(L-R): Patasha Bryan, Allie Zealand, Gilles Ouedraogo, Tahj Brown
Flames Claim 4 CUSA Track & Field Weekly Honors
2/3/2026 2:02:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Four Liberty athletes who posted conference-leading marks at the sixth annual Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational sponsored by Beynon earned CUSA weekly honors on Tuesday. The Flames' honorees included Patasha Bryan (Women's Field Athlete of the Week), Allie Zealand (Women's Track Athlete of the Week), Gilles Ouedraogo (Men's Field Athlete of the Week) and Tahj Brown (Men's Freshman of the Week).
Ouedraogo was honored for the second week in a row, and Zealand is now a two-time CUSA Women's Track Athlete of the Week this season (also Dec. 9). Meanwhile, Bryan and Brown earned their respective awards for the first time in their career.
A redshirt senior from Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., Bryan was one of the busiest athletes at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex last week.
On Thursday, Bryan tallied a personal-best 3,999 points to finish as the pentathlon runner-up (first among collegiate entrants). The mark ranks No. 1 in CUSA and No. 20 nationally this season, while moving her up to No. 2 behind teammate Meredith Engle in program history. Bryan's impressive score was aided by a 5-6 high jump which tied her personal best and an 18-7.25 long jump that established a new lifetime best.
The following day, Bryan helped the Lady Flames race to victory in the women's 4 x 400 relay in a meet-record time of 3:41.83. Liberty's fastest indoor clocking since 2019 sits No. 3 in CUSA this year and No. 3 in program history.
A sophomore All-American from Forest, Va., Zealand put on a show for her home fans in the invitational section of the women's mile. She won the race over Sadie Engelhardt of NC State (ranked No. 6 nationally) by nearly four seconds in 4:28.89. Zealand's time shattered the program, facility and meet records and ranks No. 7 nationally this season.
A junior from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Ouedraogo won the men's triple jump with a new program-record mark (51-8.25) for the second straight meet to open his collegiate career. The CUSA-leading leap is tied for No. 25 in the NCAA this season.
A native of Nassau, Bahamas, Brown made it back-to-back men's 60 hurdles titles to begin his time with the Flames. His 7.92 clocking in the final eclipsed his own Liberty freshman record, tops this year's CUSA performance list and claimed sole possession of the No. 3 spot in program history.
After taking this week off from competition, Liberty will split up between a pair of meets on Feb. 13 and 14.
A majority of the team will remain in Lynchburg for the 12th annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational. The meet will air on ESPN+.
Meanwhile, some Flames and Lady Flames will head to Clemson, S.C., for the Tiger Paw Invitational, set to air on ACC Network Extra.
Ouedraogo was honored for the second week in a row, and Zealand is now a two-time CUSA Women's Track Athlete of the Week this season (also Dec. 9). Meanwhile, Bryan and Brown earned their respective awards for the first time in their career.
A redshirt senior from Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., Bryan was one of the busiest athletes at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex last week.
On Thursday, Bryan tallied a personal-best 3,999 points to finish as the pentathlon runner-up (first among collegiate entrants). The mark ranks No. 1 in CUSA and No. 20 nationally this season, while moving her up to No. 2 behind teammate Meredith Engle in program history. Bryan's impressive score was aided by a 5-6 high jump which tied her personal best and an 18-7.25 long jump that established a new lifetime best.
The following day, Bryan helped the Lady Flames race to victory in the women's 4 x 400 relay in a meet-record time of 3:41.83. Liberty's fastest indoor clocking since 2019 sits No. 3 in CUSA this year and No. 3 in program history.
A sophomore All-American from Forest, Va., Zealand put on a show for her home fans in the invitational section of the women's mile. She won the race over Sadie Engelhardt of NC State (ranked No. 6 nationally) by nearly four seconds in 4:28.89. Zealand's time shattered the program, facility and meet records and ranks No. 7 nationally this season.
A junior from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Ouedraogo won the men's triple jump with a new program-record mark (51-8.25) for the second straight meet to open his collegiate career. The CUSA-leading leap is tied for No. 25 in the NCAA this season.
A native of Nassau, Bahamas, Brown made it back-to-back men's 60 hurdles titles to begin his time with the Flames. His 7.92 clocking in the final eclipsed his own Liberty freshman record, tops this year's CUSA performance list and claimed sole possession of the No. 3 spot in program history.
After taking this week off from competition, Liberty will split up between a pair of meets on Feb. 13 and 14.
A majority of the team will remain in Lynchburg for the 12th annual Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational. The meet will air on ESPN+.
Meanwhile, some Flames and Lady Flames will head to Clemson, S.C., for the Tiger Paw Invitational, set to air on ACC Network Extra.
Players Mentioned
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Mid-Distance
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