#LTBC Sweet 16 Matchups Set, Voting Opens Wednesday

As was announced on twitter over the weekend, we have elected to move the remainder of the ASOR Liberty Twitter Bracket Challenge polling voting to right here on ASeaofRed.com. Voting for the Sweet 16 matchups will take place beginning on Wednesday at 9am. The polls will open at that time within this article, so bookmark this link.

The Sweet 16 will be held on Wednesday, January 5 from 9am – 9pm.
The Elite 8 will be on Friday, January 7 from 9am – 9pm.
The Final 4 will be on Monday, January 10 from 9am – 9pm.
The Championship will be on Wednesday, January 12 from 9am – 9pm.

The winner will receive the pictured ASOR #LTBC belt for one year, a Hugh Freeze autographed football, a Ritchie McKay autographed basketball, and will have the opportunity to be a guest coach for one of Liberty men’s basketball’s remaining conference games this season.

Here’s a look at the Sweet 16 as well as a brief bio of each remaining account, written by the account owner.

EAST CAMPUS REGION

#1 Malik Willis For Heisman @Liberty_Flames_

@Liberty_Flames_ was established in 2017 to ‘Fan the Flames’ on twitter, even though there was only a small group of Liberty focused twitter accounts at the time. In the Fall of 2020, when Malik Willis took over at QB and started compiling video game-like numbers our name was changed to ‘Malik Willis for Heisman’ and the rest is history.

Over the last year, tweets from @Liberty_Flames_ have reached more than 3.7 Million people on twitter. Since 2017, there have been more than 1 MILLION views on our videos as well as gaining close to 2,000 followers. Our goal is to connect the rest of the world to what the Flames are doing and to shine a positive light on Liberty Athletics.

We also enjoy doing Giveaways to fellow Flames fans, so follow along and let’s Fan the Flames together.

#5 Bill Powell @WmPowellJr

We moved to Lynchburg in July of ’19 to be closer to family and our daughter attends Liberty. We spent over 20 years in Gainesville, Florida. I have been in software consulting for over 30 years and travel the US on several different projects. My wife Debi and I enjoy everything that this area has to offer. From walking downtown, to enjoying the local restaurants and parks, we feel like we are home!!

We have been football season ticket holders since ’19 and basketball this year. I’ve enjoyed sports for many years and loved seeing the vast improvement for several programs within LU athletics. My daughter Grace is majoring in Social Work and I have a son from a prior marriage in Tampa.

#2 Ellie McKay @ellieamckay

pretty good with moms, regular at Zoes Kitchen, avid fanatic of anything Ritchie McKay

#3 Turtle Power 98 @sstaedtler98

This is Turtle Power 98 (real name Stephen Staedtler). Growing up, I was constantly called “Turtleboy” or “Turtleman” because my Dad raised 500 live turtles. I don’t have any turtles now but I do survey and photograph reptiles and amphibians. Do have 3 pet lizards. I am married with two kids and reside in southeastern Pennsylvania in Bucks County. Always was huge into sports, as I played baseball, basketball, and tennis growing up. Ended up the #2 ranked men’s tennis player at Messiah College. Don’t challenge me in table tennis, either.

As for Liberty University, I had always wondered why the Mormons had BYU, the Catholics had Notre Dame, but there was no equivalent Protestant University. Though I never attended the school or have any family who went there, I always had heard great things about it. When Liberty beat Baylor in football, I started to pay attention, and when Liberty joined FBS, I became an immediate fan. I could see the elements were there for our programs to take off. I used to brag to friends about Liberty’s rising programs and they looked at me bewildered. Now they don’t anymore. I wear my Liberty gear proudly which is a very rare site of anyone in my part of Pennsylvania.

Why should you vote for a guy who never attended Liberty? Well in a way, I am a fulfillment of Jerry Falwell Sr.’s dream. The fact that Liberty’s programs could grow so much that they could make huge fans out of people not even affiliated with the school is something. My goal is to make the Liberty brand national. To this end, I have tried to get national podcasts and writers to talk or answer questions about Liberty University. I achieved in getting the Winning Cures Everything podcast to talk about Liberty many times and predict their games. I got writers from the Athletic to answer questions about Liberty and about Conference USA. Volunteer Flame admitted that virtually no one works harder trying to recruit players online than I do. Lastly, I’m not a one sport person. Yes, I’m a huge football fan, but I’ve watched and commented on Liberty men’s and women’s basketball, field hockey, softball, baseball, and even golf. There are many great posters throughout this Liberty Twitter contest, but if we are basing this on Twitter game and not a popularity contest, I’d love to be considered for your vote. Thank you!

SOUTH TOWER REGION

#1 Aspiring LU Tweet Champ @Flames_Tweeter

I truly believe I represent the cream of the crop in this year’s Liberty Twitter Bracket Challenge. While I may not have the longevity of some accounts my performance over the past year is second to none. Combine my recent Twitter activity with my personal fan history and you’ve got a competitor that deserves heavy consideration for every vote and endorsement out there! Take a look at just a few of my personal accomplishments and decide who your LTBC Champion should be:

• 100+ Original LU GIFs Added to Twitter
• #1 Seed
• Retweeted by Numerous LU Coaches (Including HCHF)
• Traveled To Multiple Away Football Games This Season & Previously As A Student/Alum
• Over 1,800 Tweets This Year
• Two-Term Gillville Mayor – Grew It From 25 To 350+
• Prior Football and Hockey Dorm RA
• A- Smack Talk Grade
• Flames Club Member
• 475+ Photos & Videos Posted This Year
• Mobile Background Designer For Liberty Twitter Community
• Almost Became Sparky Once

#4 Jeremiah Flinchum @theotherJerryLU

My name is Jeremiah A.K.A. Jerry, a nickname I picked up in 4th grade by my peers, which followed me to high school graduation and even to some at Liberty, for the obvious reasons. Ever since my acceptance to Liberty in 2011, I have turned into a fan I believe to be worthy of the #LTBC Championship belt. From traveling to my very first Liberty football game at Wake Forest as a Freshman, to making the long trek from East 75 & 76, being painted and loud for EVERY home football game as a residential student. From representing #FlamesNation on multiple nationally televised events (including NFL Network) and WSET when the basketball team made the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Now, I am an undergrad and grad LU alumnus, using my education in counseling and ministry to serve the homeless and addicted population of Nashville, TN. Since moving here in the summer of 2021, I have made the 7+ hour drive to Lynchburg for 5/6 home football games and the 6+ hour drive to Mobile for our Flames bowl game. I have also turned my coworker, who played linebacker at Michigan, with Charles Woodson and Ty Law, into a Liberty fan. I fan the Flames and I’m true to the red, white and navy blue. I let the fire in my name set the spirit aflame, so win a vict’ry for @theotherJerrylu.

#2 Risewithus @Risewithus5

07 and 10 grad – avid baseball fan and recruiting junkie. Flames club member, season ticket holder since 2012.

#6 Luke M @SocialSkywalker

I’m Luke and I joined all of you by falling in love with Liberty Football my freshman year after four quarters of a washout loss and I’ve never turned back. I deserve to win the LTBC because of my contributions to Flames Nation, my exclusive fandom to the Flames (though I will begin rooting for our future CUSA conference-mates for the sake of our strength of schedule), and my insatiable desire to one up myself with the best #BeatCoastal GIFs Liberty Twitter has ever seen.

GREEN HALL REGION

#5 CJ Sweat @sweetsweatcj

I attended Liberty from 2010-2014. If you attended any football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball or a women’s swim meet in 2012, you probably took a picture with me. From fall 2011-spring 2014, I was captain of the Sparky team and entertained many of you.

Nowadays, I live in Midlothian, VA and help people accumulate wealth by originating residential mortgages. When I’m not working, you will find me with my wife, Nicole, and our 2 year old son, Cory. Additionally, I host the Moneyline podcast presented by Full Press Coverage. There are a few reasons why I believe you should vote for me. First, I remain part of an elite club of people who have vomited in the mascot costume and continued to work the game. Second, I have the smallest shoe size of any Sparky member in school history. Third, I was named the 2006 Time Magazine Person of the Year. Lastly, I am a descendant of Robert the Bruce.

#8 Jenna Nicely @jennanicely1

Hey Flames Nation! My name is Jenna Nicely and all my friends and acquaintances call me the “Liberty Girl.” I fell in love with LU when my older brother, Justin, went to Liberty in 2016. He was an intern with the football team for four years and graduated in 2020. I quickly became a follower of Liberty sports and knew Liberty was the school for me!

I may be the youngest in the LTBC, but here’s why you should vote for me: My goal is to get the younger generation (current and prospective students) excited and engaged in all things Liberty! My social media game is strong with followings and interactions from athletes and future students on twitter and my instagram account @Nicely.Jenna.

Please vote for me and keep this Cinderella dancing! I’m not ready to put away my dancing shoes yet.

GO FLAMES!

thank you Jenna Nicely!

#2 Kathy Hudson @redhedtchr

• Came to Liberty Baptist College in 1981 from Michigan, graduated 1985 the day it became Liberty University
• Met Robert our freshman year, a native from a TRBC charter member family 1981
• Married in August 1985 in the prayer chapel by Dr. Jerry Falwell
• Season ticket holder for football, basketball and baseball
• You know I’m there because you can hear me and/or my cowbells
• Attended Big South championship games in football, basketball and baseball, ASUN championship games for basketball and baseball, playoff games at JMU and Villanova for football, regional games at UVA and South Carolina for baseball, and the 1st Cure Bowl
• I live-streamed the Lending Tree Bowl at my son’s wedding reception
• We attend many away regular season games in all 3 sports to fan the Flames to victory. My ears still ring from that championship game at Radford.
• I have a bunch of autographed memorabilia from cards to balls to programs to Sam Chelanga’s National Championship shoe
• I promote Liberty at every opportunity, wearing my gear, talking sports and always striving to be a Champion for Christ by showing God’s love to my kindergartners, their families and any one I meet

#3 All BS Bourbon & Sports @BourbonBs

My clan is Flames
Clan name Bourbon and Sports
My Christian name is Michael
Bound to Cynthia
Our Youngster is Amber
Undergad in Oklahoma Psychology and ROTC
MA Counseling and MBA at Liberty
Domiciled in Hershey, PA
Regular attendance at Williams Stadium since 2012
Flames Club Member
Army Veteran
When asked why I deserve to win?
I want world peace and
I am pretty.

DEMOSS HALL REGION

#1 Jokers @liberty_jokers

Making it hard to play at Williams Stadium, the Vines Center, and Liberty Arena since 2011.

#4 Volunteer Flames @Flame_Volunteer

There is a lot I can say – My love for Liberty began years ago when I met the late Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. I loved Liberty University so much that I gave up on my dream of playing college football after just one year and transferred to LU. Even to this day I still use my position in ministry to promote Liberty and introduce the University to the next generation, specifically as part of Liberty’s alumni recommendation and recruiting program.

But let’s stay on topic here, Liberty Twitter. Am I the biggest fan? No, admittedly not. But that’s not what we are voting on here. I have more tweets (180k+) than if you totaled up and combined all other 15 remaining accounts. A great deal of those tweets have been to promote Liberty athletics and the University, long before the days of FBS. Many of the accounts remaining are only a year or two old, while the others only have a few thousand tweets – so how much are they doing for Liberty if they aren’t tweeting as much as they should? That’s a question that you’ll have to answer. A vote for me is a vote for someone that has a deep love for Liberty, someone that has longevity when it comes to Twitter presence, and the account that is relentless ing etting the name of our amazing school into every conversation!

#3 VinesPom Connection @vinesconnection

VinesPom Connection is the nerdy Liberty fan account for all things Liberty basketball. My name is Nick Kirby, and I am a diehard Liberty hoops fan. I started the VinesPomcast as a LIVE video and podcast to talk about all things Liberty hoops. I have created several videos for Liberty hoops, including a top 25 countdown of the best moments of the Richie 2.0 era. I also started the Liberty Classic Games channel on YouTube with 21 full games, some special clips, and I also synced up the radio and ESPN feed for the 2019 and 2020 ASUN championship games.

#7 Richie Longshots @RichieLongshots

The only thing I love more than Liberty Athletics is investing in the outcome of Liberty Athletics. And like so many classic Liberty teams, the story is much better when the longshot comes out on top. I’ll be the first to admit I’m no saint, but none of us are Catholic and don’t believe in saints anyway! Also I just got married and my wife and I rescued a blind puppy during Covid. Go flames!