After multiple seasons of rebuilding the team, the Liberty University Men’s Ultimate (LUMU) is ready to continue striving for excellence on and off the field.
Under Head Coach Kevin Habermas, LUMU hopes to make a deeper postseason run with a mix of returning and new players.
“Last year was a rebuilding year. This year, we’ve picked up a lot of athletes and are looking to get those athletes to push our system,” junior Micah Moore said.
Last season, LUMU placed seventh at the Cavalier Cup, fifth at the Oak Creek Tournament, 13th at the Oak Creek Invite, which culminated in a sixth-place result at the Virginia Conference Championships.
“Now we’re bringing everybody up to speed and pushing the team to be way better than last year,” Moore said.
Junior Caleb Swenson, a newcomer to the team, transferred to Liberty in time for the fall semester. He, along with Moore, is confident about this current season.
For Swenson, however, it was the team culture that convinced him to join.
“The team as a whole has been incredibly welcoming. It really is like brotherhood. The coach and the players have been great,” Swenson said.
Habermas and Assistant Coach Andy Lewis have made it their mission to create a team environment which glorifies God and encourages spiritual growth.
After every practice, the team gathers to thank God for the ability to play Ultimate. Games are no different and often include the opposing team joining the Flames in prayer on the field.
Through prayer, the team has built genuine connections to opposing players and started conversations about their faith, which has impacted the other players’ lives. LUMU believes the sport itself is a great way to build community and make friends.
“I think ultimate has a great community; it’s full of a lot of great guys and girls. It’s a really great opportunity for you to know great people and to get a lot of good exercise,” graduate student Benji Marshal said.
The High Tide Ultimate Tournament mission trip is another way LUMU glorifies God. The team travels to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to play in the tournament and spread the good news of Jesus to others. The team saw great success in their trip last year, where they finished first and had many opportunities to spread the gospel.
Habermas and Lewis emphasized that being on the team not only involves showing up to practice and having a drive to compete, but also being there for each other and contributing to the community.
Gross is a sports editor for The Liberty Champion.