Category: Sports

The NBA was in jeopardy – but it made it through, and the Lakers are champions. But now the NBA has to do the planning work all over again as COVID-19 continues to transform the sports world. At the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA was forced to put its season on hold until Commissioner Adam Silver and the […]

William Byron was far from the spotlight during the Season Finale at the Phoenix International Raceway, but nonetheless finished his season with a solid ninth-place run.  Byron began the afternoon in 25th with work to do, but he began angling to pull ahead early on in the race, slicing and dicing through the field to the 15th spot by the […]

Two weeks ago, as I sat around in the Champion office, waiting for our sports pages to head to the printer, I did what any college student (and sports nerd) would do – wasted time on something incredibly unproductive. Basically, I made official standings for our Liberty football predictions, mathematical calculations and all. If you are reading this page, you […]

Leaves covered the ground and autumn colors brightened the mountains of central Virginia as the month of October rolled to a close, but one major component of a traditional fall season remained missing: high school football. “It’s crazy,” Heritage High School Head Coach Brad Bradley said. “Right now, the weather … this is football season, man. We should be in […]

Liberty football’s success in 2019 was a privilege to behold. In their first year of FBS bowl eligibility, the Flames went 8-5 and secured a 23-16 Cure Bowl win over Georgia Southern. The season was filled with special moments, new program records and a draft class that saw star wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden get drafted in the fourth round by […]

In the midst of preparing for an uncertain spring season, the rock climbing team faces a unique challenge – integrating a bevy of walk-on recruits into an intense training regimen in the midst of COVID-19.  Senior and team captain Steven Cornford said he relished the interest in the team growing across campus.  Head Coach Elliot Gaunt expressed his excitement about […]

Given the uncertainty of 2020, it can be hard to predict or even prepare for the future. But when it comes to coaching the Liberty swimming and diving team, Head Coach Jake Shellenberger doesn’t see need for major change. “The short answer is no,” Shellenberger said in a video call when asked if he was taking any new angles to […]

William Byron had a solid night at Martinsville Speedway until a late wreck left him with nothing to show for his efforts. The penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series season produced a 35th-place finish for the LUO racer.  Stage one began the night promising enough. Byron started in 13th, but slowly worked his way up throughout stage one. He […]

From earning MVP of a British professional league championship to working as the director of marketing for the Chris Paul Basketball Academy, the experience Jazmine Charles has accumulated on and off the court makes her a valuable asset to the Liberty women’s basketball team, as she steps into the role of coordinator of digital services. Charles, who also serves as […]

Another curveball hit the 2020 NASCAR season in the form of a race that took not one – not two – not three – but four days to complete. When the dust finally settled, William Byron finished in 13th place in the Autotrader Echopark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. However, Byron will remember this weekend more for what happened […]

As a hazy future looms in the distance, Liberty’s women’s lacrosse team continues to march forward, waiting for its next opportunity to compete after the unfortunate loss of a spring season. As was the case with programs across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically altered the team’s ability to practice and play games. Flames Head Coach Kelly Nangle described the […]

Liberty’s DI hockey team returned to the ice Friday in its first intercollegiate action since March – and the Flames came back with a bang, routing the North Carolina State Ice Pack 7-2 at the LaHaye Ice Center. After a scoreless first period in which both teams appeared sluggish, Liberty did not wait long to find rhythm in the second […]