Markus White (left) and Allie Zealand (right) were both voted CUSA Athletes of the Year.
White, Zealand Named CUSA Athletes of the Year
6/19/2026 2:00:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Two of Liberty's five All-Americans from last week's NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships earned CUSA honors on Friday. Markus White was voted CUSA Men's Field Athlete of the Year, while Allie Zealand was tabbed Liberty's first-ever CUSA Women's Track Athlete of the Year.
Friday's awards, which celebrated accomplishments from both the 2026 indoor and outdoor track & field seasons, were voted upon by the CUSA head coaches.
A Lynchburg, Va., native, White put an exclamation point on his junior year by finishing fifth in the NCAA Division I outdoor men's long jump final with a program-record 26-0.25 leap. White became Liberty's first-ever NCAA Division I long jump All-American with the top national finish by a CUSA men's long jumper since 2013.
White performed well at the conference level, placing first (indoor long jump – 25-4), second (outdoor long jump – 25-8.25), third (indoor triple jump – personal-best 50-11.5) and fourth (outdoor triple jump – outdoor-best 50-5.25) in his four events at the CUSA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
White set the Liberty indoor men's long jump record with a 25-6.25 effort at the Tiger Paw Invitational. That mark ranked No. 24 nationally for the indoor campaign.
A three-time CUSA Men's Field Athlete of the Week (Jan. 20, April 7 and May 12), White became the second consecutive Flame to be voted CUSA Men's Field Athlete of the Year. Kellen Kimes garnered the honor in 2025.
A sophomore from Forest, Va., Zealand garnered All-America honors both indoors (fifth place in the women's 3K – 8:45.12) and outdoors (16th in the women's 1,500 – 4:11.21).
Zealand won all five of her CUSA track finals in 2026, including the indoor mile (4:37.83), indoor 3K (9:35.37), indoor distance medley relay (11:34.61), outdoor 800 (2:05.26) and outdoor 1,500 (4:14.63). As a result, she was named both CUSA Women's High Point Scorer of the Meet and CUSA Women's Track Performer of the Meet indoors.
Zealand collected three CUSA Women's Track Athlete of the Week (Dec. 9, Feb. 3 and April 28) distinctions and set three program records (indoor mile – 4:28.89, indoor 3K – 8:44.71 and outdoor 5K – 15:26.38) on the year. Her indoor 3K clocking set the USATF U20 record, while her outdoor 5K effort took down the Penn Relays standard which had stood since 1984.
Zealand was previously named CUSA Women's Athlete of the Year for cross country. She becomes the first athlete to win that honor and CUSA Women's Track Athlete of the Year in a single academic year since 2021-22 (Rice's Grace Forbes).
Friday's awards, which celebrated accomplishments from both the 2026 indoor and outdoor track & field seasons, were voted upon by the CUSA head coaches.
A Lynchburg, Va., native, White put an exclamation point on his junior year by finishing fifth in the NCAA Division I outdoor men's long jump final with a program-record 26-0.25 leap. White became Liberty's first-ever NCAA Division I long jump All-American with the top national finish by a CUSA men's long jumper since 2013.
White performed well at the conference level, placing first (indoor long jump – 25-4), second (outdoor long jump – 25-8.25), third (indoor triple jump – personal-best 50-11.5) and fourth (outdoor triple jump – outdoor-best 50-5.25) in his four events at the CUSA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
White set the Liberty indoor men's long jump record with a 25-6.25 effort at the Tiger Paw Invitational. That mark ranked No. 24 nationally for the indoor campaign.
A three-time CUSA Men's Field Athlete of the Week (Jan. 20, April 7 and May 12), White became the second consecutive Flame to be voted CUSA Men's Field Athlete of the Year. Kellen Kimes garnered the honor in 2025.
A sophomore from Forest, Va., Zealand garnered All-America honors both indoors (fifth place in the women's 3K – 8:45.12) and outdoors (16th in the women's 1,500 – 4:11.21).
Zealand won all five of her CUSA track finals in 2026, including the indoor mile (4:37.83), indoor 3K (9:35.37), indoor distance medley relay (11:34.61), outdoor 800 (2:05.26) and outdoor 1,500 (4:14.63). As a result, she was named both CUSA Women's High Point Scorer of the Meet and CUSA Women's Track Performer of the Meet indoors.
Zealand collected three CUSA Women's Track Athlete of the Week (Dec. 9, Feb. 3 and April 28) distinctions and set three program records (indoor mile – 4:28.89, indoor 3K – 8:44.71 and outdoor 5K – 15:26.38) on the year. Her indoor 3K clocking set the USATF U20 record, while her outdoor 5K effort took down the Penn Relays standard which had stood since 1984.
Zealand was previously named CUSA Women's Athlete of the Year for cross country. She becomes the first athlete to win that honor and CUSA Women's Track Athlete of the Year in a single academic year since 2021-22 (Rice's Grace Forbes).
Players Mentioned
Throws
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Mid-Distance
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