Liberty Flames
Encyclopedia
The Liberty University Flames are the athletics teams of Liberty University
. The Liberty Flames are a member of the NCAA
Division I level in 18 sports. LU is a member of the Big South Conference
for most sports; except for women's lacrosse which competes in the National Lacrosse Conference
, women's swimming which competes in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, and field hockey, which competes as an independent DI team. In football Liberty participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of Division I, formerly known as Division I-AA. Their mascot, Sparky, is frequently seen at events. Liberty University is the second youngest school in NCAA Division I, founded in 1971 (Florida Gulf Coast University
founded in 1991). The University regularly competes for the Sasser Cup
which is the Big South's trophy for the university which has the best sports program among the member institutions. Liberty has won the Sasser Cup six times, second only to rival Coastal Carolina University
, which has won it seven times.
Liberty's football
program is headed by Danny Rocco
(2006 & 2007 Big South coach of the year), who had coached for the New York Jets
and Virginia Cavaliers
under Al Groh
. In 2007 Rocco's team narrowly lost at Division I FBS team . Liberty plays their home games at Williams Stadium
which has a capacity of 12,000.
. The Flames capped off their second year under head coach Danny Rocco
with an 8-3 record and an unblemished 4-0 Big South record to claim the title. The same week, The Liberty University Men's Soccer team beat Radford University
2-1 to capture the Big South Conference soccer title and their first appearance in the national tournament. Also that same week, the Liberty Women's Volleyball team shutout Winthrop
in the finals of the Big South Volleyball tournament. it was the first conference championship for the volleyball team since 2001. The Liberty Men's and Women's cross country teams also won the Big South Championship with Josh McDougal, Jordan McDougal and Jarvis Jelen sweeping the top 3 positions in the men's race for the third straight year.
The Liberty Flames men's basketball program began in 1972 under head coach Dan Manley. The Flames finished 13-14 in the inaugural season. As of the 2009-2010 season, the Flames have had 8 different head coaches of their Men's Basketball team (Dan Manley 1972-77, Harley Swift 1977-78, Dale Gibson
1978-81, Jeff Meyer 1981-97, Randy Dunton
1997-98 and 2003–2007, Mel Hankinson
1998-2003, Ritchie McKay
2007-09, Dale Layer
2009–present). As of the end of the 2008-2009 season, the Flames had an overall record of 524-555 (48.6%).
Liberty has reached post-season 3 times in its NCAA Division I history. The Flames fell to UNC
(71-51) in the first round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament
after winning the Big South tournament. Liberty lost to St. Joseph's
(82-63) in the 2004 NCAA tournament after crushing High Point
(89-44) to claim its second Big South Conference
Tournament Championship. Upon falling in the semi-finals of the Big South Conference
tournament in the 2008-09 season, the Flames were invited to the inaugural CIT Tournament. Liberty defeated Rider
in the first round before falling to the JMU
in the quarterfinals. Liberty won the 1980 NCCAA National Championship against Point Loma College (68-65).
, made the Sweet Sixteen
of the 2005 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
, being labeled a "Cinderella" team
. After defeating fourth-seeded Penn State and fifth-seeded DePaul
, the Flames' winning streak was halted by top-seeded LSU
. Feenstra was later drafted
by the San Antonio Silver Stars
of the WNBA
. Volleyball and both Men and Women's Basketball are played inside the 9,000 seat Vines Center
, which also hosts special events and concerts, such as WinterFest.
, including: Doug Brady
, Sid Bream
, Lee Guetterman
, and Randy Tomlin
. Liberty Baseball has appeared in three NAIA Baseball World Series
, finishing fifth in 1980, 1981, and 1982. The Flames made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Tournament
in 1993, after the university moved athletics to NCAA Division I in 1989. The program has since appeared in the tournament in 1998 and 2000.
to win the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship. He has also helped lead the Flames' cross country and track teams to numerous Big South Championships.
Liberty men's ice hockey competes at the Division I level of the American Collegiate Hockey Association
(ACHA). The team plays on-campus at the 3,000-seat LaHaye Ice Center. LU is exploring options to transfer to NCAA Division I sometime in the future, however the amount of money needed for a successful Virginia based NCAA team was determined to be too much. Men's ice hockey finished the 2009-2010 season ranked 10th in the ACHA DI. LU went 23-3-3 and won a bid to the 2010 ACHA Division I Championships in Chicago, Illinois, The team lost in the first round 3-7 to Arizona State University
. In addition to the ACHA DI team the University also fields JV teams playing at the ACHA DII and DIII levels.
Liberty won the University Hockey League
Championship in the 2004-05 season.
. The team plays on-campus at the 3,000-seat LaHaye Ice Center along with the men's teams. The Team finished the 2009-2010 season ranked 5th and qualified for the 2010 Women's ACHA Division I National Championship Tournament, held in Blaine, Minnesota
. LU l0-2 in Pool Play, losing 2-4 to the University of Rhode Island
and 0-1 to Penn State University.
concerns. The team had competed as an independent NCAA Division I program from 2006-2011 since the Big South Conference does not host a wrestling championship. Liberty University previously had wrestling teams from 1974 to 1994. The reinstatement of the wrestling program was aided by the support of the Liberty University Wrestling Foundation.
program, formerly led by Brett O'Donnell, was number one in the overall rankings Championships in the National Debate Tournament
for 2005, 2006, and 2007. The touting of this by Liberty and in the press has led to controversy, as the overall ranking included results for novice and junior varsity debates. In varsity rankings, Liberty was 20th in 2005, 17th in 2006, and 24th in 2007.
In addition, Liberty University students won the inaugural Big South Conference Quiz Bowl competition in 2006, and won again in 2007
Criticism of the debate program extends to the Christian community as well. John Lofton
of The American View Christian radio show accused Liberty University of not being "a truly Christian college" when Jerry Falwell gave permission for the debate team to debate in favor of abortion when required. The issue arose when the team was faced with the need to argue for abortion rights or give up the debate program for that year.
. The stadium was built in 1989 and splays host to Liberty Flames football (NCAA I-AA). The stadium originally seated 12,000 fans. The first phase of a planned renovation was completed October 2, 2010. Williams Stadium now has a five story press tower. In addition, 7,200 more seats were installed by adding a second deck to the home side of the stadium and lengthening both the east and west stands of the stadium. The seating capacity is currently 19,200.
. It was built in 1990 and is home to the Liberty University
Flames men's basketball and Lady Flames women's basketball team
s as well as men's wrestling and women's volleyball. It hosted the Big South Conference
men's basketball tournament from 1995–98, and also all rounds of the tourney except for the first round in 2003 and 2004. In the fall of 2008 the Vines Center underwent a major renovation of all seating. New red and blue cushioned seats were installed and new blue plastic game seats were put in place. On August 28, 2009 Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. announced that the University plans to upgrade seating in the Vines center from 8,000 to 11,000 for athletic contests and 12,000 for convocation.
.
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
. The Liberty Flames are a member of the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I level in 18 sports. LU is a member of the Big South Conference
Big South Conference
The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. The conference's football teams are part of the Football Championship Subdivision...
for most sports; except for women's lacrosse which competes in the National Lacrosse Conference
National Lacrosse Conference
The National Lacrosse Conference is a NCAA Division I women's lacrosse-only college athletic conference whose members are located in the primarily in the Southeastern United States, with one team, Detroit-Mercy located in Michigan. The league formed in 2009 and played its first season with four...
, women's swimming which competes in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, and field hockey, which competes as an independent DI team. In football Liberty participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of Division I, formerly known as Division I-AA. Their mascot, Sparky, is frequently seen at events. Liberty University is the second youngest school in NCAA Division I, founded in 1971 (Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University...
founded in 1991). The University regularly competes for the Sasser Cup
Sasser Cup
The George F. “Buddy” Sasser Cup Trophy is a US trophy awarded annually to the top athletic program in the Big South Conference. Formally called The Commissioner's Cup, it was renamed The Sasser Cup after former Commissioner George F...
which is the Big South's trophy for the university which has the best sports program among the member institutions. Liberty has won the Sasser Cup six times, second only to rival Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University is an independent, state-supported, liberal arts university in Conway, South Carolina, USA, located eight miles west of Myrtle Beach. Founded in 1954, Coastal became an independent university in 1993. The University enrolls approximately 8,300 students on its campus...
, which has won it seven times.
Men's
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Soccer
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Indoor and Outdoor Track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
Women's
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- Field HockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
- LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
- Soccer
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Indoor and Outdoor Track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
program is headed by Danny Rocco
Danny Rocco
-External links:*...
(2006 & 2007 Big South coach of the year), who had coached for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
under Al Groh
Al Groh
Al Groh is the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. He is also a former head coach of the University of Virginia football team, a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and the former head coach of the New York Jets of the NFL...
. In 2007 Rocco's team narrowly lost at Division I FBS team . Liberty plays their home games at Williams Stadium
Williams Stadium
Williams Stadium is a 19,200 seat football stadium located on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA. The stadium was built in 1989 and plays host to Liberty Flames football, which is a part of the NCAA Division I - Football Championship Subdivision . A new field house has...
which has a capacity of 12,000.
2007 Big South Conference Champions
The Liberty Flames captured their first Big South Conference Football championship with a commanding 31-0 victory over Gardner-Webb UniversityGardner-Webb University
Gardner–Webb University is a private university located west of Charlotte in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, USA. The school has a total of 14 academic departments offering 45 major fields of study. Among the most popular of the school's 39 undergraduate majors are those in business , education ,...
. The Flames capped off their second year under head coach Danny Rocco
Danny Rocco
-External links:*...
with an 8-3 record and an unblemished 4-0 Big South record to claim the title. The same week, The Liberty University Men's Soccer team beat Radford University
Radford University
Radford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
2-1 to capture the Big South Conference soccer title and their first appearance in the national tournament. Also that same week, the Liberty Women's Volleyball team shutout Winthrop
Winthrop University
Winthrop University is a public, four-year liberal arts university in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. In 2006-07, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,292 students. The University has been recognized as South Carolina's top-rated university according to evaluations conducted by the South...
in the finals of the Big South Volleyball tournament. it was the first conference championship for the volleyball team since 2001. The Liberty Men's and Women's cross country teams also won the Big South Championship with Josh McDougal, Jordan McDougal and Jarvis Jelen sweeping the top 3 positions in the men's race for the third straight year.
2008 Big South Conference Champions
Topping its 2007 performance, Liberty ran its unbeaten Big South streak to 11-straight games, finishing back-to-back conference championship seasons with a 30-10 victory over Gardner-Webb. The Flames finished with a 10-2 record on the year and finished the conference slate unbeaten at 5-0. Liberty’s victory allowed the Flames to become the first team in Big South history to win five conference games in a season and to join Gardner-Webb as the only two teams to post consecutive unbeaten seasons. Liberty finished ranked 15th in the FCS Coaches Poll and 14th in the Sports Network Poll.Men's basketball
Dale Gibson
Dale Gibson is a former men's basketball coach at Liberty University . After leaving coaching, he served as a professor at Liberty where he started the school's Sport Management program...
1978-81, Jeff Meyer 1981-97, Randy Dunton
Randy Dunton
Randy Dunton is a former head men's basketball coach at Liberty University. He had been the assistant under head coach Jeff Meyer, who was subsequently let go in 1997. Dunton was named the interim head coach for 1997–1998, a season that saw the Liberty Flames defeat in-state rival Virginia...
1997-98 and 2003–2007, Mel Hankinson
Mel Hankinson
Mel Hankinson is a men's basketball coach and author. Hankinson has written a number of books and starred in videos on techniques for coaching basketball.Hankinson spent over three decades coaching at the collegiate level...
1998-2003, Ritchie McKay
Ritchie McKay
Ritchie Lawrence McKay is an assistant coach for the Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team. Previously, the Indianapolis, Indiana native was the head coach of Liberty University, the University of New Mexico, Oregon State, Colorado State, and Portland State.-Biography:McKay got his first head...
2007-09, Dale Layer
Dale Layer
-External links:* *...
2009–present). As of the end of the 2008-2009 season, the Flames had an overall record of 524-555 (48.6%).
Liberty has reached post-season 3 times in its NCAA Division I history. The Flames fell to UNC
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
(71-51) in the first round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
after winning the Big South tournament. Liberty lost to St. Joseph's
Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball
The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Its home court is the Hagan Arena. The team's only Final Four appearance in 1961 was removed from the NCAA records due to a gambling scandal. Through...
(82-63) in the 2004 NCAA tournament after crushing High Point
High Point University
High Point University is a private liberal arts university in High Point, North Carolina, USA, affiliated with the United Methodist Church.- Beginnings :...
(89-44) to claim its second Big South Conference
Big South Conference
The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. The conference's football teams are part of the Football Championship Subdivision...
Tournament Championship. Upon falling in the semi-finals of the Big South Conference
Big South Conference
The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. The conference's football teams are part of the Football Championship Subdivision...
tournament in the 2008-09 season, the Flames were invited to the inaugural CIT Tournament. Liberty defeated Rider
Rider Broncs
The Rider Broncs are the athletic teams of Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, United States. They compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference . Rider is the only member which is not a Catholic institution. For wrestling only, Rider is an associate member of the Colonial Athletic...
in the first round before falling to the JMU
James Madison Dukes
The James Madison University Dukes is the name given the athletics teams of James Madison University. The name "Dukes" is derived from Samuel Page Duke, the university's second president. JMU is a charter member of the Colonial Athletic Association, which sponsors sports at the NCAA Division I level...
in the quarterfinals. Liberty won the 1980 NCCAA National Championship against Point Loma College (68-65).
Women's basketball
The University gained some media attention in the winter of 2005 when their women's basketball team, the Lady Flames led by Katie FeenstraKatie Feenstra
Katharen Ruth Mattera is a female professional basketball player for the WNBA....
, made the Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
of the 2005 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
2005 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-East Regional:-Midwest Regional:-Mideast Regional:-West Regional:-East Regional:-Midwest Regional:-Final Four:West-Tempe; Mideast-Chattanooga; East-Philadelphia; Midwest-Kansas City.-Record by conference:...
, being labeled a "Cinderella" team
Cinderella (sports)
In American and Canadian sports, a Cinderella or "Cinderella Story" refers to a team or player who advances much further in a tournament or career than originally anticipated. Cinderellas tend to gain much media and fan attention as they move closer to the championship game at the end of the...
. After defeating fourth-seeded Penn State and fifth-seeded DePaul
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
, the Flames' winning streak was halted by top-seeded LSU
LSU Lady Tigers basketball
The LSU Lady Tigers basketball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The team is currently coached by former UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell, who accepted the job on April 2, 2011. Past coaches include Barbara Swanner, Jinks Coleman,...
. Feenstra was later drafted
WNBA Draft
The WNBA Draft is an annual draft held by the WNBA through which WNBA teams can select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players. The first WNBA draft was held in 1997...
by the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. Volleyball and both Men and Women's Basketball are played inside the 9,000 seat Vines Center
Vines Center
The Vines Center is an 8,085-seat multi-purpose arena in Lynchburg, Virginia. It was built in 1990 and is home to the Liberty University Flames and Lady Flames basketball teams. It hosted the Big South Conference men's basketball tournament from 1995–98, and also all rounds of the tourney except...
, which also hosts special events and concerts, such as WinterFest.
Baseball
The Liberty University baseball program began in 1974 and has since seen four alumni enter Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, including: Doug Brady
Doug Brady
Stephen Douglas Brady is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. He played during one season at the major league level for the Chicago White Sox, and one season in the Korea Baseball Organization for the Lotte Giants.He was drafted by the White Sox in the 12th round of the 1991 amateur draft...
, Sid Bream
Sid Bream
Sidney Eugene "Sid" Bream is an American former Major League Baseball player. He played his entire 11-year career in the National League...
, Lee Guetterman
Lee Guetterman
Arthur Lee Guetterman is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from to for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals...
, and Randy Tomlin
Randy Tomlin
Randy Leon Tomlin is a former left-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who attended Liberty University. Tomlin played from 1990 to 1994 and batted and threw left-handed. He went 30-31 in 94 career starts with 297 career strikeouts...
. Liberty Baseball has appeared in three NAIA Baseball World Series
NAIA Baseball World Series
The NAIA Baseball World Series is a double-elimination tournament held annually in Lewiston, Idaho, to determine the baseball champion of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics .-Results:...
, finishing fifth in 1980, 1981, and 1982. The Flames made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Tournament
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the College World Series....
in 1993, after the university moved athletics to NCAA Division I in 1989. The program has since appeared in the tournament in 1998 and 2000.
Cross country
Perhaps the most prominent athlete to come through Liberty is Josh McDougal. McDougal is a 12 time cross country and track All-American and in November 2007 outkicked Oregon's Galen RuppGalen Rupp
Galen Rupp is an American cross-country and track and field athlete, who competed for the University of Oregon and currently trains under Alberto Salazar as a member of the Oregon Track Club. Rupp competed for his native country in the men's 10000 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,...
to win the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship. He has also helped lead the Flames' cross country and track teams to numerous Big South Championships.
Men's Ice Hockey
American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
(ACHA). The team plays on-campus at the 3,000-seat LaHaye Ice Center. LU is exploring options to transfer to NCAA Division I sometime in the future, however the amount of money needed for a successful Virginia based NCAA team was determined to be too much. Men's ice hockey finished the 2009-2010 season ranked 10th in the ACHA DI. LU went 23-3-3 and won a bid to the 2010 ACHA Division I Championships in Chicago, Illinois, The team lost in the first round 3-7 to Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. In addition to the ACHA DI team the University also fields JV teams playing at the ACHA DII and DIII levels.
Liberty won the University Hockey League
University Hockey League
University Hockey League was an American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II club level hockey-only college athletic conference with teams in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina...
Championship in the 2004-05 season.
Women's Ice Hockey
Liberty women's ice hockey compete at the Women's Division I level of the American Collegiate Hockey AssociationAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
. The team plays on-campus at the 3,000-seat LaHaye Ice Center along with the men's teams. The Team finished the 2009-2010 season ranked 5th and qualified for the 2010 Women's ACHA Division I National Championship Tournament, held in Blaine, Minnesota
Blaine, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile . There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile...
. LU l0-2 in Pool Play, losing 2-4 to the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
and 0-1 to Penn State University.
Men's Wrestling
In 2011 Liberty University announced that the school would no longer sponsor a varsity wrestling team, citing Title IXTitle IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
concerns. The team had competed as an independent NCAA Division I program from 2006-2011 since the Big South Conference does not host a wrestling championship. Liberty University previously had wrestling teams from 1974 to 1994. The reinstatement of the wrestling program was aided by the support of the Liberty University Wrestling Foundation.
Debate
Liberty's Inter-Collegiate policy debateInter-Collegiate policy debate
Inter-Collegiate Policy Debate is a form of speech competition involving two teams of two debaters from different colleges or universities based on a resolution phrased as something the United States federal government "should" do...
program, formerly led by Brett O'Donnell, was number one in the overall rankings Championships in the National Debate Tournament
National Debate Tournament
The National Debate Tournament is one of the national championships for collegiate policy debate in the United States. The tournament is sponsored by the American Forensic Association with the Ford Motor Company Fund.-History of the NDT:...
for 2005, 2006, and 2007. The touting of this by Liberty and in the press has led to controversy, as the overall ranking included results for novice and junior varsity debates. In varsity rankings, Liberty was 20th in 2005, 17th in 2006, and 24th in 2007.
In addition, Liberty University students won the inaugural Big South Conference Quiz Bowl competition in 2006, and won again in 2007
Criticism of the debate program extends to the Christian community as well. John Lofton
John Lofton
John Lofton is an American conservative political commentator and editor of The American View radio program run by Michael Peroutka. Lofton has also been a newspaper editor, a journalist, a columnist, and a political advisor...
of The American View Christian radio show accused Liberty University of not being "a truly Christian college" when Jerry Falwell gave permission for the debate team to debate in favor of abortion when required. The issue arose when the team was faced with the need to argue for abortion rights or give up the debate program for that year.
Williams Stadium
Williams Stadium is the football stadium located on the campus of Liberty UniversityLiberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
. The stadium was built in 1989 and splays host to Liberty Flames football (NCAA I-AA). The stadium originally seated 12,000 fans. The first phase of a planned renovation was completed October 2, 2010. Williams Stadium now has a five story press tower. In addition, 7,200 more seats were installed by adding a second deck to the home side of the stadium and lengthening both the east and west stands of the stadium. The seating capacity is currently 19,200.
The Vines Center
Vines Center is an 8,085-seat multi-purpose arenaArena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
. It was built in 1990 and is home to the Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
Flames men's basketball and Lady Flames women's basketball team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
s as well as men's wrestling and women's volleyball. It hosted the Big South Conference
Big South Conference
The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. The conference's football teams are part of the Football Championship Subdivision...
men's basketball tournament from 1995–98, and also all rounds of the tourney except for the first round in 2003 and 2004. In the fall of 2008 the Vines Center underwent a major renovation of all seating. New red and blue cushioned seats were installed and new blue plastic game seats were put in place. On August 28, 2009 Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. announced that the University plans to upgrade seating in the Vines center from 8,000 to 11,000 for athletic contests and 12,000 for convocation.
LaHaye Ice Center
LaHaye Ice Center was built in 2005 and opened in 2006. The Ice Center has a 3,000-seat capacity and is the home of the Flames and Lady Flames hockey teams.Al Worthington Stadium
Al Worthington Stadium is a 2,500-seat baseball stadium opened in 1979. It is named after former Liberty Baseball Coach and Athletic Director Al WorthingtonAl Worthington
Allan Fulton Worthington , nicknamed "Red", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Giants , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins . Worthington batted and threw right-handed...
.
Other Facilities
- Osborne Stadium is a 1,000-seat natural grass stadium and home to LU men's and women's soccer team, as well as women's lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
- one of the newest athletic programs at Liberty. Osborne was built in 2009 and is the newest athletic facility on campus. - Tolsma Indoor Track Center is located in Liberty’s Campus North building. The Indoor track was constructed in 2006 and has a 1,000-seat capacity. Amenities include a flat 200-meter oval track with four lanes around the curves eight-lane straightaways, a pair of long jump/triple jump runways, a pole vault runway, a high jump apron and a throwing circle.
- Liberty Softball Field is a 500-seat natural grass outdoor softball stadium built in 1993. It is home to the Flames softball program.
- Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex is an outdoor track complex built in 1989 for The LU Flames Track programs. The complex seats 500 and includes an eight-lane, 400-meter track, four long jump/triple jump pits, three pole vault runways, a high jump apron, two javelin runways, two shot put rings, and a hammer/discus throwing area. The facility has hosted 6 of the 15 Big South Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
- LU Tennis Courts
External links
- Liberty University Official Athletics Website
- Liberty University Official Website
- Liberty University Online Website
- U.S. News & World Report rankings
- Center for Global Ministries Official Website - Liberty University
- FlameFans - Liberty Sports & Alumni Message Boards
- A. Pierre Guillermin Library - Liberty University Library