The 2021-22 athletic season for the Liberty Flames has come to an end. It was an up and down season for the Flames, with some remarkable moments and some let downs. With the athletic season coming to end this week, we have put together a ranking of the team’s with the best season on campus.
There’s no perfect way to determine who had the best season, but the primary factors used were winning a conference championship, national ranking or finish, and notable wins. This is not a ranking of the best program over a period of years, but instead of ranking of who had the best individual season during 2021-22.
1. Field Hockey
The best team finish for any Liberty athletic team in school history came from the field hockey team when the Lady Flames advanced to and played for a National Championship in the fall. Liberty would finish as the national runner-up, falling to Northwestern in the national championship game. The Lady Flames finished the year with a 20-3 overall record, 7-0 mark in the Big East, and won the Big East tournament championship. The Flames would defeat #11 St. Joe’s, #1 Rutgers, and #5 Maryland in the NCAA Tournament.
2. Golf
The men’s golf team advanced to the 2022 NCAA Golf National Championship, a third straight appearrance and fourth all-time. The Flames finished in 26th place at the national championship. Liberty qualified for its 10th NCAA Regional in the last 11 years, finishing in 5th place in the Stockton Regional to advance to the national championship. Liberty finished in third place in the ASUN Championship.
3. Softball
Under head coach Dot Richardson, the Lady Flames continue to have their program elevated on a national level. Liberty finished the season with a 44-18 overall record and a 23-1 mark in the ASUN. The Flames were perfect in the ASUN Tournament to win the championship and advance to Regionals. The Lady Flames would open the Durham Regional with a 2-0 win over No. 19 Georgia before dropping its next two games against Duke and Georgia to be eliminated.
4. Women’s Cross Country
The Lady Flames had an impressive season as they won the ASUN Championship and finished 5th at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships.
5. Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field
The men continue their ASUN domination, winning championships in both indoor and outdoor track & field once again this season.
6. Swimming & Diving
The Lady Flames won the CCSA Swimming & Diving Championship once again.
7. Baseball
Scott Jackson’s squad raced out to an 11-1 record and national ranking of 14 early in the season. Unfortunately, the Flames were unable to maintain that pace and would finish the season 26-22 the rest of the way for a final record of 37-23. Liberty would finish 19-11 in ASUN play, good for a first place tie in the ASUN East before finishing as runner-up in the ASUN Tournament. Liberty would receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year and third straight trip to Regionals. The Flames would go 0-2 in the Gainesville Regional with losses to Oklahoma and Central Michigan.
8. Men’s Cross Country
The men’s cross country program finished second at the ASUN Championship this year and 11th at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships.
9. Women’s Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field
The women won the ASUN indoor track & field championship and finished second at the outdoor track & field championships.
10. Women’s Basketball
The Lady Flames had a very strong season this past year, finishing with an overall record of 28-5. The women’s basketball team was 14-2 in ASUN play and finished in second place in the ASUN East behind FGCU. Liberty lost to Jacksonville State in the conference tournament semifinals. The Lady Flames advanced to the WNIT, defeating Campbell in the first round before losing to Vanderbilt in the second round.
11. Football
Overall, it was a solid year for the football team, but coming off a 10-1 record and final ranking of No. 17 in 2020 with most of the contributors returning, it was a bit of a let down for the Flames. Liberty finished 8-5 and defeated Eastern Michigan, 56-20, in the Lending Tree Bowl. The season ended on a high note with that win, but a loss to Louisiana-Monroe was a disappointment. Liberty also lost three straight games to end the regular season.
12. Men’s Tennis
The men’s tennis team continues their solid performance as they advanced to the NCAA Tournament. It is their second straight year qualifying for the Tournament, but they did not get to compete in 2021 due to COVID protocols. The Flames finished the season with a 13-11 overall record and 6-2 mark in the ASUN, which was third best in the league. Liberty would win the ASUN Tournament before falling to No. 20 NC State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
13. Men’s Basketball
It was another 20-win season for the Flames and Ritchie McKay, but the Flames lost in the semifinals of the ASUN Tournament to Bellarmine. This ended a streak of three straight ASUN championships. The Flames finished the year with a 22-11 overall record and 12-4 mark in the ASUN, finishing in first place in the ASUN East.
14. Lacrosse
Like women’s basketball, the Liberty lacrosse team is the best of the rest in the ASUN behind a dynasty in Jacksonville. The Lady Flames finished the year with an 11-8 overall record and 4-1 mark in the ASUN. Liberty lost to Jacksonville in the ASUN Championship game.
15. Women’s Tennis
The women’s tennis team advanced to the ASUN championship match before falling to Stetson, 4-2. The Lady Flames had an overall record of 19-8 and finished tied for fourth place in the ASUN with a 6-3 record.
16. Women’s Soccer
The Lady Flames finished the year with an 11-7-1 overall record. They finished in second place in the ASUN East with a 6-3 conference record, but lost to Eastern Kentucky in the ASUN Quarterfinals.
17. Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team finished with a 7-9 overall record and were 3-4 in the ASUN, finishing 5th out of 8 teams in the conference. The Flames lost to Stetson, 3-0, in the ASUN Quarterfinals.
18. Volleyball
The Lady Flames had a 10-14 overall record and finished 6-10 in ASUN play this season, which was 5th out of six teams in the East Division. Liberty lost to FGCU in the Quarterfinals of the ASUN Tournament.
