In its first season under head coach Bradley LeCroy, Liberty has been voted by the league’s head coaches to finish 5th in the 10-team league, as announced by the league Thursday. Liberty pitcher Ben Blair has been named to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team.
The Flames are slated to open the 2025 season and the LeCroy era at home with a three-game series against St. John’s, Feb. 14-16. In conference play, each team will play nine three-game series in the 10-team league this season. The Flames open conference play with a three-game home series against New Mexico State, March 21-23. The Flames will also host Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Kennesaw State, and 2024 CUSA Champion Dallas Baptist. Liberty will face Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, Sam Houston, and FIU on the road in conference play. Liberty will also play host to the 2025 CUSA Baseball Championship at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium, May 21-25. Eight teams will advance to the CUSA Tournament which will feature a double-elimination bracket with a winner take all championship.
The Flames are coming off a 24-34 campaign a year ago, posting an 11-13 record during its first year in Conference USA under former head coach Scott Jackson. Following the conclusion of the season, Jackson left Liberty to return to Chapel Hill as an assistant coach for UNC.
LeCroy comes to Lynchburg from VCU where he was the head coach for the prior two seasons, guiding the Rams to a 63-53 overall record. VCU improved from 25-30 in his inaugural season as a head coach to a 38-23 mark last year while helping the Rams to an NCAA Regional after winning the 2024 Atlantic 10 Conference baseball tournament. LeCroy and VCU defeated No. 2 seed Wake Forest in the opening game of the Greenville, North Carolina Regional before falling to Evansville and East Carolina in its next two games.
Prior to his time at VCU, LeCroy has been an assistant at Western Carolina, Tennessee, and Clemson.
2025 CUSA Baseball Preseason Poll
- Dallas Baptist 99 (9)
- Louisiana Tech 87
- Western Kentucky 72
- Sam Houston 56
- Liberty 55
- Kennesaw State 54
- FIU 44
- New Mexico State 29 (1)
- Middle Tennessee 29
- Jacksonville State 25
CUSA Baseball Preseason Player of the Year
Grant Jay, Dallas Baptist
CUSA Baseball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Jerrod Jenkins, Dallas Baptist
CUSA Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team
C Grant Jay, Dallas Baptist
INF Michael Dattalo, Dallas Baptist
INF Luke Heefner, Dallas Baptist
INF Chayton Krauss, Dallas Baptist
INF Caleb Johnson, Jacksonville State
OF Kishon Frett, FIU
OF Eston Snider, Middle Tennessee
OF Ethan Lizama, Western Kentucky
DH Tom Poole, Dallas Baptist
UTIL Trace Phillips, Middle Tennessee
SP Jerrod Jenkins, Dallas Baptist
SP Luke Pettitte, Dallas Baptist
SP Luke Nichols, Louisiana Tech
SP Chandler Alderman, Middle Tennessee
SP Dawson Hall, Western Kentucky
RP Bo Rhudy, Kennesaw State
RP Ben Blair, Liberty
