Friday, January 9
Lynchburg, Va.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
The Burg Open
Todd Benhase
Liberty Track to Resume Season at The Burg Open, Friday
1/7/2026 11:05:00 AM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – After more than a month away from competition, Liberty will resume its 2025-26 indoor track & field season at Friday's The Burg Open. Although the meet is hosted by the University of Lynchburg, it will take place at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
Markus White will be the first Flame in action, with the men's long jump set to begin at 9 a.m.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Friday's meet will be televised on FloTrack.
Live results will be available throughout the meet, courtesy of Blue Ridge Timing
Record-Breaking Duo
Record-breaking jumpers Markus White (men's long jump) and Joshua Smith (men's triple jump) are both scheduled to compete on Friday.
Smith opened his senior season in style at the Liberty Kickoff. His 51-3.5 triple jump in round six won the competition and took down the program record that had stood since 2018.
The previous night, White made an impressive Liberty indoor track & field debut. He captured the Liberty Kickoff men's long jump title at 24-11, a mark which ranks No. 3 in program history. White, who owns the Liberty outdoor men's long jump standard at 25-8, will now chase the indoor mark of 25-0.75 set by Quinten Clay at the 2022 ASUN Championship.
Fantastic Freshmen
Some of the Flames' top freshman performers from the Liberty Kickoff will be back in action on Friday.
Chase Johnson matched teammate Todd Benhase's Liberty freshman record in the men's pole vault with a 16-6.75 clearance.
Meanwhile, Alivia Rivera-Norman (women's 60 hurdles) and Lara DeFazio (women's long jump) will make another attempt after narrowly missing the Liberty freshman standards in their respective events last time out.
The women's 60 hurdles freshman record of 8.61 was set by Jada Thomas at the 2019 ECAC Championship. Rivera-Norman clocked 8.69 in her collegiate debut.
Current director of operations Makenzy (Mizera) Willis long jumped a Liberty freshman record 19-1.5 at the 2019 ASUN Championship. DeFazio reached 18-9.75 at the Liberty Kickoff.
Pole Vault Plans
Liberty's talented men's pole vault trio of Todd Benhase, Chase Johnson and Reagan Wise is slated to compete on Friday, as is All-American Katie Urbine in the women's vault.
Benhase, Johnson and Wise are all tied for seventh place in program history at 16-6.75. Benhase (from the 2025 CUSA Championship) and Johnson share the Liberty freshman record, while Wise cleared 16-6.75 in his first meet as a Flame after transferring from Campbell.
Urbine (13-8.5 indoor best) sits No. 2 on the Lady Flames' all-time list behind fellow All-American Andrea Wildrick, who has held the record at 14-0 since 2002.
Up Next
Liberty will take to the road for the Virginia Tech Invitational. The two-day event is slated for Jan. 16-17 at Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va.
Markus White will be the first Flame in action, with the men's long jump set to begin at 9 a.m.
How to Follow the Flames and Lady Flames
Friday's meet will be televised on FloTrack.
Live results will be available throughout the meet, courtesy of Blue Ridge Timing
Record-Breaking Duo
Record-breaking jumpers Markus White (men's long jump) and Joshua Smith (men's triple jump) are both scheduled to compete on Friday.
Smith opened his senior season in style at the Liberty Kickoff. His 51-3.5 triple jump in round six won the competition and took down the program record that had stood since 2018.
The previous night, White made an impressive Liberty indoor track & field debut. He captured the Liberty Kickoff men's long jump title at 24-11, a mark which ranks No. 3 in program history. White, who owns the Liberty outdoor men's long jump standard at 25-8, will now chase the indoor mark of 25-0.75 set by Quinten Clay at the 2022 ASUN Championship.
Fantastic Freshmen
Some of the Flames' top freshman performers from the Liberty Kickoff will be back in action on Friday.
Chase Johnson matched teammate Todd Benhase's Liberty freshman record in the men's pole vault with a 16-6.75 clearance.
Meanwhile, Alivia Rivera-Norman (women's 60 hurdles) and Lara DeFazio (women's long jump) will make another attempt after narrowly missing the Liberty freshman standards in their respective events last time out.
The women's 60 hurdles freshman record of 8.61 was set by Jada Thomas at the 2019 ECAC Championship. Rivera-Norman clocked 8.69 in her collegiate debut.
Current director of operations Makenzy (Mizera) Willis long jumped a Liberty freshman record 19-1.5 at the 2019 ASUN Championship. DeFazio reached 18-9.75 at the Liberty Kickoff.
Pole Vault Plans
Liberty's talented men's pole vault trio of Todd Benhase, Chase Johnson and Reagan Wise is slated to compete on Friday, as is All-American Katie Urbine in the women's vault.
Benhase, Johnson and Wise are all tied for seventh place in program history at 16-6.75. Benhase (from the 2025 CUSA Championship) and Johnson share the Liberty freshman record, while Wise cleared 16-6.75 in his first meet as a Flame after transferring from Campbell.
Urbine (13-8.5 indoor best) sits No. 2 on the Lady Flames' all-time list behind fellow All-American Andrea Wildrick, who has held the record at 14-0 since 2002.
Up Next
Liberty will take to the road for the Virginia Tech Invitational. The two-day event is slated for Jan. 16-17 at Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va.
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
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