Men’s Basketball
Senior guard Jesse Sanders became the first player in NCAA Division I history to record a triple-double all four years of his career. He was invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament April 11-14, becoming the first Flame to be invited to the all-star tournament that garners attention from professional scouts. Liberty finished fifth in the Big South Conference and received the conference Team Sportsmanship Award.
Golf
Liberty made its first trip to the 2012 NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship, May 29–June 3, in Pacific Palisades, Calif., after becoming the first-ever Big South men’s golf team to win an NCAA regional event. Liberty won its second consecutive Big South Conference championship. Robert Karlsson is the first player in program history to be named all-conference all four years.
Football
Wide receivers B.J. Hayes and Chris Summers became the 27th and 28th former Liberty football players to sign in the National Football League (NFL). Hayes signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while Summers signed with the Chicago Bears. Former quarterback Mike Brown and defensive back Brandon Robinson were invited to rookie mini-camps.
Swimming
Redshirt sophomore Brye Ravettine became Liberty’s first swimmer to qualify for nationals and first All-American when she placed 13th in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2012 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Auburn, Ala.
Crew
Crew won its first national championship in its first appearance at the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championships on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Ga., on May 27. Abigail Lenz, Lindsey Churchill, Brianna O’Neal, and graduating seniors Amy McGowan and Toni Ortu (coxswain) won the women’s varsity lightweight fours race.
Paintball
Liberty finished the season ranked third in the nation at the National Collegiate Paintball Championships in Lakeland, Fla., April 12-15. This was Liberty’s third-straight year making it to the Final Four at nationals.
Disc Golf
The Flames finished third on the women’s side at the 2012 National Collegiate Disc Golf Championships in North Augusta, S.C., April 12-15. The men’s team placed 27th out of 42 teams on the men’s side. Joses Merat was named an All-American and led the way in men’s singles, finishing in a tie for 18th overall.
Women’s Lacrosse
Kacie Fogle set the university’s single-season record for draw controls, and Kristin Crowley finished with the second most goals in a single season. Senior Chloe McIntosh was named second team all-conference on defense and sophomore Jen Moyer was named to the all-academic team.
Men’s Lacrosse
Kyle McQuillan was named Southeastern Lacrosse Conference Coach of the Year, leading Liberty to an 8-4 record. Five players, Kurt Tobias, Will Perkins, Mike Zumpano, Nate Lowmaster, and Travis Briggs, were named first team all-conference.
Triathlon
Joseph Anderson recorded a top 50 finish as the men finished 19th out of 122 schools at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National ChampionshipsinTuscaloosa,Ala.,April21.
Ski/Snowboard
Jon Steltzer finished second in big air at the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) National Championships in Newry, Maine, March 7-10. Nationals capped a successful season for the three-year-old team. Liberty went undefeated in competitions for both USCSA and the Collegiate Freestyle Association (CFA).
Men’s Hockey
Liberty finished the year ranked 10th in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s final rankings. Joe Smith (’12) signed a contract with the Ronnang Lobsters of the Swedish Hockey Federation. Mike Morrison (’11) and Josh Tucker (’11) each inked deals with pro teams from the New Zealand International Hockey League – the Dunedin Thunder and West Auckland Admirals, respectively.
Outdoor Track & Field
The Liberty men’s track and field team won its sixth-straight Big South Conference championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Kyle Wheeler was named freshman of the year after setting a school record in the high jump.
Gymnastics
In its first trip to nationals, the men’s team finished 15th. David Tighe placed fifth in the vault. The women’s team finished 18th. Freshman Alyssa Frost finished 13th in the balance beam and 16th in the all-around. Junior Jill Wippermann finished 11th in the vault and 18th in the all-around.
Women’s Tennis
Senior Carol Lobel was named to the Big South all-academic team for the first time. Lobel graduated in May with a degree in Industrial/Systems Engineering. Liberty finished sixth in the Big South Conference this season.
Men’s Tennis
Siim Tuus and Giancarlo Lemmi were both named Big South all-conference for their play this season. Tuus was named first team in singles and second team in doubles with partner Lemmi. Also, Mandeep Yadav and Jorge Azuero were named flight winners based on their play during the season. The Flames finished sixth in the Big South Conference this season.
Women’s Basketball
Liberty won its 13th Big South Championship in 15 years with an 81-73 victory over High Point, earning a bid in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. Liberty lost in the first round of the tournament to eventual national runner-up Notre Dame. Senior Avery Warley became the third player to earn a spot on a WNBA roster, signing with the Phoenix Mercury.
Telly Awards
The Flames Sports Network has been recognized for excellence in its television broadcast of Liberty Athletics with the network collecting a pair of Telly Awards. The Flames Sports Network (FSN) received Telly Awards for their production of the Flames SportsDesk show and the network’s coverage of Liberty’s Big South Championship football game against Stony Brook on Nov. 19, 2011.
Jerry Edwards
Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame member and former “Voice of the Flames” Jerry Edwards has been inducted into the Big South Conference Hall of Fame. Edwards is the first media inductee and the first non- student-athlete, coach, athletics director, or school president/chancellor included in any of the conference’s nine different hall of fame classes. A total of 49 individuals have been selected to join the Big South Hall of Fame since it was first formed in 2003.
