Mckinley Burkett reflects on her time with Liberty women’s soccer

When McKinley Burkett decided to transfer to Liberty from the University of Tennessee, it was not to play the game she had played since she was just 9 years old. 

Burkett had hung up her soccer cleats and medically retired following her sophomore season at Tennessee. She graduated with her degree and was looking for a school she could get her master’s degree from. 

Liberty stood out to Burkett because both her parents attended the school. While she wasn’t searching with the intention to return to the field, the idea to reignite her career with the Flames came from her father. 

Her dad suggested that she reach out to Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer and gauge if the Flames would be interested in having Burkett. Burkett, however, was not as keen on the idea as her dad.

“I had been out of soccer for two years at that point,” Burkett said. “I thought my time might have passed.” 

Nevertheless, she reached out and came for a visit to Lynchburg. She felt her faith revitalize when she stepped on campus.

“I fell in love with the people and their heart for Christ,” Burkett said. “It made me feel passionate about soccer again, but also about my faith.” 

Burkett made the leap of faith and decided to lace up her cleats for the first time in two years. The commitment, however, would not come without obstacles. 

She arrived on campus in August 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the season to be played in the spring. This allowed Burkett more time to get back into shape after her hiatus. 

“I got to take more time to get back into it and shake the rust off rather than two weeks of preseason,” Burkett said. “That would have been interesting, but I still feel at times that I am still getting the rust off.” 

The women’s soccer team was crowned ASUN regular season champions Oct. 21 after its 3-0 victory over Eastern Kentucky. With the win, the Flames set the school record for a 10-game unbeaten streak and head into the ASUN tournament this week as the No. 1 seed. 

Burkett has been a big reason for the team’s 12-3-3 record this season, as she is tied for the team’s leading goal scoring. She scored five goals this season and played in 15 games for the Flames. 

However, Burkett almost wasn’t a part of this year’s group. 

By the end of the 2021 spring season, Burkett was back to her normal self on the field, but at the end of 2021 fall season, she was faced with another tough decision. Would she take her extra year of eligibility that NCAA athletes were granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic? 

“At first, I told my coach I don’t think I can do it. I thought I was too injured,” Burkett said. “I prayed about it a lot and decided no, I want to give more.” 

Burkett decided to extend her college career one more season, and in her last dance, it has been a season full of success for the Lady Flames. 

With the postseason beginning for the team, it means that Burkett’s career will end sometime in the next few weeks. For the Tennessee transfer who was supposed to be medically retired, however, any opportunity to play one more game will be a blessing. 

Elmore is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on Twitter