Kennesaw State. The Owls finished second to the Flames during all five seasons the teams competed against one another in the ASUN Conference (2019-23). Kennesaw State then rolled to a 97.5-point ASUN victory in Liberty's absence a year ago.
Uncharacteristically, the Flames own CUSA's top mark of 2025 in only two events, including the weight throw (Kellen Kimes) and heptathlon (Gabriel Willis). By way of comparison, Liberty won 10 of 17 men's events at this meet in 2024.
Five CUSA individual event champions will look to repeat for the Flames in 2025, including Omari Lewis (60), Brendan Pitcher (800), Kyle Harkabus (mile), Edwin Kiprop (3K) and Joshua Smith (triple jump). Lewis, Pitcher and Smith had all previously won ASUN titles in the same events in 2023 as well. Pitcher and Harkabus bookended Liberty's CUSA-winning distance medley relay squad a year ago.
Event Capsules
Women's 60-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 5:10 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:10 p.m.
Defending Champion: Reese Webster (Liberty) – 7.32
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Webster
Meet Record: 7.18 by Blessing Okagbare (UTEP) in 2010
Facility Record: 7.16 by Dana Wilson (Nike Elite) in 2025
Liberty Record: 7.30 by Reese Webster in 2025
2025 Leader: Niesha Burgher (UTEP) – 7.24 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Reese Webster – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Reese Webster
Outlook: Liberty's Reese Webster raced to the CUSA women's 60 title a year ago and will attempt to become the first CUSA athlete to go back-to-back in this event since Middle Tennessee's Cecilia Francis in 2020 and 2021. No Lady Flame has ever won consecutive 60 dash titles in any conference. Webster lowered her program record to 7.30 at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational two weeks ago, where she won her sixth 60-meter final in seven attempts at the distance over the past two seasons. Webster is looking up at UTEP's Niesha Burgher (7.24) on the CUSA performance list. After placing second to Webster in last year's CUSA indoor 60 final, Burgher returned the favor in the outdoor 100 last year. Burgher will shoot for UTEP's first CUSA women's 60 crown since 2010 (Blessing Okagbare). Both Webster and Burgher will enter the week with an eye on the NCAA performance list, with 7.22 currently representing the time needed to have a shot at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. Kennesaw State's Kenadie Singleton also bears watching. The 2024 ASUN runner-up in this event clocked a program-record 7.44 at Clemson earlier this season. Louisiana Tech's Ulanda Lewis was the 2023 CUSA champion at 60 meters but has only raced once so far this year, clocking 7.54.
Women's 200-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 6:15 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
Defending Champion: Niesha Burgher (UTEP) – 22.97 (Second in a row)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Burgher
Meet Record: 22.91 by Aurieyall Scott (UCF) in 2013
Facility Record: 22.96 by Dana Wilson (Nike Elite) in 2025
Liberty Record: 23.27 by Reese Webster in 2024
2025 Leader: Niesha Burgher (UTEP) – 22.46 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Reese Webster
Outlook: UTEP's Niesha Burgher is the headliner at 200 meters. The two-time defending conference champion enters the week ranked No. 2 nationally at 22.46. Burgher, who placed 10th at both the 2024 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships in this event, is favored to become the first woman in CUSA history to claim three consecutive indoor 200-meter crowns. She will also take aim at both the facility (22.96) and meet records (22.91). Reese Webster of Liberty finished second to Burgher in both the CUSA indoor and outdoor 200-meter finals in 2024. She is the No. 2 seed this year at 23.37 but may need to improve upon her own program record (23.27) to hold off Burgher's UTEP teammates Rejoice Sule (23.41 season best), Addison Stricklin (23.86) and 60 hurdles star Marissa Simpson (23.95).
Women's 400-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 4:30 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:55 p.m.
Defending Champion: Jackeria Woodkins (Sam Houston) – 54.38
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Princess Uche (UTEP) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 52.77 by Abike Egbeniyi (Middle Tennessee) in 2018
Facility Record: 52.55 by Athing Mu (Unattached) in 2019
Liberty Record: 53.99 by Cortney Strohman in 2019
2025 Leader: Princess Uche (UTEP) – 53.87 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: None
Outlook: Three sophomores from Nigeria are among the top contenders for the women's 400 title. UTEP's Princess Uche is the top returnee from last year (second place) and owns CUSA's fastest time of 2025 thus far, 53.87. At the 2024 CUSA outdoor meet, Louisiana Tech's Osaretin Usenbor and Jax State's Chidinma Margaret Agu finished 1-2, just ahead of countrywoman Uche in third. Agu (53.90) joins Uche as the only CUSA runners to break 54 seconds this year, and Agu was the Liberty Kickoff 400 champion on this track back in December. The Lady Flames will not enter anyone in this event for the second year in a row.
Women's 800-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 5:45 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Kate (Locker) Goodyear (Liberty) – 2:06.99
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Goodyear
Meet Record: 2:06.99 by Kate (Locker) Goodyear (Liberty) in 2024
Facility Record: 2:03.73 by Sarah Hendrick (Kennesaw State) in 2021
Liberty Record: 2:05.42 by Jaime Watson in 2010
2025 Leader: Emma Sullivan (Kennesaw State) – 2:05.15
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Kate Locker Goodyear – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Kate Goodyear, Allie Zealand, Jessica Palisca
Outlook: Then known as Katelyn Locker, Liberty's Kate Goodyear won both the CUSA indoor and outdoor 800 titles comfortably a year ago. Her indoor crown came in a meet-record time of 2:06.99. Goodyear will attempt to become the first CUSA runner to successfully defend her title in this event since Middle Tennessee's Agnes Abu in 2017 and 2018. Delaney McDowell was the last Lady Flame to claim consecutive indoor 800 championships, racing to three Big South titles in a row between 2016-18. Goodyear has won a pair of 800-meter races on her home track this season (Brant Tolsma Invitational and Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational). However, her 2:07.27 season best trails both Kennesaw State's Emma Sullivan (2:05.15) and Middle Tennessee's Privillege Chikara (2:05.56) on the 2025 CUSA performance chart. Sullivan was the 2023 ASUN indoor 800 titlist while competing for Jacksonville, while Chikara raced to the 2023 NJCAA indoor 800 national title for Meridian Community College. Liberty freshman Allie Zealand could be a darkhorse contender as well on the back half of a challenging mile/800 double attempt. She ranks No. 4 in CUSA this year with her only 800 time of the season, a 2:11.08 at Penn State a month ago.
Women's Mile
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3:15 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:10 p.m.
Defending Champion: Valerie Lastra (FIU) – 4:39.98
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Lastra
Meet Record: 4:37.53 by Grace Forbes (Rice) in 2021
Facility Record: 4:37.42 by Anna Vess (NC State) in 2022
Liberty Record: 4:36.52 by Calli Doan in 2023
2025 Leader: Allie Zealand (Liberty) – 4:36.68
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Allie Zealand, Marie Hostetler, Katie Sigerud
Outlook: The CUSA defending mile champion (FIU's Valerie Lastra) is back but ranks only 17th in the conference this season at 4:52.45. Liberty's Allie Zealand has burst onto the scene as a freshman. Her 4:36.68 clocking at Boston two weeks ago was the fastest time by a CUSA runner in three years and just missed the Liberty program record of 4:36.52 (Calli Doan in 2023). Rice's Grace Forbes (2020) was the last freshman to win this event at the CUSA meet. No Liberty freshman has ever raced to a conference mile title. Kennesaw State's Natalie Cummings (4:40.09) is the only CUSA runner within 10 seconds of Zealand this season. Marie Hostetler has enjoyed a strong senior season for the Lady Flames, lowering her personal best to 4:46.70 (No. 4 in program history). She is a three-time top-10 mile finisher at conference meets during her career, headlined by last year's fourth-place CUSA showing. Middle Tennessee's Odilia Jepchumba raced to victory in a windy 1,500 at the 2024 CUSA outdoor meet in El Paso.
Women's 3,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 4:20 p.m.
Defending Champion: Odilia Jepchumba (Middle Tennessee) – 9:36.13
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Jepchumba
Meet Record: 9:10.40 by Elinor Kirk (UAB) in 2014
Facility Record: 9:17.27 by Odilia Jepchumba (Middle Tennessee) in 2024
Liberty Record: 9:07.33 by Allie Zealand in 2024
2025 Leader: Allie Zealand (Liberty) – 9:07.33
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Allie Zealand, Ava Gordon, Marie Hostetler, Adelyn Fairley, Katie Sigerud, Katrina Schlenker, Isabela Ross
Outlook: Last year, Middle Tennessee freshman Odilia Jepchumba clocked a facility record of 9:17.27 to win the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational 3K. Two weeks later, she raced to the CUSA title. The reigning CUSA cross country champion is seeded No. 8 at 9:32.74 as she bids to become the first back-to-back champion since Rice's Grace Forbes in 2020 and 2021. This season, another freshman (Liberty's Allie Zealand) owns the conference's fastest time by 11 seconds with her program-record 9:07.33 effort in Boston in December. Liberty's last freshman to claim a conference title at the 3K distance was Ednah Kurgat in 2015 (Big South). Middle Tennessee's Faith Nyathi (9:18.61) is the CUSA runner who has come closest to Zealand's time this season. The 3K has the potential to be a strong event for Liberty late in the meet Saturday afternoon. Lady Flames have posted four of the seven fastest times in the conference this year, also including Ava Gordon (No. 4, 9:26.62), Marie Hostetler (No. 5, 9:26.72) and Adelyn Fairley (No. 7, 9:31.64).
Women's 5,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 6:55 p.m.
Defending Champion: Adelyn Fairley (Liberty) – 16:46.52
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Fairley
Meet Record: 15:57.54 by Caroline Sang (Charlotte) in 2018
Facility Record: 15:37.12 by Katelyn Tuohy (North Rockland High School) in 2018
Liberty Record: 15:47.89 by Ednah Kurgat in 2016
2025 Leader: Adelyn Fairley (Liberty) – 15:58.74
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Adelyn Fairley – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Adelyn Fairley, Isabela Ross, Rachel Hill, Katrina Schlenker
Outlook: Liberty's Adelyn Fairley won a dramatic four-way battle for the 5K title a year ago, and one of her top challengers from that race (Middle Tennessee's Faith Nyathi) is back in 2025. Fairley owns CUSA's fastest time of the season (15:58.74) and has been an outstanding performer in conference 5K races throughout her career, winning four titles at the distance (2021 ASUN indoor, 2021 ASUN outdoor, 2022 ASUN indoor and 2024 CUSA indoor). Lisa Redlinger could contend for FIU's first-ever CUSA title in this event. She clocked a program-record 16:20.45 in January during a race she won by 74 seconds.
Women's 60-Meter Hurdles
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3:55 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:35 p.m.
Defending Champion: Marissa Simpson (UTEP) – 8.12 (Second in a row)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Olivia Brown (Kennesaw State) – 8.44
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Simpson
Meet Record: 8.01 by Tobi Amusan (UTEP) in 2017
Facility Record: 8.12 by Marissa Simpson (UTEP) in 2024
Liberty Record: 8.16 by Indea Cartwright in 2024
2025 Leader: Marissa Simpson (UTEP) – 8.04 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Indea Cartwright
Outlook: UTEP's Marissa Simpson, the two-time defending CUSA 60 hurdles champion, is the athlete to beat again this year. She is tied for No. 7 nationally at 8.04 and appears to be headed to the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships for the second year in a row. Last year, Simpson won in a facility-record time of 8.12. This time around, Simpson could become the first athlete to win three years in a row since UCF's Jackie Coward in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Liberty's Indea Cartwright was a close second to Simpson in 2024, thanks to a program-record time of 8.16. The senior sits No. 3 in the conference at 8.32, just behind last year's fourth-place finisher, New Mexico State's Aliyah Logan (8.28). Logan won the 2022 WAC title in this event. Liberty's most recent conference title in the 60 hurdles came in 2019 (Jada Thomas – ASUN).
Women's 4 x 400 Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 5:15 p.m.
Defending Champion: UTEP – 3:38.55
Meet Record: 3:37.42 by Charlotte in 2023
Facility Record: 3:38.55 by UTEP in 2024
Liberty Record: 3:39.06 in 2019
2025 Leader: New Mexico State – 3:37.92 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Outlook: The meet could wrap up with some fireworks, as New Mexico State, UTEP and Louisiana Tech have all clocked sub-3:40 times this season. UTEP won this event in a facility-record 3:38.55 last season. That mark, along with Charlotte's meet-record 3:37.42 from 2023, could be under siege Saturday afternoon.
Women's Distance Medley Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 7:40 p.m.
Defending Champion: Liberty – 11:32.82
Meet Record: 11:30.59 by Middle Tennessee in 2022
Facility Record: 11:32.82 by Liberty in 2024
Liberty Record: 11:21.25 in 2025
2025 Leader: Liberty – 11:21.25
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (2024)
Outlook: Liberty has broken records each of the last two times it has contested a distance medley relay. It won the 2024 CUSA title in a program and facility-record time of 11:32.82. The Lady Flames then lowered their program record to 11:21.25 earlier this season at Penn State. On paper, Liberty's top challenges figure to come from 2024 CUSA runner-up Middle Tennessee and 2024 ASUN runner-up Kennesaw State. No CUSA team has won consecutive women's distance medley relay crowns since UTSA in 2014 and 2015. All four legs from Liberty's 2024 CUSA championship squad are still part of the team, including Kate Goodyear, Maddy Merritt, Jessica Palisca and Marie Hostetler. Goodyear (1,200) and Palisca (800) assumed the same legs for this season's unit which produced an 11:21.25, where they were joined by Patasha Bryan (400) and Allie Zealand (1,600).
Women's Long Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Makenzy Mizera (Liberty) – 19-9.5 (6.03m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Viktoria Rusnakova (Middle Tennessee) – 5th place
Meet Record: 21-10 (6.65m) by Blessing Okagbare (UTEP) in 2008 and 2010
Facility Record: 20-10.75 (6.37m) by Robbie Grace (Wake Forest) in 2025 and Jasmine Akins (Kennesaw State) in 2022
Liberty Record: 19-10.25 (6.05m) by Ayanna Johnson in 2022
2025 Leader: Samoya Neil (UTEP) – 19-4.25 (5.90m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Makenzy Mizera – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Meredith Engle, Paige Greenhagel
Outlook: Competing for the first time in nine months, Liberty's Makenzy Mizera needed only one jump to win this event a year ago. She has since graduated and joined the Flames' coaching staff. Middle Tennessee's Lakesha Smith placed third in that competition as a freshman and went on to capture the CUSA outdoor long jump crown. However, she has not competed since December and is not entered in this meet. Teammate Viktoria Rusnakova placed fifth indoors and third outdoors as a freshman a year ago and is one of numerous Raiders contending for their team's first CUSA indoor title in this event since 2016. Middle Tennessee freshman Xarya Udoumana (19-0.5) and UTEP's Samoya Neil (19-4.25) are the only two conference athletes to reach 19 feet so far this season. Neil reached a personal-best 20-1.5 to win the Summit League indoor title in 2024 while competing for South Dakota. Both of Liberty's entrants (Meredith Engle and Paige Greenhagel) will be long jumping for the second time on Friday, following the pentathlon competition.
Women's Triple Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Makenzy Mizera (Liberty) – 39-10.75 (12.16m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Viktoria Rusnakova (Middle Tennessee) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 45-6.5 (13.88m) by Ganna Demydova (Southern Miss) in 2011
Facility Record: 47-7.75 (14.52m) by Thea LaFond (Unattached) in 2021
Liberty Record: 42-8 (13.00m) by Makenzy Mizera in 2021
2025 Leader: Oghenefejiro Praise (UTEP) – 40-9.75 (12.44m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Makenzy Mizera – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Stephanie Robson, Kacy Cox
Outlook: Middle Tennessee's Viktoria Rusnakova excelled in the CUSA triple jump competitions as a freshman in 2024, placing second to since-graduated Makenzy Mizera of Liberty indoors and winning the outdoor title. However, she is only tied for sixth on the CUSA performance list this year at 39-4.5. The three women who have sailed past 40 feet in 2025 include UTEP's Oghenefejiro Praise (40-9.75), Kennesaw State's Victoria Joyce (40-6) and FIU's Danielle McGonigle (40-0.5). UTEP has not won this event since 2016, while FIU has never won it. Praise came in sixth at the SEC indoor meet as an LSU freshman a year ago, while Joyce was the 2023 ASUN outdoor triple jump titlist. Liberty's top hopes lie with Stephanie Robson. She reached a personal-best 40-5 to place eighth at the 2024 American championship while competing for East Carolina.
Women's High Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at Noon
Defending Champion: Emilia Lesniak (WKU) – 5-8.75 (1.75m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: A'Reil Williams (Louisiana Tech) – 3rd place
Meet Record: 6-1.25 (1.86m) by Josie Taylor (Rice) in 2022
Facility Record: 6-0.75 (1.85m) by Kristi Snyman (Jacksonville) in 2023
Liberty Record: 5-10.75 (1.80m) by Kena Butts in 2005
2025 Leader: Luca Keszthelyi (FIU) – 5-11.25 (1.81m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Meredith Engle, Eva Whiteman, Patasha Bryan, Indiah Maroney, Paige Greenhagel
Outlook: Louisiana Tech's A'riel Williams is the top returnee from the 2024 indoor high jump competition (third place) and won the 2024 outdoor title as a freshman. In order to claim her team's first-ever CUSA indoor women's high jump crown, Williams will have to contend with the outstanding freshman duo from FIU, Luca Keszthelyi (5-11.25 season best) and Amaya Bien-Aime (5-9.75). Liberty sophomore Eva Whiteman matched her lifetime best of 5-8 to finish second to Williams at the 2024 CUSA outdoor championship. The Lady Flames have not won this event indoors at a conference championship since 2018 (Kylie Polsgrove – Big South).
Women's Pole Vault
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 1 p.m.
Defending Champion: Nicole Janse Van Rensburg (FIU) – 13-4.5 (4.08m) (Second in a row)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Rachael Ruff (Kennesaw State) – 12-2.5 (3.72m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Janse Van Rensburg
Meet Record: 13-11.75 (4.26m) by Riley Felts (Charlotte) and Anna Massa (UAB) in 2022
Facility Record: 15-1 (4.60m) by Alina McDonald (KMR Athletics) in 2022
Liberty Record: 14-0 (4.27m) by Andrea Wildrick in 2002
2025 Leader: Alla Parnov (UTEP) – 13-9.75 (4.21m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Mia Bowers, Katie Urbine, Sarah Gassman, Emory Pafford
Outlook: The meet's first field event final, the women's pole vault promises an intriguing competition. FIU's Nicole Janse Van Rensburg has claimed back-to-back CUSA indoor titles and also won the event outdoors in 2024. However, her season best of 13-2.5 has her looking up at UTEP's Alla Parnov (13-9.75) and the Liberty duo of Mia Bowers (13-3.5) and Katie Urbine (13-3.5). Parnov will attempt to win UTEP's first-ever CUSA indoor championship in this event. Urbine was an outdoor All-American as a freshman a year ago and owns the top personal best in the field (14-1.25). However, she struggled at the CUSA meet both indoors (no height) and outdoors (fourth place) in 2024. Bowers, who has added three inches to her personal best this season, will look for the second indoor podium finish of her career. She placed third in the ASUN as a freshman in 2022.
Women's Shot Put
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at Noon
Defending Champion: Rebecca Green (New Mexico State) – 52-2.75 (15.92m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Green
Meet Record: 58-10.75 (17.95m) by Claire Uke (Rice) in 2015
Facility Record: 53-1.75 (16.20m) by Brooke Lumpkin (Virginia) in 2024
Liberty Record: 53-5.5 (16.29m) by Mychelle Cumings in 2014
2025 Leader: Rebecca Green (New Mexico State) – 54-11.5 (16.75m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Bethany Tate, Meredith Engle, Tabby DeJong, Sofia Mojica
Outlook: New Mexico State's Rebecca Green has dominated the women's shot put since her team entered CUSA a year ago. She swept the 2024 indoor and outdoor conference titles, and Green's personal-best mark of 54-11.5 from two weeks ago is 7.5 feet longer than that of No. 2 seed Bethany Tate of Liberty (47-4.25). The facility record (currently 53-1.75) could be broken for the second time this season after Virginia's Brooke Lumpkin did so in December at the Liberty Kickoff. No. 4 seed Meredith Engle of Liberty (46-7.5 season best) will be shot putting concurrently with the high jump competition on Saturday. Those will mark her eighth and ninth events in two days.
Women's Weight Throw
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Elizabeth Alfred (FIU) – 68-2.25 (20.78m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Kali Terza (Kennesaw State) – 67-6.75 (20.59m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Alfred
Meet Record: 72-9.25 (22.18m) by Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Rice) in 2023
Facility Record: 73-2.75 (22.32m) by Gudrun Hallgrimsdottir (VCU) in 2025
Liberty Record: 67-5.5 (20.56m) by Jocelyn Williams in 2014
2025 Leader: Michaelle Valentin (FIU) – 71-10.75 (21.91m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Paola Bueno, Sofia Mojica
Outlook: FIU's Elizabeth Alfred enters Friday's competition as the defending champion, but it is teammate Michaelle Valentin who is the top seed and considerable favorite. Valentin's 71-10.75 effort at the Scarlet Knight Open is No. 1 in CUSA by more than 6.5 feet and puts her No. 14 nationally, on the cusp of securing a trip to the NCAA national meet in two weeks. A three-time outdoor All-American between the hammer and discus, Valentin is chasing her first CUSA weight throw crown after finishing as the 2022, 2023 and 2024 runner-up. No. 2 seed Eriana Sanford of Kennesaw State (65-2.25 season best) was the 2023 and 2024 ASUN weight throw runner-up. Liberty's Paola Bueno topped Sanford to win the 2023 ASUN championship before placing third in CUSA behind Alfred and Valentin in 2024.
Women's Pentathlon
Event Schedule: Begins Friday at 10 a.m.
Defending Champion: Patasha Bryan (Liberty) – 3,791
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Bryan
Meet Record: 4,004 by Charlotte Abrahamsen (Memphis) in 2008 and Xenia Rahn (Memphis) in 2013
Facility Record: 4,324 by Shaina Burns (Unattached) in 2023
Liberty Record: 4,131 by Meredith Engle in 2025
2025 Leader: Meredith Engle (Liberty) – 4,131
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Patasha Bryan – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Meredith Engle, Patasha Bryan, Paige Greenhagel
Outlook: Liberty's Patasha Bryan swept the CUSA pentathlon and heptathlon championships a year ago and has boosted her pentathlon best to 3,965 this season. In order to become the first back-to-back champion in this event since UTEP's Lucia Mokrasova won three in a row between 2016 and 2018, Bryan will have to defeat teammate Meredith Engle. The 2022 and 2023 ASUN pentathlon victor, Engle has twice broken the Liberty record this season. Most recently, her score of 4,131 from the Penn State National Open has her ranked in the coveted No. 16 spot nationally entering the final weekend of qualifying for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. No Lady Flame has ever made it to the NCAA national meet in the pentathlon, and no Lady Flame has won three conference pentathlon championships. Engle will be one of the busiest athletes at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex this week, with the high jump, long jump, shot put and a possible leg on the 4 x 400 relay to follow the pentathlon.
Men's 60-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 4:50 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:05 p.m.
Defending Champion: Omari Lewis (Liberty) – 6.67
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Lewis
Meet Record: 6.61 by McKinely West (Southern Miss) in 2019
Facility Record: 6.63 by Davonte Burnett (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 6.67 by Omari Lewis in 2024
2025 Leader: John Sherman (Middle Tennessee) – 6.65 and Xzamion Parker (Sam Houston) – 6.65 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Omari Lewis – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Eddy Vu, Omari Lewis
Outlook: Liberty's Omari Lewis will be competing at the 60-meter distance for the first time this season on Friday. He raced to the 2023 ASUN title and the 2024 CUSA crown (in a program-record 6.67), extending Liberty's streak to five consecutive conference titles in the men's 60. First-year Flame Eddy Vu owns a personal best of 6.66 and was an NJCAA national qualifier for Butler Community College in 2024. After failing to qualify for the CUSA final at either 60 meters indoors or 100 meters outdoors as a freshman, Middle Tennessee's John Sherman has blazed a time of 6.65 twice as a sophomore. That gives him a share of the top seed with Sam Houston freshman Xzamion Parker. No. 3 seed Jayden Jones of Sam Houston placed fifth in this event a year ago, about 35 minutes before racing to the 200 title.
Men's 200-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 6 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:40 p.m.
Defending Champion: Jayden Jones (Sam Houston) – 20.88
Defending Champion (ASUN): Malik Hussie (Kennesaw State) – 21.53
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Jones
Meet Record: 20.59 by Alaba Akintola (Middle Tennessee) in 2023
Facility Record: 20.68 by Caleb Boger (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 20.86 by Donald McClinton in 2023
2025 Leader: Jayden Jones (Sam Houston) – 20.98 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Revell Webster, Omari Lewis, Elijah Sherard, Eddy Vu
Outlook: Five of the top seven seeds in the men's 200 belong to either Louisiana Tech (three) or Sam Houston (two). That group includes defending champion Jayden Jones of Sam Houston, the only CUSA runner to break 21 seconds (20.91 at altitude) so far in 2025. Louisiana Tech has not won this event indoors since 2014. Liberty's Omari Lewis is seeded only No. 11 at 21.55 but finished second in the ASUN in 2023 and third in CUSA in 2024.
Men's 400-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 4:15 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:45 p.m.
Defending Champion: Julio Pacheco Estrada (UTEP) – 47.22
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Pacheco Estrada
Meet Record: 46.21 by Emmanuel Dasor (WKU) in 2016
Facility Record: 46.15 by Alejandro Perlaza Zapata (Liberty) in 2019
Liberty Record: 46.07 by Alejandro Perlaza Zapata in 2019
2025 Leader: Valentino Rudolph (Louisiana Tech) – 47.64 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Elijah Sherard, Simon Lamparelli
Outlook: UTEP's Julio Pacheco Estrada and Joshua Hill went 1-2 in the 400 both indoors and outdoors a year ago, and both are back in 2025. Pacheco Estrada will try to become the first athlete to successfully defend his CUSA indoor 400 crown since WKU's Emmanuel Dasor in 2016 and 2017. Louisiana Tech has yet to win this event indoors at the CUSA championship but boasts three of the top five seeds in Valentino Rudolph (No. 1, 47.64), Frank Bradley-Reed (No. 3, 47.68) and Tim Rummelhagen (No. 4, 47.76). However, Rudolph is not entered in the competition. All-American Alejandro Perlaza Zapata was Liberty's most recent men's 400 champion, claiming the title during Liberty's first season in the ASUN (2019). Elijah Sherard could be a darkhorse contender for the Flames. He clocked a Liberty freshman-record 48.53 at The Burg Open in January. Teammate Simon Lamparelli came in fourth in this event outdoors as a freshman in 2024.
Men's 800-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 5:30 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:20 p.m.
Defending Champion: Brendan Pitcher (Liberty) – 1:51.77
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Pitcher
Meet Record: 1:49.98 by Chris O'Hare (Tulsa) in 2012
Facility Record: 1:46.59 by Alex Amankwah (District Track Club) in 2021
Liberty Record: 1:49.18 by Ally Kipchirchir in 2023
2025 Leader: Mackdonald Songok (Middle Tennessee) – 1:47.83
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Brendan Pitcher – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Kyle Thrush, Brendan Pitcher
Outlook: The 2024 CUSA indoor (Liberty's Brendan Pitcher) and outdoor (UTEP's Aron Tanui) 800-meter champions are back in 2025. Pitcher, who was also victorious in the ASUN indoor final in 2023, will look to become the CUSA's first back-to-back winner since UTEP's Michael Saruni in 2017 and 2018. He will also attempt to become Liberty's first-ever men's 800 runner to claim three straight indoor conference crowns. The conference's fastest time this season (by two seconds) belongs to Middle Tennessee freshman Mackdonald Songok at 1:47.83. The other three CUSA runners to break 1:51 this season are 2024 Red River Athletic Conference outdoor 800 champion (while at Houston-Tillotson) Sam Houston's Caleb Anthony (1:49.84), Kennesaw State record holder Edwin Kiprono (1:50.23) and 2024 indoor runner-up Wail Bourahli of Middle Tennessee (1:50.77). With freshmen Songok and Kiprono listed among the pre-meet favorites, it's worth noting that UTEP's Michael Saruni (2017) was the most recent freshman to win this event.
Men's Mile
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2 p.m.
Defending Champion: Kyle Harkabus (Liberty) – 4:06.79
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Harkabus
Meet Record: 4:00.82 by Pablo Solares (Rice) in 2007
Facility Record: 3:56.79 by Antonio Lopez Segura (Virginia Tech) in 2022
Liberty Record: 4:01.27 by Ryan Drew in 2022
2025 Leader: Kenneth Talavera (UTEP) – 3:59.48
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Kyle Harkabus – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Will Jefferson, Kyle Harkabus, Dale Hall, Edwin Kiprop
Outlook: Liberty's Kyle Harkabus raced to CUSA titles in the indoor mile and outdoor 1,500 a year ago. However, he does not even own the fastest time among the Flames in 2025. That honor belongs to Will Jefferson at 4:07.08. Jefferson owns the Liberty freshman record of 4:06.63 from 2022, something Dale Hall (4:07.55 season best) could take aim at this week. UTEP's Kenneth Talavera won this event in 2022 and 2023 and joined the sub-4:00 club last Friday at Arkansas with a 3:59.48 effort. That made him CUSA's first sub-4:00 miler since 2017 (Middle Tennessee's Sampson Laari). No Liberty athlete has won consecutive conference titles in the men's mile since Sam Chelanga garnered three straight Big South championships spanning 2009-11. A number of runners best known for their ability in longer events (Middle Tennessee's Allan Kiplagat) and shorter events (Middle Tennessee's Mackdonald Songok and Kennesaw State's Edwin Kiprono) are also entered in the mile, Saturday's first track final.
Men's 3,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3:50 p.m.
Defending Champion: Edwin Kiprop (Liberty) – 8:15.26
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Kiprop
Meet Record: 8:00.14 by Daniel Bernal (UTEP) in 2023
Facility Record: 7:54.64 by Patrick Anderson (North Carolina) in 2022
Liberty Record: 7:48.24 by Sam Chelanga in 2011
2025 Leader: Allan Kiplagat (Middle Tennessee) – 7:54.55
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Edwin Kiprop – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Jack Cottrell, Nathan Moore, Will Jefferson, Dale Hall, Kyle Harkabus, Nicholas Kiprotich, Edwin Kiprop
Outlook: Coming off an amazing cross country season which culminated in a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, Middle Tennessee's Allan Kiplagat is CUSA's lone sub-8:00 3K runner of 2025 at 7:54.55. No one has ever broken 8:00 at this meet. Liberty's Edwin Kiprop will compete in his first 3K since claiming the 2024 CUSA title as a freshman. Middle Tennessee's Brian Kiptoo was second to Kiprop in that race and enters as the No. 2 seed behind teammate Kiplagat at 8:01.76. Liberty's Jack Cottrell, who placed fourth in the 2023 ASUN 3K final, is coming off a victory at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational in a personal-best 8:06.00. If the race turns tactical, UTEP star miler Kenneth Talavera could be in the mix as well.
Men's 5,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Edwin Kiprop (Liberty) – 14:07.46
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Brian Kiptoo (Middle Tennessee) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 13:47.51 by Nick Scudder (Charlotte) in 2021
Facility Record: 13:43.27 by Athanas Kioko (Campbell) in 2022
Liberty Record: 13:19.79 by Sam Chelanga in 2009
2025 Leader: Collins KipKemboi (Kennesaw State) – 14:08.06
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Edwin Kiprop – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Nicholas Kiprotich, Jack Cottrell, Nathan Moore
Outlook: Liberty's Edwin Kiprop claimed the indoor 5K title as a freshman in 2024 but will focus on other events this week, leaving indoor runner-up and outdoor champion Brian Kiptoo of Middle Tennessee as the top returnee. The top two finishers from the 2024 CUSA Cross Country Championships (champion Allan Kiplagat of Middle Tennessee and runner-up Collins KipKemboi of Kennesaw State) figure to contend in the longest indoor track event. KipKemboi owns CUSA's fastest time of the year to date at 14:08.06. Among Liberty's entrants, Nicholas Kiprotich was the 2024 CUSA 10K champion and Jack Cottrell came in third in the 2023 ASUN indoor 5K.
Men's 60-Meter Hurdles
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3:35 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Stephen Eloji (Middle Tennessee) – 7.77
Defending Champion (ASUN): Mohamed Diaby (Kennesaw State) – 7.91
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Jordani Woodley (UTEP) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 7.77 by Caleb Parker (Southern Miss) in 2019, Bashiru Abdullahi (UTSA) in 2022, Jordani Woodley (UTEP) in 2024 and Stephen Eloji (Middle Tennessee) in 2024
Facility Record: 7.71 by Jovaine Atkinson (Liberty) in 2018 and Kurt Powdar (Hinds CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 7.64 by Jovaine Atkinson in 2018
2025 Leader: Oscar Smith (Louisiana Tech) – 7.74
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Isaiah Idore
Outlook: Two different runners tied the meet record of 7.77 a year ago, including runner-up Jordani Woodley of UTEP, the event's top returnee. The record is likely to be threatened again this week, with seven sub-8.00 runners entering the event. Neither UTEP nor Louisiana Tech has ever won this event at the CUSA championship, something Woodley and the Bulldogs' Oscar Smith (top seed at 7.74) would like to change. Smith came in fourth in the Big Ten in 2022 while racing for Ohio State. Kennesaw State's Mohamed Diaby captured the ASUN title last season during his freshman year. Liberty's Isaiah Idore has enjoyed a big breakthrough season, moving up to No. 2 in program history at 7.85.
Men's 4 x 400 Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 4:50 p.m.
Defending Champion: Louisiana Tech – 3:13.08
Defending Champion (ASUN): Kennesaw State – 3:14.05
Meet Record: 3:09.17 by Middle Tennessee in 2019
Facility Record: 3:10.34 by St. Augustine's in 2020
Liberty Record: 3:09.88 in 2018
2025 Leader: Kennesaw State – 3:10.30
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Outlook: Defending ASUN 4 x 400 champion Kennesaw State (3:10.30), defending CUSA champion Louisiana Tech (3:10.32) and Sam Houston (3:11.19) are separated by less than a second atop the CUSA performance list. Kennesaw State has claimed back-to-back ASUN titles in this event since Liberty defeated the Owls in 2022. That race marked the last time the Flames had run as fast as their 3:15.36 clocking from the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational two weeks ago.
Men's Distance Medley Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 7:20 p.m.
Defending Champion: Liberty – 10:24.21
Meet Record: 9:51.62 by UTEP in 2009
Facility Record: 9:43.73 by Eastern Kentucky in 2023
Liberty Record: 9:47.30 in 2018
2025 Leader: Middle Tennessee – 9:57.52
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (2024)
Outlook: Liberty raced to the 2024 CUSA distance medley relay championship for its third conference DMR title in four years. Two legs (Brendan Pitcher and Kyle Harkabus) are back on the Flames' roster as Liberty tries to become the first team since Rice (2018-20) to go back-to-back. Middle Tennessee, which last won this event in 2022, is the only CUSA team to contest a DMR so far this season, an impressive 9:57.52 effort.
Men's Long Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Mateo Smith (Louisiana Tech) – 24-2.5 (7.38m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Kaelen Mitchell (Kennesaw State) – 24-0.75 (7.33m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Joel Iheakolam (Middle Tennessee) – 3rd place
Meet Record: 25-7.25 (7.80m) by Fabian Edoki (Middle Tennessee) in 2019
Facility Record: 25-6.25 (7.78m) by Shakwon Coke (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 25-0.75 (7.64m) by Quinten Clay in 2022
2025 Leader: Kaelen Mitchell (Kennesaw State) – 24-10.5 (7.58m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Joshua Smith
Outlook: After winning ASUN indoor long jump titles in 2023 and 2024, Kennesaw State's Kaelen Mitchell appears poised to carry his success into his new conference on Friday. Mitchell's 24-10.5 season best is the longest in CUSA by 9.5 inches this season. Teammate Jeremiah Sims topped Mitchell to claim the 2024 ASUN outdoor championship in this event. Top returnee from a year ago (third place) Joel Iheakolam of Middle Tennessee enters as the No. 12 seed. Best known for his triple jumping exploits, Liberty's Joshua Smith will long jump at a conference meet for the first time since coming in third at the 2023 ASUN Championship outdoors. Justin Campbell could also boost Kennesaw State's point total in this event. Although he has yet to long jump this season, he placed third in the ASUN final a year ago.
Men's Triple Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at Noon
Defending Champion: Joshua Smith (Liberty) – 50-0.5 (15.25m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Smith
Meet Record: 53-7.5 (16.34m) by John Warren (Southern Miss) in 2018
Facility Record: 53-1.5 (16.19m) by Shakwon Coke (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 51-0 (15.54m) by Darrel Jones in 2018
2025 Leader: Lloyd Hill Jr. (Kennesaw State) – 51-2.75 (15.61m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Joshua Smith – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Joshua Smith, Shane Wang
Outlook: Liberty's Joshua Smith has opened his collegiate career with consecutive indoor triple jump conference titles, including 2023 (ASUN) and 2024 (CUSA) triumphs. He will try to join Clarence Powell (2008, 2010 and 2011 Big South) as the Flames' only three-time indoor triple jump conference champions. Smith's season-best 49-2.5 leap has him seeded fourth behind a trio of 50-footers: Kennesaw State's Lloyd Hill Jr. (51-2.75), Kennesaw State's Justin Campbell (50-10.75) and Middle Tennessee's Joel Iheakolam (50-0.75). Hill Jr. transferred from Purdue, where his best Big Ten triple jump showing was seventh indoors in 2021. Campbell seeks his first conference triple jump crown after placing second at each of his last four ASUN meets (2023 indoor, 2023 outdoor, 2024 indoor and 2024 outdoor). UTEP high jump standout Jakub Belik was a surprise winner of the triple jump at his home facility outdoors in 2024 in the only triple jump competition of his collegiate career to date, and he does not appear on Saturday's start list. With three of the top five seeds (also Tevon Shuler at No. 5), Kennesaw State hopes to make the triple jump a high-scoring event early in the day on Saturday.
Men's High Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Jakub Belik (UTEP) – 6-11.5 (2.12m) (Second in a row)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Belik
Meet Record: 7-4.25 (2.24m) by Mickael Hanany (UTEP) in 2006
Facility Record: 7-4.25 (2.24m) by Kennedy Sauder (Liberty) in 2022
Liberty Record: 7-4.25 (2.24m) by Kennedy Sauder in 2022
2025 Leader: Jakub Belik (UTEP) – 6-11.5 (2.12m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Gabriel Willis, Hunter Bleam
Outlook: With a season best of 6-11.5, UTEP's Jakub Belik is a considerable favorite to capture his third consecutive CUSA indoor high jump title. That has only been accomplished previously by Houston's Jeff Mueller between 1999-2001. Sam Houston's Jeremiah Jackson came in second to Belik at the 2024 CUSA indoor and outdoor championships as a freshman last season. However, his 2025 season best measures only 6-6.75. Liberty's Gabriel Willis is the No. 2 seed at 6-9 but will high jump on the heels of his heptathlon competition, where he enters as the favorite. Kennesaw State is entering a pair of athletes who have not high jumped this season but earned All-ASUN honors a year ago. Chance Cross was last year's ASUN indoor third-place finisher and Jeremiah Sims was the ASUN outdoor runner-up.
Men's Pole Vault
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 5 p.m.
Defending Champion: Rylan Olguin (Sam Houston) – 16-8 (5.08m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Simon Seid (Kennesaw State) – 16-9.5 (5.12m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Benjamin Carlile (Sam Houston) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 17-8.25 (5.39m) by Alexander Slinkman (Rice) in 2023
Facility Record: 18-10.25 (5.75m) by Scott Houston (Vaulthouse Elite) in 2021
Liberty Record: 17-5 (5.31m) by Ken Howell in 1999
2025 Leader: Simon Seid (Kennesaw State) – 17-0.75 (5.20m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Todd Benhase, Hunter Flack
Outlook: Kennesaw State's Simon Seid owns CUSA's top mark at 17-0.75 after sweeping the ASUN indoor and outdoor pole vault titles in both 2023 and 2024, something teammate AJ Johnson also accomplished in 2022. WKU's Sam Crenshaw (16-8.75) and Liberty's Todd Benhase (16-5.5) will each bid to become the first freshman to win this event since Rice's Natan Rivera in 2019. Benhase, the Liberty freshman record holder, is the son of Greg Benhase, a three-time Big South pole vault champion (1998 outdoor, 1999 indoor, 1999 outdoor). Reilly Stroot (2019 ASUN) was Liberty's last indoor pole vault champion and Cody Bingham (2013 Big South) was the last Flame to claim this title as a freshman. The Flames' Hunter Flack is seeded only No. 12 this year at 15-5. However, he has been a clutch conference performer throughout his career, including a pair of indoor third-place finishes (2022 ASUN, 2024 CUSA). Sam Houston's Benjamin Carlile (16-8 season best) was the 2024 indoor runner-up in this event before capturing the outdoor title.
Men's Shot Put
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Warren Barrett (Liberty) – 61-2 (18.64m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Caleb Hartley (Kennesaw State) – 57-5 (17.50m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Aleks Hristov (UTEP – 3rd place
Meet Record: 63-5.5 (19.34m) by John Davis (Houston) in 1999
Facility Record: 67-2.75 (20.49m) by Stipe Zunic (Nike/Croatia) in 2017
Liberty Record: 64-1.25 (19.54m) by Warren Barrett in 2023
2025 Leader: Evan Martinez (Kennesaw State) – 58-2.5 (17.74m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Warren Barrett – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Jordae Edwards, Trevor Veenstra, Beau Backes, Christian Hicks
Outlook: Kennesaw State freshman Evan Martinez paces the conference by more than three feet with a mark of 58-2.5. Liberty sophomore Jordae Edwards is his next closest competitor at 54-9.5, looking to make a significant improvement upon a ninth-place CUSA indoor finish from 2024. UTEP's Aleks Hristov is the top returnee from a year ago (third place). WKU's Kaison Barton came in third outdoors. Six different schools have boasted men's shot put champions at the last six CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships, including Middle Tennessee, Charlotte, North Texas, Southern Miss, Rice and Liberty.
Men's Weight Throw
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 6 p.m.
Defending Champion: John Hicks (Liberty) – 68-4.5 (20.84m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Anthony Harrison (Kennesaw State) – 68-8.5 (20.94m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Christian Hicks (Liberty) – 3rd place
Meet Record: 74-7.25 (22.74m) by Steffen Nerdal (Memphis) in 2010
Facility Record: 76-9.75 (23.41m) by Alex Young (Unattached) in 2022
Liberty Record: 70-5.75 (21.48m) by Kellen Kimes in 2025
2025 Leader: Kellen Kimes (Liberty) – 70-5.75 (21.48m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (John Hicks – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Kellen Kimes, Christian Hicks, Trevor Veenstra
Outlook: Last season, Liberty's John Hicks heaved the weight a school-record 68-4.5 to win his fourth career conference title in the event (also 2020, 2021 and 2022 ASUN). He also became the fourth straight Hicks to capture the CUSA crown, following three victories in a row by Rice's Nick Hicks (no relation) in 2021, 2022 and 2023. John Hicks' younger brother Christian is the top returnee from a year ago, where he came in third. The younger Hicks is seeded third at 63-3.5, trailing two newcomers to the conference in Liberty redshirt freshman Kellen Kimes (70-5.75) and Kennesaw State senior Jase Hunter (68-10). Kimes shattered Hicks' program record with his 70-5.75 bomb at the Liberty Open earlier this month. That ranks No. 33 nationally, including first among freshmen. Kimes will attempt to become Liberty's first freshman to win a conference weight throw title since John Hicks in 2020 (ASUN) and the first CUSA rookie to win this event since Charlotte's Stevan Veselinovic captured the first of his four conference crowns in 2016. Hunter was the ASUN weight throw runner-up a year ago. He previously claimed a pair of South Atlantic Conference weight throw titles (2022 and 2023) while competing for Newberry.
Men's Heptathlon
Event Schedule: Day One – Begins Friday at 10:20 a.m.; Day Two – Begins Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Defending Champion: Anthony Bryan (Liberty) – 5,187
Defending Champion (ASUN): Jordan Fick (Kennesaw State) – 5,259
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Daniel Van Duren (Liberty) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 5,794 by Jack Turner (UTSA) in 2023
Facility Record: 5,772 by Cole Wilson (High Point) in 2024
Liberty Record: 5,537 by Markus Ballengee in 2018
2025 Leader: Gabriel Willis (Liberty) – 5,224
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Anthony Bryan – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Gabriel Willis, Hunter Bleam, Daniel Van Duren, Samuel O'Regan
Outlook: Despite the departure of 2024 CUSA heptathlon and decathlon titlist Anthony Bryan, Liberty Flames own the conference's top four heptathlon scores of 2025. Leading the way is Gabriel Wilis at 5,224. Teammate Daniel Van Duren was the runner-up to Bryan in last year's heptathlon competition with a personal-best score of 5,121. The Flames' Hunter Bleam scored 4,940 points at the Brant Tolsma Invitational, leaving him on the verge of becoming the 13th 5,000-point scorer in program history. UTEP's Oleksandr Blonskyi could be the top threat to a potential Liberty podium sweep. He tallied 4,986 points for third place a year ago.
The Liberty men's squad will attempt to claim its 28th straight indoor conference championship, following 21 consecutive Big South titles (1998-2018), five ASUN titles in a row (2019-23) and the 2024 CUSA crown. Meanwhile, the Lady Flames will aim for their fourth consecutive indoor conference title, after Liberty captured back-to-back ASUN crowns in 2022 and 2023 and its first CUSA championship in 2024.
The meet will begin Friday at 10 a.m. with the pentathlon 60-meter hurdles. Saturday's action will commence at 10:30 a.m. with the heptathlon 60-meter hurdles.
Liberty will host its conference's indoor track & field championship for the eighth consecutive year, spanning three leagues (Big South – 2018, ASUN – 2019-23 and CUSA – 2024-25).
Liberty hopes its home track advantage continues this weekend. The Flames and Lady Flames have won 29 of a possible 30 conference men's and women's indoor and outdoor team titles in Lynchburg. The lone setback came on the women's side at the 2021 ASUN Indoor Track & Field Championships, when Kennesaw State edged the Lady Flames by five points.
This year's meet will feature 10 women's teams (FIU, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP and Western Kentucky) and seven men's squads (Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Sam Houston, UTEP and Western Kentucky). Kennesaw State's addition is the only change to the conference's membership from 2024.
The meet will be missing a familiar face in former WKU head coach Brent Chumbley, who passed away suddenly in January.
How to Follow the Action
Admission is free of charge to both days of the 2025 CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Live video streaming will be available on ESPN+. The live broadcast windows include Friday from 3-8 p.m. and Saturday from 2-6 p.m.
Live results will be available throughout the meet, featuring live splits in the running events and throw-by-throw and jump-by-jump updates in the field events, courtesy of Blue Ridge Timing.
Women's Meet Preview
A year ago, the Lady Flames posted a 70-point triumph (169-99) over runner-up UTEP, marking the largest women's margin of victory in meet history. The Lady Flames became the first CUSA newcomer ever to hoist the team championship trophy in their first season as conference members, capturing Liberty's 18th indoor conference title in the last 27 years.
Liberty expects a stiffer challenge this week as it attempts to become the first CUSA women's squad to win back-to-back indoor titles since Southern Miss in 2021 and 2022.
UTEP is currently ranked No. 28 nationally, led by standout individuals Niesha Burgher and Marissa Simpson. Meanwhile, Kennesaw State appears ready to resume its rivalry with Liberty following its ASUN championship in 2024.
The Lady Flames own CUSA's top performance in the following five events this season: mile (Allie Zealand), 3K (Zealand), 5K (Adelyn Fairley), pentathlon (Meredith Engle) and distance medley relay.
Four Lady Flames are back to defend their CUSA titles from 2024, including Reese Webster (60), Kate Goodyear (800), Patasha Bryan (pentathlon) and Fairley (5K). Meanwhile, all four legs return from Liberty's victorious distance medley relay, including Goodyear, Maddy Merritt, Jessica Palisca and Marie Hostetler.
Engle enters the week ranked No. 16 nationally in the pentathlon, thanks to her program-record score of 4,131 from the Penn State National Open. The top 16 athletes in each event following this week's meets will be invited to compete in the 2025 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, slated for March 14-15 in Virginia Beach, Va.
Men's Meet Preview
The Liberty men's indoor track & field team has never lost a conference meet at the NCAA Division I level, going 27 for 27 in claiming the team championship trophy. The Flames captured the team title at each of the 21 editions of the Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships they competed in (1998-2018), won five straight ASUN indoor crowns (2019-23) and hoisted the 2024 CUSA trophy, extending the longest active championship streak in NCAA Division I men's indoor track & field.
During its inaugural CUSA appearance, Liberty finished 78 points (215.5-137.5) clear of second-place Sam Houston for the largest margin of victory at this meet in 20 years.
This time around, the Flames expect a serious challenge from conference newcomer Kennesaw State. The Owls finished second to the Flames during all five seasons the teams competed against one another in the ASUN Conference (2019-23). Kennesaw State then rolled to a 97.5-point ASUN victory in Liberty's absence a year ago.
Uncharacteristically, the Flames own CUSA's top mark of 2025 in only two events, including the weight throw (Kellen Kimes) and heptathlon (Gabriel Willis). By way of comparison, Liberty won 10 of 17 men's events at this meet in 2024.
Five CUSA individual event champions will look to repeat for the Flames in 2025, including Omari Lewis (60), Brendan Pitcher (800), Kyle Harkabus (mile), Edwin Kiprop (3K) and Joshua Smith (triple jump). Lewis, Pitcher and Smith had all previously won ASUN titles in the same events in 2023 as well. Pitcher and Harkabus bookended Liberty's CUSA-winning distance medley relay squad a year ago.
Event Capsules
Women's 60-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 5:10 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:10 p.m.
Defending Champion: Reese Webster (Liberty) – 7.32
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Webster
Meet Record: 7.18 by Blessing Okagbare (UTEP) in 2010
Facility Record: 7.16 by Dana Wilson (Nike Elite) in 2025
Liberty Record: 7.30 by Reese Webster in 2025
2025 Leader: Niesha Burgher (UTEP) – 7.24 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Reese Webster – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Reese Webster
Outlook: Liberty's Reese Webster raced to the CUSA women's 60 title a year ago and will attempt to become the first CUSA athlete to go back-to-back in this event since Middle Tennessee's Cecilia Francis in 2020 and 2021. No Lady Flame has ever won consecutive 60 dash titles in any conference. Webster lowered her program record to 7.30 at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational two weeks ago, where she won her sixth 60-meter final in seven attempts at the distance over the past two seasons. Webster is looking up at UTEP's Niesha Burgher (7.24) on the CUSA performance list. After placing second to Webster in last year's CUSA indoor 60 final, Burgher returned the favor in the outdoor 100 last year. Burgher will shoot for UTEP's first CUSA women's 60 crown since 2010 (Blessing Okagbare). Both Webster and Burgher will enter the week with an eye on the NCAA performance list, with 7.22 currently representing the time needed to have a shot at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. Kennesaw State's Kenadie Singleton also bears watching. The 2024 ASUN runner-up in this event clocked a program-record 7.44 at Clemson earlier this season. Louisiana Tech's Ulanda Lewis was the 2023 CUSA champion at 60 meters but has only raced once so far this year, clocking 7.54.
Women's 200-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 6:15 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
Defending Champion: Niesha Burgher (UTEP) – 22.97 (Second in a row)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Burgher
Meet Record: 22.91 by Aurieyall Scott (UCF) in 2013
Facility Record: 22.96 by Dana Wilson (Nike Elite) in 2025
Liberty Record: 23.27 by Reese Webster in 2024
2025 Leader: Niesha Burgher (UTEP) – 22.46 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Reese Webster
Outlook: UTEP's Niesha Burgher is the headliner at 200 meters. The two-time defending conference champion enters the week ranked No. 2 nationally at 22.46. Burgher, who placed 10th at both the 2024 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships in this event, is favored to become the first woman in CUSA history to claim three consecutive indoor 200-meter crowns. She will also take aim at both the facility (22.96) and meet records (22.91). Reese Webster of Liberty finished second to Burgher in both the CUSA indoor and outdoor 200-meter finals in 2024. She is the No. 2 seed this year at 23.37 but may need to improve upon her own program record (23.27) to hold off Burgher's UTEP teammates Rejoice Sule (23.41 season best), Addison Stricklin (23.86) and 60 hurdles star Marissa Simpson (23.95).
Women's 400-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 4:30 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:55 p.m.
Defending Champion: Jackeria Woodkins (Sam Houston) – 54.38
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Princess Uche (UTEP) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 52.77 by Abike Egbeniyi (Middle Tennessee) in 2018
Facility Record: 52.55 by Athing Mu (Unattached) in 2019
Liberty Record: 53.99 by Cortney Strohman in 2019
2025 Leader: Princess Uche (UTEP) – 53.87 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: None
Outlook: Three sophomores from Nigeria are among the top contenders for the women's 400 title. UTEP's Princess Uche is the top returnee from last year (second place) and owns CUSA's fastest time of 2025 thus far, 53.87. At the 2024 CUSA outdoor meet, Louisiana Tech's Osaretin Usenbor and Jax State's Chidinma Margaret Agu finished 1-2, just ahead of countrywoman Uche in third. Agu (53.90) joins Uche as the only CUSA runners to break 54 seconds this year, and Agu was the Liberty Kickoff 400 champion on this track back in December. The Lady Flames will not enter anyone in this event for the second year in a row.
Women's 800-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 5:45 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Kate (Locker) Goodyear (Liberty) – 2:06.99
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Goodyear
Meet Record: 2:06.99 by Kate (Locker) Goodyear (Liberty) in 2024
Facility Record: 2:03.73 by Sarah Hendrick (Kennesaw State) in 2021
Liberty Record: 2:05.42 by Jaime Watson in 2010
2025 Leader: Emma Sullivan (Kennesaw State) – 2:05.15
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Kate Locker Goodyear – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Kate Goodyear, Allie Zealand, Jessica Palisca
Outlook: Then known as Katelyn Locker, Liberty's Kate Goodyear won both the CUSA indoor and outdoor 800 titles comfortably a year ago. Her indoor crown came in a meet-record time of 2:06.99. Goodyear will attempt to become the first CUSA runner to successfully defend her title in this event since Middle Tennessee's Agnes Abu in 2017 and 2018. Delaney McDowell was the last Lady Flame to claim consecutive indoor 800 championships, racing to three Big South titles in a row between 2016-18. Goodyear has won a pair of 800-meter races on her home track this season (Brant Tolsma Invitational and Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational). However, her 2:07.27 season best trails both Kennesaw State's Emma Sullivan (2:05.15) and Middle Tennessee's Privillege Chikara (2:05.56) on the 2025 CUSA performance chart. Sullivan was the 2023 ASUN indoor 800 titlist while competing for Jacksonville, while Chikara raced to the 2023 NJCAA indoor 800 national title for Meridian Community College. Liberty freshman Allie Zealand could be a darkhorse contender as well on the back half of a challenging mile/800 double attempt. She ranks No. 4 in CUSA this year with her only 800 time of the season, a 2:11.08 at Penn State a month ago.
Women's Mile
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3:15 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:10 p.m.
Defending Champion: Valerie Lastra (FIU) – 4:39.98
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Lastra
Meet Record: 4:37.53 by Grace Forbes (Rice) in 2021
Facility Record: 4:37.42 by Anna Vess (NC State) in 2022
Liberty Record: 4:36.52 by Calli Doan in 2023
2025 Leader: Allie Zealand (Liberty) – 4:36.68
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Allie Zealand, Marie Hostetler, Katie Sigerud
Outlook: The CUSA defending mile champion (FIU's Valerie Lastra) is back but ranks only 17th in the conference this season at 4:52.45. Liberty's Allie Zealand has burst onto the scene as a freshman. Her 4:36.68 clocking at Boston two weeks ago was the fastest time by a CUSA runner in three years and just missed the Liberty program record of 4:36.52 (Calli Doan in 2023). Rice's Grace Forbes (2020) was the last freshman to win this event at the CUSA meet. No Liberty freshman has ever raced to a conference mile title. Kennesaw State's Natalie Cummings (4:40.09) is the only CUSA runner within 10 seconds of Zealand this season. Marie Hostetler has enjoyed a strong senior season for the Lady Flames, lowering her personal best to 4:46.70 (No. 4 in program history). She is a three-time top-10 mile finisher at conference meets during her career, headlined by last year's fourth-place CUSA showing. Middle Tennessee's Odilia Jepchumba raced to victory in a windy 1,500 at the 2024 CUSA outdoor meet in El Paso.
Women's 3,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 4:20 p.m.
Defending Champion: Odilia Jepchumba (Middle Tennessee) – 9:36.13
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Jepchumba
Meet Record: 9:10.40 by Elinor Kirk (UAB) in 2014
Facility Record: 9:17.27 by Odilia Jepchumba (Middle Tennessee) in 2024
Liberty Record: 9:07.33 by Allie Zealand in 2024
2025 Leader: Allie Zealand (Liberty) – 9:07.33
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Allie Zealand, Ava Gordon, Marie Hostetler, Adelyn Fairley, Katie Sigerud, Katrina Schlenker, Isabela Ross
Outlook: Last year, Middle Tennessee freshman Odilia Jepchumba clocked a facility record of 9:17.27 to win the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational 3K. Two weeks later, she raced to the CUSA title. The reigning CUSA cross country champion is seeded No. 8 at 9:32.74 as she bids to become the first back-to-back champion since Rice's Grace Forbes in 2020 and 2021. This season, another freshman (Liberty's Allie Zealand) owns the conference's fastest time by 11 seconds with her program-record 9:07.33 effort in Boston in December. Liberty's last freshman to claim a conference title at the 3K distance was Ednah Kurgat in 2015 (Big South). Middle Tennessee's Faith Nyathi (9:18.61) is the CUSA runner who has come closest to Zealand's time this season. The 3K has the potential to be a strong event for Liberty late in the meet Saturday afternoon. Lady Flames have posted four of the seven fastest times in the conference this year, also including Ava Gordon (No. 4, 9:26.62), Marie Hostetler (No. 5, 9:26.72) and Adelyn Fairley (No. 7, 9:31.64).
Women's 5,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 6:55 p.m.
Defending Champion: Adelyn Fairley (Liberty) – 16:46.52
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Fairley
Meet Record: 15:57.54 by Caroline Sang (Charlotte) in 2018
Facility Record: 15:37.12 by Katelyn Tuohy (North Rockland High School) in 2018
Liberty Record: 15:47.89 by Ednah Kurgat in 2016
2025 Leader: Adelyn Fairley (Liberty) – 15:58.74
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Adelyn Fairley – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Adelyn Fairley, Isabela Ross, Rachel Hill, Katrina Schlenker
Outlook: Liberty's Adelyn Fairley won a dramatic four-way battle for the 5K title a year ago, and one of her top challengers from that race (Middle Tennessee's Faith Nyathi) is back in 2025. Fairley owns CUSA's fastest time of the season (15:58.74) and has been an outstanding performer in conference 5K races throughout her career, winning four titles at the distance (2021 ASUN indoor, 2021 ASUN outdoor, 2022 ASUN indoor and 2024 CUSA indoor). Lisa Redlinger could contend for FIU's first-ever CUSA title in this event. She clocked a program-record 16:20.45 in January during a race she won by 74 seconds.
Women's 60-Meter Hurdles
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3:55 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:35 p.m.
Defending Champion: Marissa Simpson (UTEP) – 8.12 (Second in a row)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Olivia Brown (Kennesaw State) – 8.44
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Simpson
Meet Record: 8.01 by Tobi Amusan (UTEP) in 2017
Facility Record: 8.12 by Marissa Simpson (UTEP) in 2024
Liberty Record: 8.16 by Indea Cartwright in 2024
2025 Leader: Marissa Simpson (UTEP) – 8.04 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Indea Cartwright
Outlook: UTEP's Marissa Simpson, the two-time defending CUSA 60 hurdles champion, is the athlete to beat again this year. She is tied for No. 7 nationally at 8.04 and appears to be headed to the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships for the second year in a row. Last year, Simpson won in a facility-record time of 8.12. This time around, Simpson could become the first athlete to win three years in a row since UCF's Jackie Coward in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Liberty's Indea Cartwright was a close second to Simpson in 2024, thanks to a program-record time of 8.16. The senior sits No. 3 in the conference at 8.32, just behind last year's fourth-place finisher, New Mexico State's Aliyah Logan (8.28). Logan won the 2022 WAC title in this event. Liberty's most recent conference title in the 60 hurdles came in 2019 (Jada Thomas – ASUN).
Women's 4 x 400 Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 5:15 p.m.
Defending Champion: UTEP – 3:38.55
Meet Record: 3:37.42 by Charlotte in 2023
Facility Record: 3:38.55 by UTEP in 2024
Liberty Record: 3:39.06 in 2019
2025 Leader: New Mexico State – 3:37.92 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Outlook: The meet could wrap up with some fireworks, as New Mexico State, UTEP and Louisiana Tech have all clocked sub-3:40 times this season. UTEP won this event in a facility-record 3:38.55 last season. That mark, along with Charlotte's meet-record 3:37.42 from 2023, could be under siege Saturday afternoon.
Women's Distance Medley Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 7:40 p.m.
Defending Champion: Liberty – 11:32.82
Meet Record: 11:30.59 by Middle Tennessee in 2022
Facility Record: 11:32.82 by Liberty in 2024
Liberty Record: 11:21.25 in 2025
2025 Leader: Liberty – 11:21.25
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (2024)
Outlook: Liberty has broken records each of the last two times it has contested a distance medley relay. It won the 2024 CUSA title in a program and facility-record time of 11:32.82. The Lady Flames then lowered their program record to 11:21.25 earlier this season at Penn State. On paper, Liberty's top challenges figure to come from 2024 CUSA runner-up Middle Tennessee and 2024 ASUN runner-up Kennesaw State. No CUSA team has won consecutive women's distance medley relay crowns since UTSA in 2014 and 2015. All four legs from Liberty's 2024 CUSA championship squad are still part of the team, including Kate Goodyear, Maddy Merritt, Jessica Palisca and Marie Hostetler. Goodyear (1,200) and Palisca (800) assumed the same legs for this season's unit which produced an 11:21.25, where they were joined by Patasha Bryan (400) and Allie Zealand (1,600).
Women's Long Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Makenzy Mizera (Liberty) – 19-9.5 (6.03m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Viktoria Rusnakova (Middle Tennessee) – 5th place
Meet Record: 21-10 (6.65m) by Blessing Okagbare (UTEP) in 2008 and 2010
Facility Record: 20-10.75 (6.37m) by Robbie Grace (Wake Forest) in 2025 and Jasmine Akins (Kennesaw State) in 2022
Liberty Record: 19-10.25 (6.05m) by Ayanna Johnson in 2022
2025 Leader: Samoya Neil (UTEP) – 19-4.25 (5.90m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Makenzy Mizera – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Meredith Engle, Paige Greenhagel
Outlook: Competing for the first time in nine months, Liberty's Makenzy Mizera needed only one jump to win this event a year ago. She has since graduated and joined the Flames' coaching staff. Middle Tennessee's Lakesha Smith placed third in that competition as a freshman and went on to capture the CUSA outdoor long jump crown. However, she has not competed since December and is not entered in this meet. Teammate Viktoria Rusnakova placed fifth indoors and third outdoors as a freshman a year ago and is one of numerous Raiders contending for their team's first CUSA indoor title in this event since 2016. Middle Tennessee freshman Xarya Udoumana (19-0.5) and UTEP's Samoya Neil (19-4.25) are the only two conference athletes to reach 19 feet so far this season. Neil reached a personal-best 20-1.5 to win the Summit League indoor title in 2024 while competing for South Dakota. Both of Liberty's entrants (Meredith Engle and Paige Greenhagel) will be long jumping for the second time on Friday, following the pentathlon competition.
Women's Triple Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Makenzy Mizera (Liberty) – 39-10.75 (12.16m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Viktoria Rusnakova (Middle Tennessee) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 45-6.5 (13.88m) by Ganna Demydova (Southern Miss) in 2011
Facility Record: 47-7.75 (14.52m) by Thea LaFond (Unattached) in 2021
Liberty Record: 42-8 (13.00m) by Makenzy Mizera in 2021
2025 Leader: Oghenefejiro Praise (UTEP) – 40-9.75 (12.44m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Makenzy Mizera – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Stephanie Robson, Kacy Cox
Outlook: Middle Tennessee's Viktoria Rusnakova excelled in the CUSA triple jump competitions as a freshman in 2024, placing second to since-graduated Makenzy Mizera of Liberty indoors and winning the outdoor title. However, she is only tied for sixth on the CUSA performance list this year at 39-4.5. The three women who have sailed past 40 feet in 2025 include UTEP's Oghenefejiro Praise (40-9.75), Kennesaw State's Victoria Joyce (40-6) and FIU's Danielle McGonigle (40-0.5). UTEP has not won this event since 2016, while FIU has never won it. Praise came in sixth at the SEC indoor meet as an LSU freshman a year ago, while Joyce was the 2023 ASUN outdoor triple jump titlist. Liberty's top hopes lie with Stephanie Robson. She reached a personal-best 40-5 to place eighth at the 2024 American championship while competing for East Carolina.
Women's High Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at Noon
Defending Champion: Emilia Lesniak (WKU) – 5-8.75 (1.75m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: A'Reil Williams (Louisiana Tech) – 3rd place
Meet Record: 6-1.25 (1.86m) by Josie Taylor (Rice) in 2022
Facility Record: 6-0.75 (1.85m) by Kristi Snyman (Jacksonville) in 2023
Liberty Record: 5-10.75 (1.80m) by Kena Butts in 2005
2025 Leader: Luca Keszthelyi (FIU) – 5-11.25 (1.81m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Meredith Engle, Eva Whiteman, Patasha Bryan, Indiah Maroney, Paige Greenhagel
Outlook: Louisiana Tech's A'riel Williams is the top returnee from the 2024 indoor high jump competition (third place) and won the 2024 outdoor title as a freshman. In order to claim her team's first-ever CUSA indoor women's high jump crown, Williams will have to contend with the outstanding freshman duo from FIU, Luca Keszthelyi (5-11.25 season best) and Amaya Bien-Aime (5-9.75). Liberty sophomore Eva Whiteman matched her lifetime best of 5-8 to finish second to Williams at the 2024 CUSA outdoor championship. The Lady Flames have not won this event indoors at a conference championship since 2018 (Kylie Polsgrove – Big South).
Women's Pole Vault
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 1 p.m.
Defending Champion: Nicole Janse Van Rensburg (FIU) – 13-4.5 (4.08m) (Second in a row)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Rachael Ruff (Kennesaw State) – 12-2.5 (3.72m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Janse Van Rensburg
Meet Record: 13-11.75 (4.26m) by Riley Felts (Charlotte) and Anna Massa (UAB) in 2022
Facility Record: 15-1 (4.60m) by Alina McDonald (KMR Athletics) in 2022
Liberty Record: 14-0 (4.27m) by Andrea Wildrick in 2002
2025 Leader: Alla Parnov (UTEP) – 13-9.75 (4.21m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Mia Bowers, Katie Urbine, Sarah Gassman, Emory Pafford
Outlook: The meet's first field event final, the women's pole vault promises an intriguing competition. FIU's Nicole Janse Van Rensburg has claimed back-to-back CUSA indoor titles and also won the event outdoors in 2024. However, her season best of 13-2.5 has her looking up at UTEP's Alla Parnov (13-9.75) and the Liberty duo of Mia Bowers (13-3.5) and Katie Urbine (13-3.5). Parnov will attempt to win UTEP's first-ever CUSA indoor championship in this event. Urbine was an outdoor All-American as a freshman a year ago and owns the top personal best in the field (14-1.25). However, she struggled at the CUSA meet both indoors (no height) and outdoors (fourth place) in 2024. Bowers, who has added three inches to her personal best this season, will look for the second indoor podium finish of her career. She placed third in the ASUN as a freshman in 2022.
Women's Shot Put
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at Noon
Defending Champion: Rebecca Green (New Mexico State) – 52-2.75 (15.92m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Green
Meet Record: 58-10.75 (17.95m) by Claire Uke (Rice) in 2015
Facility Record: 53-1.75 (16.20m) by Brooke Lumpkin (Virginia) in 2024
Liberty Record: 53-5.5 (16.29m) by Mychelle Cumings in 2014
2025 Leader: Rebecca Green (New Mexico State) – 54-11.5 (16.75m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Bethany Tate, Meredith Engle, Tabby DeJong, Sofia Mojica
Outlook: New Mexico State's Rebecca Green has dominated the women's shot put since her team entered CUSA a year ago. She swept the 2024 indoor and outdoor conference titles, and Green's personal-best mark of 54-11.5 from two weeks ago is 7.5 feet longer than that of No. 2 seed Bethany Tate of Liberty (47-4.25). The facility record (currently 53-1.75) could be broken for the second time this season after Virginia's Brooke Lumpkin did so in December at the Liberty Kickoff. No. 4 seed Meredith Engle of Liberty (46-7.5 season best) will be shot putting concurrently with the high jump competition on Saturday. Those will mark her eighth and ninth events in two days.
Women's Weight Throw
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Elizabeth Alfred (FIU) – 68-2.25 (20.78m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Kali Terza (Kennesaw State) – 67-6.75 (20.59m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Alfred
Meet Record: 72-9.25 (22.18m) by Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Rice) in 2023
Facility Record: 73-2.75 (22.32m) by Gudrun Hallgrimsdottir (VCU) in 2025
Liberty Record: 67-5.5 (20.56m) by Jocelyn Williams in 2014
2025 Leader: Michaelle Valentin (FIU) – 71-10.75 (21.91m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Paola Bueno, Sofia Mojica
Outlook: FIU's Elizabeth Alfred enters Friday's competition as the defending champion, but it is teammate Michaelle Valentin who is the top seed and considerable favorite. Valentin's 71-10.75 effort at the Scarlet Knight Open is No. 1 in CUSA by more than 6.5 feet and puts her No. 14 nationally, on the cusp of securing a trip to the NCAA national meet in two weeks. A three-time outdoor All-American between the hammer and discus, Valentin is chasing her first CUSA weight throw crown after finishing as the 2022, 2023 and 2024 runner-up. No. 2 seed Eriana Sanford of Kennesaw State (65-2.25 season best) was the 2023 and 2024 ASUN weight throw runner-up. Liberty's Paola Bueno topped Sanford to win the 2023 ASUN championship before placing third in CUSA behind Alfred and Valentin in 2024.
Women's Pentathlon
Event Schedule: Begins Friday at 10 a.m.
Defending Champion: Patasha Bryan (Liberty) – 3,791
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Bryan
Meet Record: 4,004 by Charlotte Abrahamsen (Memphis) in 2008 and Xenia Rahn (Memphis) in 2013
Facility Record: 4,324 by Shaina Burns (Unattached) in 2023
Liberty Record: 4,131 by Meredith Engle in 2025
2025 Leader: Meredith Engle (Liberty) – 4,131
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Patasha Bryan – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Meredith Engle, Patasha Bryan, Paige Greenhagel
Outlook: Liberty's Patasha Bryan swept the CUSA pentathlon and heptathlon championships a year ago and has boosted her pentathlon best to 3,965 this season. In order to become the first back-to-back champion in this event since UTEP's Lucia Mokrasova won three in a row between 2016 and 2018, Bryan will have to defeat teammate Meredith Engle. The 2022 and 2023 ASUN pentathlon victor, Engle has twice broken the Liberty record this season. Most recently, her score of 4,131 from the Penn State National Open has her ranked in the coveted No. 16 spot nationally entering the final weekend of qualifying for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. No Lady Flame has ever made it to the NCAA national meet in the pentathlon, and no Lady Flame has won three conference pentathlon championships. Engle will be one of the busiest athletes at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex this week, with the high jump, long jump, shot put and a possible leg on the 4 x 400 relay to follow the pentathlon.
Men's 60-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 4:50 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:05 p.m.
Defending Champion: Omari Lewis (Liberty) – 6.67
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Lewis
Meet Record: 6.61 by McKinely West (Southern Miss) in 2019
Facility Record: 6.63 by Davonte Burnett (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 6.67 by Omari Lewis in 2024
2025 Leader: John Sherman (Middle Tennessee) – 6.65 and Xzamion Parker (Sam Houston) – 6.65 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Omari Lewis – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Eddy Vu, Omari Lewis
Outlook: Liberty's Omari Lewis will be competing at the 60-meter distance for the first time this season on Friday. He raced to the 2023 ASUN title and the 2024 CUSA crown (in a program-record 6.67), extending Liberty's streak to five consecutive conference titles in the men's 60. First-year Flame Eddy Vu owns a personal best of 6.66 and was an NJCAA national qualifier for Butler Community College in 2024. After failing to qualify for the CUSA final at either 60 meters indoors or 100 meters outdoors as a freshman, Middle Tennessee's John Sherman has blazed a time of 6.65 twice as a sophomore. That gives him a share of the top seed with Sam Houston freshman Xzamion Parker. No. 3 seed Jayden Jones of Sam Houston placed fifth in this event a year ago, about 35 minutes before racing to the 200 title.
Men's 200-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 6 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:40 p.m.
Defending Champion: Jayden Jones (Sam Houston) – 20.88
Defending Champion (ASUN): Malik Hussie (Kennesaw State) – 21.53
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Jones
Meet Record: 20.59 by Alaba Akintola (Middle Tennessee) in 2023
Facility Record: 20.68 by Caleb Boger (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 20.86 by Donald McClinton in 2023
2025 Leader: Jayden Jones (Sam Houston) – 20.98 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Revell Webster, Omari Lewis, Elijah Sherard, Eddy Vu
Outlook: Five of the top seven seeds in the men's 200 belong to either Louisiana Tech (three) or Sam Houston (two). That group includes defending champion Jayden Jones of Sam Houston, the only CUSA runner to break 21 seconds (20.91 at altitude) so far in 2025. Louisiana Tech has not won this event indoors since 2014. Liberty's Omari Lewis is seeded only No. 11 at 21.55 but finished second in the ASUN in 2023 and third in CUSA in 2024.
Men's 400-Meter Dash
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 4:15 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:45 p.m.
Defending Champion: Julio Pacheco Estrada (UTEP) – 47.22
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Pacheco Estrada
Meet Record: 46.21 by Emmanuel Dasor (WKU) in 2016
Facility Record: 46.15 by Alejandro Perlaza Zapata (Liberty) in 2019
Liberty Record: 46.07 by Alejandro Perlaza Zapata in 2019
2025 Leader: Valentino Rudolph (Louisiana Tech) – 47.64 (converted)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Elijah Sherard, Simon Lamparelli
Outlook: UTEP's Julio Pacheco Estrada and Joshua Hill went 1-2 in the 400 both indoors and outdoors a year ago, and both are back in 2025. Pacheco Estrada will try to become the first athlete to successfully defend his CUSA indoor 400 crown since WKU's Emmanuel Dasor in 2016 and 2017. Louisiana Tech has yet to win this event indoors at the CUSA championship but boasts three of the top five seeds in Valentino Rudolph (No. 1, 47.64), Frank Bradley-Reed (No. 3, 47.68) and Tim Rummelhagen (No. 4, 47.76). However, Rudolph is not entered in the competition. All-American Alejandro Perlaza Zapata was Liberty's most recent men's 400 champion, claiming the title during Liberty's first season in the ASUN (2019). Elijah Sherard could be a darkhorse contender for the Flames. He clocked a Liberty freshman-record 48.53 at The Burg Open in January. Teammate Simon Lamparelli came in fourth in this event outdoors as a freshman in 2024.
Men's 800-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 5:30 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 3:20 p.m.
Defending Champion: Brendan Pitcher (Liberty) – 1:51.77
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Pitcher
Meet Record: 1:49.98 by Chris O'Hare (Tulsa) in 2012
Facility Record: 1:46.59 by Alex Amankwah (District Track Club) in 2021
Liberty Record: 1:49.18 by Ally Kipchirchir in 2023
2025 Leader: Mackdonald Songok (Middle Tennessee) – 1:47.83
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Brendan Pitcher – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Kyle Thrush, Brendan Pitcher
Outlook: The 2024 CUSA indoor (Liberty's Brendan Pitcher) and outdoor (UTEP's Aron Tanui) 800-meter champions are back in 2025. Pitcher, who was also victorious in the ASUN indoor final in 2023, will look to become the CUSA's first back-to-back winner since UTEP's Michael Saruni in 2017 and 2018. He will also attempt to become Liberty's first-ever men's 800 runner to claim three straight indoor conference crowns. The conference's fastest time this season (by two seconds) belongs to Middle Tennessee freshman Mackdonald Songok at 1:47.83. The other three CUSA runners to break 1:51 this season are 2024 Red River Athletic Conference outdoor 800 champion (while at Houston-Tillotson) Sam Houston's Caleb Anthony (1:49.84), Kennesaw State record holder Edwin Kiprono (1:50.23) and 2024 indoor runner-up Wail Bourahli of Middle Tennessee (1:50.77). With freshmen Songok and Kiprono listed among the pre-meet favorites, it's worth noting that UTEP's Michael Saruni (2017) was the most recent freshman to win this event.
Men's Mile
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2 p.m.
Defending Champion: Kyle Harkabus (Liberty) – 4:06.79
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Harkabus
Meet Record: 4:00.82 by Pablo Solares (Rice) in 2007
Facility Record: 3:56.79 by Antonio Lopez Segura (Virginia Tech) in 2022
Liberty Record: 4:01.27 by Ryan Drew in 2022
2025 Leader: Kenneth Talavera (UTEP) – 3:59.48
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Kyle Harkabus – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Will Jefferson, Kyle Harkabus, Dale Hall, Edwin Kiprop
Outlook: Liberty's Kyle Harkabus raced to CUSA titles in the indoor mile and outdoor 1,500 a year ago. However, he does not even own the fastest time among the Flames in 2025. That honor belongs to Will Jefferson at 4:07.08. Jefferson owns the Liberty freshman record of 4:06.63 from 2022, something Dale Hall (4:07.55 season best) could take aim at this week. UTEP's Kenneth Talavera won this event in 2022 and 2023 and joined the sub-4:00 club last Friday at Arkansas with a 3:59.48 effort. That made him CUSA's first sub-4:00 miler since 2017 (Middle Tennessee's Sampson Laari). No Liberty athlete has won consecutive conference titles in the men's mile since Sam Chelanga garnered three straight Big South championships spanning 2009-11. A number of runners best known for their ability in longer events (Middle Tennessee's Allan Kiplagat) and shorter events (Middle Tennessee's Mackdonald Songok and Kennesaw State's Edwin Kiprono) are also entered in the mile, Saturday's first track final.
Men's 3,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3:50 p.m.
Defending Champion: Edwin Kiprop (Liberty) – 8:15.26
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Kiprop
Meet Record: 8:00.14 by Daniel Bernal (UTEP) in 2023
Facility Record: 7:54.64 by Patrick Anderson (North Carolina) in 2022
Liberty Record: 7:48.24 by Sam Chelanga in 2011
2025 Leader: Allan Kiplagat (Middle Tennessee) – 7:54.55
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Edwin Kiprop – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Jack Cottrell, Nathan Moore, Will Jefferson, Dale Hall, Kyle Harkabus, Nicholas Kiprotich, Edwin Kiprop
Outlook: Coming off an amazing cross country season which culminated in a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, Middle Tennessee's Allan Kiplagat is CUSA's lone sub-8:00 3K runner of 2025 at 7:54.55. No one has ever broken 8:00 at this meet. Liberty's Edwin Kiprop will compete in his first 3K since claiming the 2024 CUSA title as a freshman. Middle Tennessee's Brian Kiptoo was second to Kiprop in that race and enters as the No. 2 seed behind teammate Kiplagat at 8:01.76. Liberty's Jack Cottrell, who placed fourth in the 2023 ASUN 3K final, is coming off a victory at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational in a personal-best 8:06.00. If the race turns tactical, UTEP star miler Kenneth Talavera could be in the mix as well.
Men's 5,000-Meter Run
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Edwin Kiprop (Liberty) – 14:07.46
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Brian Kiptoo (Middle Tennessee) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 13:47.51 by Nick Scudder (Charlotte) in 2021
Facility Record: 13:43.27 by Athanas Kioko (Campbell) in 2022
Liberty Record: 13:19.79 by Sam Chelanga in 2009
2025 Leader: Collins KipKemboi (Kennesaw State) – 14:08.06
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Edwin Kiprop – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Nicholas Kiprotich, Jack Cottrell, Nathan Moore
Outlook: Liberty's Edwin Kiprop claimed the indoor 5K title as a freshman in 2024 but will focus on other events this week, leaving indoor runner-up and outdoor champion Brian Kiptoo of Middle Tennessee as the top returnee. The top two finishers from the 2024 CUSA Cross Country Championships (champion Allan Kiplagat of Middle Tennessee and runner-up Collins KipKemboi of Kennesaw State) figure to contend in the longest indoor track event. KipKemboi owns CUSA's fastest time of the year to date at 14:08.06. Among Liberty's entrants, Nicholas Kiprotich was the 2024 CUSA 10K champion and Jack Cottrell came in third in the 2023 ASUN indoor 5K.
Men's 60-Meter Hurdles
Event Schedule: Prelims – Friday at 3:35 p.m.; Final – Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Stephen Eloji (Middle Tennessee) – 7.77
Defending Champion (ASUN): Mohamed Diaby (Kennesaw State) – 7.91
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Jordani Woodley (UTEP) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 7.77 by Caleb Parker (Southern Miss) in 2019, Bashiru Abdullahi (UTSA) in 2022, Jordani Woodley (UTEP) in 2024 and Stephen Eloji (Middle Tennessee) in 2024
Facility Record: 7.71 by Jovaine Atkinson (Liberty) in 2018 and Kurt Powdar (Hinds CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 7.64 by Jovaine Atkinson in 2018
2025 Leader: Oscar Smith (Louisiana Tech) – 7.74
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Isaiah Idore
Outlook: Two different runners tied the meet record of 7.77 a year ago, including runner-up Jordani Woodley of UTEP, the event's top returnee. The record is likely to be threatened again this week, with seven sub-8.00 runners entering the event. Neither UTEP nor Louisiana Tech has ever won this event at the CUSA championship, something Woodley and the Bulldogs' Oscar Smith (top seed at 7.74) would like to change. Smith came in fourth in the Big Ten in 2022 while racing for Ohio State. Kennesaw State's Mohamed Diaby captured the ASUN title last season during his freshman year. Liberty's Isaiah Idore has enjoyed a big breakthrough season, moving up to No. 2 in program history at 7.85.
Men's 4 x 400 Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 4:50 p.m.
Defending Champion: Louisiana Tech – 3:13.08
Defending Champion (ASUN): Kennesaw State – 3:14.05
Meet Record: 3:09.17 by Middle Tennessee in 2019
Facility Record: 3:10.34 by St. Augustine's in 2020
Liberty Record: 3:09.88 in 2018
2025 Leader: Kennesaw State – 3:10.30
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Outlook: Defending ASUN 4 x 400 champion Kennesaw State (3:10.30), defending CUSA champion Louisiana Tech (3:10.32) and Sam Houston (3:11.19) are separated by less than a second atop the CUSA performance list. Kennesaw State has claimed back-to-back ASUN titles in this event since Liberty defeated the Owls in 2022. That race marked the last time the Flames had run as fast as their 3:15.36 clocking from the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational two weeks ago.
Men's Distance Medley Relay
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 7:20 p.m.
Defending Champion: Liberty – 10:24.21
Meet Record: 9:51.62 by UTEP in 2009
Facility Record: 9:43.73 by Eastern Kentucky in 2023
Liberty Record: 9:47.30 in 2018
2025 Leader: Middle Tennessee – 9:57.52
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (2024)
Outlook: Liberty raced to the 2024 CUSA distance medley relay championship for its third conference DMR title in four years. Two legs (Brendan Pitcher and Kyle Harkabus) are back on the Flames' roster as Liberty tries to become the first team since Rice (2018-20) to go back-to-back. Middle Tennessee, which last won this event in 2022, is the only CUSA team to contest a DMR so far this season, an impressive 9:57.52 effort.
Men's Long Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Defending Champion: Mateo Smith (Louisiana Tech) – 24-2.5 (7.38m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Kaelen Mitchell (Kennesaw State) – 24-0.75 (7.33m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Joel Iheakolam (Middle Tennessee) – 3rd place
Meet Record: 25-7.25 (7.80m) by Fabian Edoki (Middle Tennessee) in 2019
Facility Record: 25-6.25 (7.78m) by Shakwon Coke (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 25-0.75 (7.64m) by Quinten Clay in 2022
2025 Leader: Kaelen Mitchell (Kennesaw State) – 24-10.5 (7.58m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Joshua Smith
Outlook: After winning ASUN indoor long jump titles in 2023 and 2024, Kennesaw State's Kaelen Mitchell appears poised to carry his success into his new conference on Friday. Mitchell's 24-10.5 season best is the longest in CUSA by 9.5 inches this season. Teammate Jeremiah Sims topped Mitchell to claim the 2024 ASUN outdoor championship in this event. Top returnee from a year ago (third place) Joel Iheakolam of Middle Tennessee enters as the No. 12 seed. Best known for his triple jumping exploits, Liberty's Joshua Smith will long jump at a conference meet for the first time since coming in third at the 2023 ASUN Championship outdoors. Justin Campbell could also boost Kennesaw State's point total in this event. Although he has yet to long jump this season, he placed third in the ASUN final a year ago.
Men's Triple Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at Noon
Defending Champion: Joshua Smith (Liberty) – 50-0.5 (15.25m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Smith
Meet Record: 53-7.5 (16.34m) by John Warren (Southern Miss) in 2018
Facility Record: 53-1.5 (16.19m) by Shakwon Coke (Barton County CC) in 2020
Liberty Record: 51-0 (15.54m) by Darrel Jones in 2018
2025 Leader: Lloyd Hill Jr. (Kennesaw State) – 51-2.75 (15.61m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Joshua Smith – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Joshua Smith, Shane Wang
Outlook: Liberty's Joshua Smith has opened his collegiate career with consecutive indoor triple jump conference titles, including 2023 (ASUN) and 2024 (CUSA) triumphs. He will try to join Clarence Powell (2008, 2010 and 2011 Big South) as the Flames' only three-time indoor triple jump conference champions. Smith's season-best 49-2.5 leap has him seeded fourth behind a trio of 50-footers: Kennesaw State's Lloyd Hill Jr. (51-2.75), Kennesaw State's Justin Campbell (50-10.75) and Middle Tennessee's Joel Iheakolam (50-0.75). Hill Jr. transferred from Purdue, where his best Big Ten triple jump showing was seventh indoors in 2021. Campbell seeks his first conference triple jump crown after placing second at each of his last four ASUN meets (2023 indoor, 2023 outdoor, 2024 indoor and 2024 outdoor). UTEP high jump standout Jakub Belik was a surprise winner of the triple jump at his home facility outdoors in 2024 in the only triple jump competition of his collegiate career to date, and he does not appear on Saturday's start list. With three of the top five seeds (also Tevon Shuler at No. 5), Kennesaw State hopes to make the triple jump a high-scoring event early in the day on Saturday.
Men's High Jump
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Jakub Belik (UTEP) – 6-11.5 (2.12m) (Second in a row)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Belik
Meet Record: 7-4.25 (2.24m) by Mickael Hanany (UTEP) in 2006
Facility Record: 7-4.25 (2.24m) by Kennedy Sauder (Liberty) in 2022
Liberty Record: 7-4.25 (2.24m) by Kennedy Sauder in 2022
2025 Leader: Jakub Belik (UTEP) – 6-11.5 (2.12m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Gabriel Willis, Hunter Bleam
Outlook: With a season best of 6-11.5, UTEP's Jakub Belik is a considerable favorite to capture his third consecutive CUSA indoor high jump title. That has only been accomplished previously by Houston's Jeff Mueller between 1999-2001. Sam Houston's Jeremiah Jackson came in second to Belik at the 2024 CUSA indoor and outdoor championships as a freshman last season. However, his 2025 season best measures only 6-6.75. Liberty's Gabriel Willis is the No. 2 seed at 6-9 but will high jump on the heels of his heptathlon competition, where he enters as the favorite. Kennesaw State is entering a pair of athletes who have not high jumped this season but earned All-ASUN honors a year ago. Chance Cross was last year's ASUN indoor third-place finisher and Jeremiah Sims was the ASUN outdoor runner-up.
Men's Pole Vault
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 5 p.m.
Defending Champion: Rylan Olguin (Sam Houston) – 16-8 (5.08m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Simon Seid (Kennesaw State) – 16-9.5 (5.12m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Benjamin Carlile (Sam Houston) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 17-8.25 (5.39m) by Alexander Slinkman (Rice) in 2023
Facility Record: 18-10.25 (5.75m) by Scott Houston (Vaulthouse Elite) in 2021
Liberty Record: 17-5 (5.31m) by Ken Howell in 1999
2025 Leader: Simon Seid (Kennesaw State) – 17-0.75 (5.20m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 0
Liberty Entrants: Todd Benhase, Hunter Flack
Outlook: Kennesaw State's Simon Seid owns CUSA's top mark at 17-0.75 after sweeping the ASUN indoor and outdoor pole vault titles in both 2023 and 2024, something teammate AJ Johnson also accomplished in 2022. WKU's Sam Crenshaw (16-8.75) and Liberty's Todd Benhase (16-5.5) will each bid to become the first freshman to win this event since Rice's Natan Rivera in 2019. Benhase, the Liberty freshman record holder, is the son of Greg Benhase, a three-time Big South pole vault champion (1998 outdoor, 1999 indoor, 1999 outdoor). Reilly Stroot (2019 ASUN) was Liberty's last indoor pole vault champion and Cody Bingham (2013 Big South) was the last Flame to claim this title as a freshman. The Flames' Hunter Flack is seeded only No. 12 this year at 15-5. However, he has been a clutch conference performer throughout his career, including a pair of indoor third-place finishes (2022 ASUN, 2024 CUSA). Sam Houston's Benjamin Carlile (16-8 season best) was the 2024 indoor runner-up in this event before capturing the outdoor title.
Men's Shot Put
Event Schedule: Final – Saturday at 3 p.m.
Defending Champion: Warren Barrett (Liberty) – 61-2 (18.64m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Caleb Hartley (Kennesaw State) – 57-5 (17.50m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Aleks Hristov (UTEP – 3rd place
Meet Record: 63-5.5 (19.34m) by John Davis (Houston) in 1999
Facility Record: 67-2.75 (20.49m) by Stipe Zunic (Nike/Croatia) in 2017
Liberty Record: 64-1.25 (19.54m) by Warren Barrett in 2023
2025 Leader: Evan Martinez (Kennesaw State) – 58-2.5 (17.74m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Warren Barrett – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Jordae Edwards, Trevor Veenstra, Beau Backes, Christian Hicks
Outlook: Kennesaw State freshman Evan Martinez paces the conference by more than three feet with a mark of 58-2.5. Liberty sophomore Jordae Edwards is his next closest competitor at 54-9.5, looking to make a significant improvement upon a ninth-place CUSA indoor finish from 2024. UTEP's Aleks Hristov is the top returnee from a year ago (third place). WKU's Kaison Barton came in third outdoors. Six different schools have boasted men's shot put champions at the last six CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships, including Middle Tennessee, Charlotte, North Texas, Southern Miss, Rice and Liberty.
Men's Weight Throw
Event Schedule: Final – Friday at 6 p.m.
Defending Champion: John Hicks (Liberty) – 68-4.5 (20.84m)
Defending Champion (ASUN): Anthony Harrison (Kennesaw State) – 68-8.5 (20.94m)
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Christian Hicks (Liberty) – 3rd place
Meet Record: 74-7.25 (22.74m) by Steffen Nerdal (Memphis) in 2010
Facility Record: 76-9.75 (23.41m) by Alex Young (Unattached) in 2022
Liberty Record: 70-5.75 (21.48m) by Kellen Kimes in 2025
2025 Leader: Kellen Kimes (Liberty) – 70-5.75 (21.48m)
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (John Hicks – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Kellen Kimes, Christian Hicks, Trevor Veenstra
Outlook: Last season, Liberty's John Hicks heaved the weight a school-record 68-4.5 to win his fourth career conference title in the event (also 2020, 2021 and 2022 ASUN). He also became the fourth straight Hicks to capture the CUSA crown, following three victories in a row by Rice's Nick Hicks (no relation) in 2021, 2022 and 2023. John Hicks' younger brother Christian is the top returnee from a year ago, where he came in third. The younger Hicks is seeded third at 63-3.5, trailing two newcomers to the conference in Liberty redshirt freshman Kellen Kimes (70-5.75) and Kennesaw State senior Jase Hunter (68-10). Kimes shattered Hicks' program record with his 70-5.75 bomb at the Liberty Open earlier this month. That ranks No. 33 nationally, including first among freshmen. Kimes will attempt to become Liberty's first freshman to win a conference weight throw title since John Hicks in 2020 (ASUN) and the first CUSA rookie to win this event since Charlotte's Stevan Veselinovic captured the first of his four conference crowns in 2016. Hunter was the ASUN weight throw runner-up a year ago. He previously claimed a pair of South Atlantic Conference weight throw titles (2022 and 2023) while competing for Newberry.
Men's Heptathlon
Event Schedule: Day One – Begins Friday at 10:20 a.m.; Day Two – Begins Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Defending Champion: Anthony Bryan (Liberty) – 5,187
Defending Champion (ASUN): Jordan Fick (Kennesaw State) – 5,259
Top Returnee from 2024 CUSA Meet: Daniel Van Duren (Liberty) – 2nd place
Meet Record: 5,794 by Jack Turner (UTSA) in 2023
Facility Record: 5,772 by Cole Wilson (High Point) in 2024
Liberty Record: 5,537 by Markus Ballengee in 2018
2025 Leader: Gabriel Willis (Liberty) – 5,224
Liberty Event Titles (Last): 1 (Anthony Bryan – 2024)
Liberty Entrants: Gabriel Willis, Hunter Bleam, Daniel Van Duren, Samuel O'Regan
Outlook: Despite the departure of 2024 CUSA heptathlon and decathlon titlist Anthony Bryan, Liberty Flames own the conference's top four heptathlon scores of 2025. Leading the way is Gabriel Wilis at 5,224. Teammate Daniel Van Duren was the runner-up to Bryan in last year's heptathlon competition with a personal-best score of 5,121. The Flames' Hunter Bleam scored 4,940 points at the Brant Tolsma Invitational, leaving him on the verge of becoming the 13th 5,000-point scorer in program history. UTEP's Oleksandr Blonskyi could be the top threat to a potential Liberty podium sweep. He tallied 4,986 points for third place a year ago.
Players Mentioned
Throws
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Throws
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Pole Vault
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Decathlon
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Pole Vault
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Decathlon
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Heptathlon
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Hammer
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Hurdles
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Distance
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Jumps
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Throws
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Throws
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Heptathlon
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Distance
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Pole Vault
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Pole Vault
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Mid-distance
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Distance
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Heptathlon
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Mid-distance
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Mid-distance
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Throws
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Throws
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Mid-distance
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Hurdles
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Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Sprints
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Distance
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Decathlon
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Pole Vault
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Mid-distance
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Mid-distance
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Jumps
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Distance
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Distance
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Sprints
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Mid-distance
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Jumps
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Throws
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Mid-distance
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Pole Vault
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Decathlon
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Throws
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Distance
/ Track and FieldCoach Zealand & Ryann Aycock Give An Update On The Cross Country Season
Wednesday, September 17
Emma Unger: Every Step of the Way
Wednesday, May 14
Follow the Leader: Lance Bingham
Tuesday, May 13
Beau Backes: Following God's Calling in Two Worlds
Friday, May 02