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Newest Flames fans unite for President’s Kickoff at football stadium

One of the largest — and loudest — freshman classes in Liberty University’s 44-year history filled the lower deck on the home side of the Williams Stadium for Friday night’s President’s Kickoff.

As President Jerry Falwell pointed out, the Class of 2019 may best be distinguished as the smartest in school history.

“Thank you so much for choosing Liberty,” he said as he addressed the crowd, many festively decked out in an array of Liberty colors. “This is one of our largest classes ever. It’s our smartest class, with the highest SAT scores and highest GPA. We’re expecting big things out of you.”

More than 4,000 new undergraduate students, including more than 1,000 transfers, launched their careers at Liberty this week, raising the residential enrollment above 14,000 for the first time.

Friday night’s Kickoff and Dinner, served on the stadium concourse before the festivities, highlighted Student Activities’ Fall Welcome Week 2015. The eighth annual event, which helps set the stage for Monday’s first day of classes, served as a pep rally for Liberty’s Athletics Department. It featured performances from Liberty’s drumline, marching band, and cheerleading squad, providing a game-day atmosphere as new students clapped to the school’s fight song and various cheers.

Lady Flames volleyball Head Coach Shane Pinder opened the evening in prayer, petitioning God to allow Liberty’s student-athletes to compete in a way that would honor and glorify Him.

Alan York, the “Voice of the Flames,” served as emcee, introducing Falwell, Athletics Director Jeff Barber, men’s basketball Head Coach Ritchie McKay (who earlier fired up a Gatling Gun to spray the crowd with “Beat Coastal” T-shirts), and football head Coach Turner Gill.

“Welcome to Flames Nation,” Barber said. “Flames Nation is growing regionally every year and we’re glad to add you to the mix. We love you. We appreciate you. We’re doing this for the Lord. We want to be the best athletic program in the country. We need your support. Thank you for being here. Go Flames!”

He said that last season Liberty’s football team averaged 4,900 student fans per game, which ranked among the highest in NCAA Division I Football Championship Series (FCS) schools, and they helped propel the Flames to their first-ever FCS Playoffs bid. Friday night’s event attracted nearly that many Liberty students, just from the incoming class of freshmen and transfers.

“It was a great turnout,” Barber said. “I think I felt more energy out of this class than we’ve ever had before, so it was a great night.”

Gill led the vocal student body crowd in a spirited rendition of the 4 Quarters of Fury (4QF) motto adopted by Flames Football, encouraging fans to pledge to “Be early, be loud, and wear red.”

The night concluded with a football practice from 7 to 9 p.m. On Saturday, fans throughout the Lynchburg community are invited to the annual Flames Football Fan Fest, a free event from 6 to 9 p.m. at Williams Stadium. That will showcase another game-day atmosphere, complete with kid-friendly activities and inflatables, as the football team conducts its only open practice of the preseason training camp in preparation for its season opener at home against Delaware State, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.

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