Veenstra, Brown Lead Way at Penn Relays on Friday

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Trevor Veenstra (men's discus college section champion) and Tahj Brown (men's 110 hurdles freshman record setter and finalist) notched Liberty's top performances of day two at the 130^th Penn Relays, Friday at Franklin Field.

Veenstra's triumph came with a new personal-best mark of 178-3, while Brown improved his own Liberty men's 110 hurdles freshman record to 13.81.

Men's Day 2 Recap
Coming off a personal-best 173-9 discus effort at the Virginia Challenge, Veenstra added to that mark in both round four (175-7) and round five (178-3), Friday afternoon in Philadelphia. The latter effort ranks No. 9 in program history and gave the sophomore a two and a half foot victory over Troy's Tayjo Oppong.

Veenstra's effort should make him the third Flame headed to next month's NCAA Division I East First Rounds meet in the men's discus. He joins Christian Hicks and Beau Backes, who will throw in the Penn Relays championship section on Saturday.

Later in the afternoon, Veenstra (fourth, 56-9.5) and Hicks (eighth, 55-4.75) both reached the finals of the men's shot put college section.

Brown rode a wind-legal 13.81 to a heat victory and berth in the men's 110 hurdles final. He took down his own mark of 13.87 set last Saturday at the Virginia Challenge. Brown will be one of only two freshmen taking part in the final, slated for Saturday at 3:25 p.m.

Triple jumping for the first time this season, Markus White reached an outdoor personal-best 49-9.25 for fifth place in the college section. The long jump program record holder now sits No. 8 on the Flames' outdoor triple jump list.

After placing third in the Penn Relays high school javelin final a year ago, Nathan Haas came in 12^th in the event's college section on Friday. His top mark of 189-11 was the freshman's best since his 201-10 season opener on March 21.

Women's Day 2 Recap
Both of the Lady Flames' triple jumpers went over 12 meters and made the college section final on Friday. Stephanie Robson stretched the tape to 39-11.5 for fifth place, while freshman Mackenzie Boggess reached 39-8 for sixth.

Freshman Alivia Rivera-Norman failed to qualify for the women's 100 hurdles final. However, her 13.79 clocking marked her third sub-13.80 effort in as many races this season.

Men's Day 2 Event Winners
Trevor Veenstra – College Discus – 178-3

Day 2 Men's Record Breakers
Liberty Freshman Record – Tahj Brown – 110 Hurdles – 13.81
Previous Record: 13.87 by Brown at the Virginia Challenge on April 18

New Men's NCAA Division I East First Rounds Qualifiers
Trevor Veenstra – Discus – 178-3

Day 2 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
110 Hurdles – No. 3 – Tahj Brown – 13.81
Triple Jump – No. 8 – Markus White – 49-9.25
Discus – No. 9 – Trevor Veenstra – 178-3

Up Next
Liberty will close out its weekend of competition on Saturday, with Charlotte Invitational events beginning at 11 a.m. and Penn Relays action getting started at 11:30.

Schedule

Veenstra, Brown Lead Way at Penn Relays on Friday

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Players Mentioned

Beau Backes

Mackenzie Boggess

Tahj Brown

Nathan Haas

Christian Hicks

Alivia Rivera-Norman

Stephanie Robson

Trevor Veenstra

Markus White