Friday, January 23
Lynchburg, Va.
9:00 AM ET
Liberty University
vs
Liberty Open
Gilles Ouedraogo set the Liberty men's triple jump record (51-7.75) during his Flames debut on Friday.
Fresh Faces Flourish for Flames at Liberty Open
1/24/2026 1:16:00 AM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Newcomers took center stage for the host Flames at Friday's Liberty Open. Competing in their first meet in a Liberty uniform, Gilles Ouedraogo set a program record for the men's triple jump (51-7.75) and Tahj Brown broke the Liberty freshman record for the men's 60 hurdles (7.93) while recording two of Liberty's six event victories.
The Liberty freshman standard for the women's 60 hurdles also went down on a full day of action at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, courtesy of Alivia Rivera-Norman (8.59).
The Flames' other event champions included Todd Benhase (men's pole vault – 16-0.75), Christian Hicks (men's shot put – 54-0.5), Kellen Kimes (men's weight throw – 67-7.5) and Bethany Tate (women's shot put – 48-10).
Men's Recap
Ouedraogo, a native of Burkina Faso, needed only two triple jump attempts to win the competition and break his teammate's program record. He reached 51-7.75 in round two, eclipsing Joshua Smith's mark of 51-3.5 from the season-opening Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5. Ouedraogo then passed his final four jumps.
Like Ouedraogo, Brown also arrived at Liberty in time for the spring 2026 semester. The Bahamas native posted the men's 60 hurdles' fastest qualifying time (7.97) before improving to 7.93 to win the final. That bettered the existing Liberty freshman record of 7.94 set by All-American Jovaine Atkinson at the 2017 Liberty Kickoff, the first collegiate meet ever contested at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
Brown became the fifth Flame ever to dip under 8.00 for the 60 hurdles and is now tied with Prosper Ekporere for third in program history.
Brown was one of the Flames' three finalists in the event, joining Wallace Tupper II (also making his debut in a Liberty uniform, sixth, 8.32) and Patrick Adams III (seventh, 8.35).
Hicks heaved the shot put 54-0.5 on his sixth and final attempt, overtaking teammate Trevor Veenstra (53-4.5) for the event title.
The Flames' throwers later finished 1-3-4 in the men's weight throw. Kimes (67-7.5) led the way, followed by Hicks (third, 62-11.25) and Veenstra (fourth, 61-6.25). Kimes excelled at the Liberty Open for the second year in a row, following his program-record 70-5.75 weight throw at this meet in 2025.
Benhase continued a strong start to his freshman campaign, winning the men's pole vault thanks to a first attempt clearance at 16-0.75.
Liberty's men's distance squad notched a trio of top-five finishes on the day. Brendan Pitcher (1:53.81) and Jack Holub (1:54.98) went 2-4 in the 800, while Andrew Schultz (8:28.64) took fourth in the 3K.
Women's Recap
Runner-up Rivera-Norman nearly won the women's 60 hurdles final, crossing the line just two thousandths of a second behind champion Aubree Harris of VCU, a fellow freshman. As a consolation prize, Rivera-Norman bettered the Liberty freshman standard of 8.61 set by Jada Thomas at the 2019 ECAC Championship in Boston. Rivera-Norman now sits No. 5 in program history.
Competing in the morning's first field event (women's shot put), Tate saved her best for last. Her winning throw of 48-10 in round six established an indoor personal best and moved the sophomore up to No. 4 on Liberty's all-time list.
Mahogany Mobley (women's 200 – 24.35, No. 6) and Mackenzie Boggess (women's triple jump – 39-7, No. 10) both entered the Lady Flames' all-time top 10 charts on Friday while finishing fourth in their respective events.
Katie Urbine made it over 12-4 to finish third in the women's pole vault.
Other noteworthy performances by the Lady Flames included fifth-place showings by Ellie Stine in the women's weight throw (57-10.25) and Stephanie Robson in the women's triple jump (39-5.25). Stine improved by over four feet from her collegiate debut at the Liberty Kickoff.
Three of the day's seven women to break 10:00 in the women's 3K were Lady Flames, including Katie Sigerud (fifth, 9:55.00), Sophia Park (sixth, 9:55.51) and Ryann Aycock (seventh, 9:59.34). Park joined the sub-10:00 club for the first time on Friday.
Men's Event Winners
Todd Benhase – Pole Vault – 16-0.75
Tahj Brown – 60 Hurdles – 7.93
Christian Hicks – Shot Put – 54-0.5
Kellen Kimes – Weight Throw – 67-7.5
Gilles Ouedraogo – Triple Jump – 51-7.75
Women's Event Winners
Bethany Tate – Shot Put – 48-10
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Brendan Pitcher – 800 – 1:53.81
2nd – Trevor Veenstra – Shot Put – 53-4.5
3rd – Christian Hicks – Weight Throw – 62-11.25
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 60 Hurdles – 8.59
3rd – Katie Urbine – Pole Vault – 12-4
Men's Record Breakers
Program Record – Gilles Ouedraogo – Triple Jump – 51-7.75
Previous Record: 51-3.5 by Joshua Smith at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2025
Liberty Freshman Record – Tahj Brown – 60 Hurdles – 7.93
Previous Record: 7.94 by Jovaine Atkinson at the Liberty Kickoff on Jan. 21, 2017
Women's Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.59
Previous Record: 8.61 by Jada Thomas at the ECAC Championship on March 3, 2019
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – Triple Jump – Gilles Ouedraogo – 51-7.75
Tie for No. 3 – 60 Hurdles – Tahj Brown – 7.93
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 4 – Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 48-10
No. 5 – 60 Hurdles – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.59
No. 6 – 200 – Mahogany Mobley – 24.35
No. 10 – Triple Jump – Mackenzie Boggess – 39-7
Up Next
The sixth annual Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational sponsored by Beynon is set for Jan. 30 and 31 and will be the Flames' first home meet ever to air on FloTrack.
The meet will pit Liberty against competitors from Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Wake Forest, High Point and North Carolina A&T.
Elite sections of the mile, 3K and 5K are scheduled for Jan. 30 beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The Liberty freshman standard for the women's 60 hurdles also went down on a full day of action at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, courtesy of Alivia Rivera-Norman (8.59).
The Flames' other event champions included Todd Benhase (men's pole vault – 16-0.75), Christian Hicks (men's shot put – 54-0.5), Kellen Kimes (men's weight throw – 67-7.5) and Bethany Tate (women's shot put – 48-10).
Men's Recap
Ouedraogo, a native of Burkina Faso, needed only two triple jump attempts to win the competition and break his teammate's program record. He reached 51-7.75 in round two, eclipsing Joshua Smith's mark of 51-3.5 from the season-opening Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5. Ouedraogo then passed his final four jumps.
Like Ouedraogo, Brown also arrived at Liberty in time for the spring 2026 semester. The Bahamas native posted the men's 60 hurdles' fastest qualifying time (7.97) before improving to 7.93 to win the final. That bettered the existing Liberty freshman record of 7.94 set by All-American Jovaine Atkinson at the 2017 Liberty Kickoff, the first collegiate meet ever contested at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
Brown became the fifth Flame ever to dip under 8.00 for the 60 hurdles and is now tied with Prosper Ekporere for third in program history.
Brown was one of the Flames' three finalists in the event, joining Wallace Tupper II (also making his debut in a Liberty uniform, sixth, 8.32) and Patrick Adams III (seventh, 8.35).
Hicks heaved the shot put 54-0.5 on his sixth and final attempt, overtaking teammate Trevor Veenstra (53-4.5) for the event title.
The Flames' throwers later finished 1-3-4 in the men's weight throw. Kimes (67-7.5) led the way, followed by Hicks (third, 62-11.25) and Veenstra (fourth, 61-6.25). Kimes excelled at the Liberty Open for the second year in a row, following his program-record 70-5.75 weight throw at this meet in 2025.
Benhase continued a strong start to his freshman campaign, winning the men's pole vault thanks to a first attempt clearance at 16-0.75.
Liberty's men's distance squad notched a trio of top-five finishes on the day. Brendan Pitcher (1:53.81) and Jack Holub (1:54.98) went 2-4 in the 800, while Andrew Schultz (8:28.64) took fourth in the 3K.
Women's Recap
Runner-up Rivera-Norman nearly won the women's 60 hurdles final, crossing the line just two thousandths of a second behind champion Aubree Harris of VCU, a fellow freshman. As a consolation prize, Rivera-Norman bettered the Liberty freshman standard of 8.61 set by Jada Thomas at the 2019 ECAC Championship in Boston. Rivera-Norman now sits No. 5 in program history.
Competing in the morning's first field event (women's shot put), Tate saved her best for last. Her winning throw of 48-10 in round six established an indoor personal best and moved the sophomore up to No. 4 on Liberty's all-time list.
Mahogany Mobley (women's 200 – 24.35, No. 6) and Mackenzie Boggess (women's triple jump – 39-7, No. 10) both entered the Lady Flames' all-time top 10 charts on Friday while finishing fourth in their respective events.
Katie Urbine made it over 12-4 to finish third in the women's pole vault.
Other noteworthy performances by the Lady Flames included fifth-place showings by Ellie Stine in the women's weight throw (57-10.25) and Stephanie Robson in the women's triple jump (39-5.25). Stine improved by over four feet from her collegiate debut at the Liberty Kickoff.
Three of the day's seven women to break 10:00 in the women's 3K were Lady Flames, including Katie Sigerud (fifth, 9:55.00), Sophia Park (sixth, 9:55.51) and Ryann Aycock (seventh, 9:59.34). Park joined the sub-10:00 club for the first time on Friday.
Men's Event Winners
Todd Benhase – Pole Vault – 16-0.75
Tahj Brown – 60 Hurdles – 7.93
Christian Hicks – Shot Put – 54-0.5
Kellen Kimes – Weight Throw – 67-7.5
Gilles Ouedraogo – Triple Jump – 51-7.75
Women's Event Winners
Bethany Tate – Shot Put – 48-10
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Brendan Pitcher – 800 – 1:53.81
2nd – Trevor Veenstra – Shot Put – 53-4.5
3rd – Christian Hicks – Weight Throw – 62-11.25
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 60 Hurdles – 8.59
3rd – Katie Urbine – Pole Vault – 12-4
Men's Record Breakers
Program Record – Gilles Ouedraogo – Triple Jump – 51-7.75
Previous Record: 51-3.5 by Joshua Smith at the Liberty Kickoff on Dec. 5, 2025
Liberty Freshman Record – Tahj Brown – 60 Hurdles – 7.93
Previous Record: 7.94 by Jovaine Atkinson at the Liberty Kickoff on Jan. 21, 2017
Women's Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.59
Previous Record: 8.61 by Jada Thomas at the ECAC Championship on March 3, 2019
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – Triple Jump – Gilles Ouedraogo – 51-7.75
Tie for No. 3 – 60 Hurdles – Tahj Brown – 7.93
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 4 – Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 48-10
No. 5 – 60 Hurdles – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.59
No. 6 – 200 – Mahogany Mobley – 24.35
No. 10 – Triple Jump – Mackenzie Boggess – 39-7
Up Next
The sixth annual Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational sponsored by Beynon is set for Jan. 30 and 31 and will be the Flames' first home meet ever to air on FloTrack.
The meet will pit Liberty against competitors from Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Wake Forest, High Point and North Carolina A&T.
Elite sections of the mile, 3K and 5K are scheduled for Jan. 30 beginning at 4:30 p.m.
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