Friday, February 13
Clemson, S.C.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
Tiger Paw Invitational
Markus White long jumped a program-record 25-6.25 at Clemson on Friday.
White’s 25-6.25 Long Jump Highlights Record-Breaking Friday at Clemson
2/13/2026 9:55:00 PM | Track and Field
CLEMSON, S.C. – Liberty's Markus White long jumped a program-record 25-6.25, marking the headliner among four records the Flames broke during Friday's action at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Liberty also set new freshman records in the men's 60 hurdles (Tahj Brown – 7.91), women's 60 hurdles (Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.56) and women's 400 (Shelby Smith – 54.84) at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Complex.
Bethany Tate captured the Flames' lone first-place finish on the day, heaving the shot put a personal-best 50-5.5 to take the open section.
Men's Day 1 Recap
White's third long jump attempt measured 25-6.25, eclipsing Quinten Clay's previous Liberty record of 25-0.75 from the 2022 ASUN Championship and taking third place in the competition. White, who also owns the outdoor men's long jump program record (25-8), inserts himself into contention for an NCAA Division I national qualifier. Only 16 men in the nation had reached longer than 25-6.25 in 2026, entering this weekend.
Brown's 7.91 clocking in the first round of the men's 60 hurdles earned him a spot in the semifinals and set his third Liberty freshman record since joining the program in January. Brown previously ran 7.93 at the Liberty Open on Jan. 23 and 7.92 at the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational on Jan. 30.
Isaiah Idore made it two Flames with sub-8.00 clockings on the day, posting a season-best 7.97 in his first round heat of the 60 hurdles.
Christian Hicks placed third in both of his Friday events, including the open weight throw (personal-best 64-9.75) and open shot put (55-5.5). Hicks' weight throw effort added nearly a foot and a half to his previous best and enabled him to join older brother John among the top five competitors in program history.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Like Brown in the men's 60 hurdles, Rivera-Norman has now set multiple Liberty freshman standards in the women's 60 hurdles this season. Her 8.56 clocking on Friday bettered her previous mark of 8.59 from last month's Liberty Open.
Smith's 54.84 performance in the women's 400 took down Tanner Ealum's Liberty freshman record of 55.10 from the 2017 ECAC Championship in Boston and was good for No. 6 in program history. Smith now owns Liberty freshman standards in two different events (also the 300 at 39.25).
Just before Smith's record-breaking run, teammate Mahogany Mobley sliced her 400 indoor personal best to 54.54 and grabbed the No. 4 spot on the Lady Flames' all-time list.
Each of Tate's three legal marks (50-5.5, 49-10 and 49-9) would have won the open section of the women's shot put, with her top heave coming in round two. Tate now sits No. 3 all-time for the Lady Flames after adding 18 inches to her indoor best.
Paola Bueno achieved a season-best 64-5 for the women's weight throw runner-up spot. First-year Lady Flame Sophie Gonzalez followed at 59-4.25 for ninth place in the event and No. 10 in program history.
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Bethany Tate – Shot Put Open – 50-5.5
Day 1 Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Christian Hicks – Shot Put Open – 55-5.5
3rd – Christian Hicks – Weight Throw Open – 64-9.75
3rd – Markus White – Long Jump – 25-6.25
Other Day 1 Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Paola Bueno – Weight Throw Open – 64-5
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Markus White – Long Jump – 25-6.25
Previous Record: 25-0.75 by Quinten Clay at the ASUN Championship on Feb. 25, 2022
Liberty Freshman Record – Tahj Brown – 60 Hurdles – 7.91
Previous Record: 7.92 by Brown at the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational on Jan. 30
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 60 Hurdles – 8.56
Previous Record: 8.59 by Rivera-Norman at the Liberty Open on Jan. 23
Liberty Freshman Record – Shelby Smith – 400 – 54.84
Previous Record: 55.10 by Tanner Ealum at the ECAC Championship on March 5, 2017
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – Long Jump – Markus White – 25-6.25
No. 3 – 60 Hurdles – Tahj Brown – 7.91
No. 5 – Weight Throw – Christian Hicks – 64-9.75
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 3 – Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 50-5.5
No. 4 – 400 – Mahogany Mobley – 54.54
No. 5 – 60 Hurdles – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.56
No. 6 – 400 – Shelby Smith – 54.84
No. 10 – Weight Throw – Sophie Gonzalez – 59-4.25
Up Next
Both the 12th annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational and Tiger Paw Invitational will conclude on Saturday.
The open women's high jump will get things started in Lynchburg at 8:30 a.m., while the Flames' first events in Clemson (men's triple jump and men's weight throw invite) are each set to begin at 10 a.m.
Bethany Tate captured the Flames' lone first-place finish on the day, heaving the shot put a personal-best 50-5.5 to take the open section.
Men's Day 1 Recap
White's third long jump attempt measured 25-6.25, eclipsing Quinten Clay's previous Liberty record of 25-0.75 from the 2022 ASUN Championship and taking third place in the competition. White, who also owns the outdoor men's long jump program record (25-8), inserts himself into contention for an NCAA Division I national qualifier. Only 16 men in the nation had reached longer than 25-6.25 in 2026, entering this weekend.
Brown's 7.91 clocking in the first round of the men's 60 hurdles earned him a spot in the semifinals and set his third Liberty freshman record since joining the program in January. Brown previously ran 7.93 at the Liberty Open on Jan. 23 and 7.92 at the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational on Jan. 30.
Isaiah Idore made it two Flames with sub-8.00 clockings on the day, posting a season-best 7.97 in his first round heat of the 60 hurdles.
Christian Hicks placed third in both of his Friday events, including the open weight throw (personal-best 64-9.75) and open shot put (55-5.5). Hicks' weight throw effort added nearly a foot and a half to his previous best and enabled him to join older brother John among the top five competitors in program history.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Like Brown in the men's 60 hurdles, Rivera-Norman has now set multiple Liberty freshman standards in the women's 60 hurdles this season. Her 8.56 clocking on Friday bettered her previous mark of 8.59 from last month's Liberty Open.
Smith's 54.84 performance in the women's 400 took down Tanner Ealum's Liberty freshman record of 55.10 from the 2017 ECAC Championship in Boston and was good for No. 6 in program history. Smith now owns Liberty freshman standards in two different events (also the 300 at 39.25).
Just before Smith's record-breaking run, teammate Mahogany Mobley sliced her 400 indoor personal best to 54.54 and grabbed the No. 4 spot on the Lady Flames' all-time list.
Each of Tate's three legal marks (50-5.5, 49-10 and 49-9) would have won the open section of the women's shot put, with her top heave coming in round two. Tate now sits No. 3 all-time for the Lady Flames after adding 18 inches to her indoor best.
Paola Bueno achieved a season-best 64-5 for the women's weight throw runner-up spot. First-year Lady Flame Sophie Gonzalez followed at 59-4.25 for ninth place in the event and No. 10 in program history.
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Bethany Tate – Shot Put Open – 50-5.5
Day 1 Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Christian Hicks – Shot Put Open – 55-5.5
3rd – Christian Hicks – Weight Throw Open – 64-9.75
3rd – Markus White – Long Jump – 25-6.25
Other Day 1 Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Paola Bueno – Weight Throw Open – 64-5
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Program Record – Markus White – Long Jump – 25-6.25
Previous Record: 25-0.75 by Quinten Clay at the ASUN Championship on Feb. 25, 2022
Liberty Freshman Record – Tahj Brown – 60 Hurdles – 7.91
Previous Record: 7.92 by Brown at the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational on Jan. 30
Women's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 60 Hurdles – 8.56
Previous Record: 8.59 by Rivera-Norman at the Liberty Open on Jan. 23
Liberty Freshman Record – Shelby Smith – 400 – 54.84
Previous Record: 55.10 by Tanner Ealum at the ECAC Championship on March 5, 2017
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
No. 1 – Long Jump – Markus White – 25-6.25
No. 3 – 60 Hurdles – Tahj Brown – 7.91
No. 5 – Weight Throw – Christian Hicks – 64-9.75
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
No. 3 – Shot Put – Bethany Tate – 50-5.5
No. 4 – 400 – Mahogany Mobley – 54.54
No. 5 – 60 Hurdles – Alivia Rivera-Norman – 8.56
No. 6 – 400 – Shelby Smith – 54.84
No. 10 – Weight Throw – Sophie Gonzalez – 59-4.25
Up Next
Both the 12th annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational and Tiger Paw Invitational will conclude on Saturday.
The open women's high jump will get things started in Lynchburg at 8:30 a.m., while the Flames' first events in Clemson (men's triple jump and men's weight throw invite) are each set to begin at 10 a.m.
Players Mentioned
Hurdles
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Hammer
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Hammer
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Throws
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Hurdles
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Sprints
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Hurdles
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Sprints
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Throws
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Jumps
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