Historic, impactful season for Liberty Softball
If you followed Liberty University Softball this past season, you no doubt heard Head Coach Dot Richardson shout “Go Flames, Go God!” on the field and in media interviews. Richardson and the players even wore shirts with those words during postgame press conferences.
The saying became a mantra of sorts for a historic season that was spirit-filled from the first pitch and saw the team go further than it had ever gone before.
After winning their second consecutive Conference USA title in an 8-0 thrashing of Jacksonville State University in the championship game, the Lady Flames became the first team in the country to knock out a national No. 1 seed from its NCAA Regional in the Super Regional era (since 2005), taking down the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station. The victory placed Liberty at an NCAA Super Regional for the first time in program history. Midnight finally struck for Liberty’s Cinderella run, however, when the Lady Flames dropped two games to Oregon in the best-of-three series, ending their journey to the Women’s College World Series.
Head Coach Dot Richardson reacts to the game-ending strikeout on May 18 that sent Liberty to the Super Regionals for the first time in program history.
But with their remarkable athletic prowess on display this past season, perhaps the members of the 2025 Lady Flames Softball team may also be remembered for their dedication to glorifying God through their sport.
In the regional final against the Aggies, catcher Savannah Jessee hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 3 before teammate Rachel Roupe hit a three-run blast to score the eventual game winner. Following the game, Jessee said that focusing on the team’s mantra of “Go God” helped her maintain her composure at the plate.
The Lady Flames celebrate a victory over No. 1 Texas A&M at the NCAA Division I Regionals on May 17.
“I just thought about how blessed we were this weekend, all that we’ve come through and all we’ve done to show the world who we are as a university and school for softball,” she said at the postgame press conference. “I just gave it all to the Lord. I had been (hitless) for the entire weekend and hadn’t been seeing the ball well. I was trying to stay present on the defensive side and got my pitch and was able to deliver.”
Big victories came on and off the field as the Lady Flames placed their love for Christ at the forefront. Their passion was demonstrated through their faithfulness in leading prayers on the field after each game and inviting their opponents to join them, in praising God during postgame interviews (victory or defeat), and by allowing the love of Jesus to radiate through their lives.
“First, all praise to the Lord. God is so faithful,” Richardson told national media after the win over Texas A&M to advance to the Super Regionals. “When I say that, I say it because you saw a battle out here with Texas A&M and Liberty. It was amazing to watch the talent all the girls have. That’s what the Lord says, when you have your talents, put them out to show. Look at the battle. … I am proud of our team at Liberty University, the largest Christian university in the world that is supporting Training Champions for Christ. To be able to have the resources and faith and support we have for our programs, we are so blessed.”
Through this commitment to the mission, the Lady Flames have found success in sharing Christ’s love with others, including student-athletes from conference rivals.
Days before Liberty was set to compete in the 2025 Conference USA Softball Championship in Bowling Green, Ky., Richardson was approached in an elevator by a player from Jax State who asked her to baptize her and some teammates. The following evening, Richardson presented the Gospel to over 60 people around a hotel pool before facilitating the baptisms of 26 players, including players from LU, Western Kentucky, Sam Houston, and Jax State.
In an interview with Liberty News, Richardson called the night “powerful and unbelievable.”
“The Holy Spirit took over — the tears, the joy, the excitement, and the humility. I told her (the Jax State player who approached her), ‘Look how God has worked through you. Look how He has called you to Him. With you wanting to be baptized and being bold to ask for it, look how many others have done the same.’”
Richardson said victory on the field is only secondary to the joy of having a relationship with Jesus.
“This is the biggest victory of all. No matter what happens in this tournament and beyond, the victory is in Jesus. That’s what life is about: getting to know Him, continuing to seek Him, and growing closer to Him. No matter what we do, whether it’s competing in a sport or in business or in our lives, it’s really all about accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior and following His commands and being obedient. Baptism is one of those callings.”
She said the team represents Liberty’s mission in their sport and understands the responsibility that comes with it.
“We are blessed to be at Liberty. With Liberty across the front of our jerseys, people know we stand for Christ and for Training Champions for Christ, and that’s powerful. There’s also a calling for us to make sure we’re playing for something more than just wins and losses. We’re playing to glorify Him, and that should be the goal for all of us.”
OUT ON TOP
In addition to winning the conference crown, making their fifth straight appearance in NCAA Regionals, and advancing to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time, the Lady Flames broke several program records and earned several accolades for the 2025 campaign:
- The Lady Flames concluded the 2025 season ranked Top 25 in all four major polls.
- Liberty is one of two teams outside of the Power 4 Conferences to appear in each of the last five NCAA Regionals (2021-25).
- Senior Rachel Roupe was named the top defensive right fielder in NCAA Division I softball, being honored with the 2025 NCAA Division I Rawlings Gold Glove Award presented by the NFCA. She was named to the D1Softball All-American Team as a second team selection and was named CUSA’s Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Michael L. Slive Female Athlete of the Year.
- After leading her squad to a program-record 50 victories, Coach Richardson was named D1Softball Mid-Major Coach of the Year and received her fifth conference Coach of the Year honor.
DID YOU KNOW?
Head Softball Coach Dot Richardson is an NCAA National Champion and two-time Olympic Gold medalist. She won the 1982 national title with UCLA before earning back-to-back first-place finishes on the world’s stage at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. Richardson scored the deciding run on a two-run homer in Team USA’s 1996 matchup against China.
