The 2022-23 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 2022-23.
1. Golf
There really was no one team that stood head and shoulder’s above the rest this past athletic season. Several teams won their conference championship and made some noise on the national stage. We give the nod to the golf team who won the ASUN Tournament and finished 8th in the NCAA Bath Regional.
2. Field Hockey
Fresh off their national championship appearance a year ago, the field hockey team proved that was no fluke. The lady Flames again won the Big East, finishing tied at 6-1 for the regular season title while also winning the Big East tournament. Liberty were unable to do any damage in the NCAA Tournament, losing to #2 Maryland in the first round.
3. Softball
Liberty softball competed in a much improved ASUN this year, finishing in second place behind Central Arkansas with a 19-5 conference record. The Lady Flames were also 40-22 overall. It was what Liberty did in the postseason, after receiving the program’s first ever automatic bid, that boosted them up these rankings a few spots. The Lady Flames knocked off #2 UCLA and Grand Canyon while facing elimination to advance to the Los Angeles Regional Final before losing there to San Diego State.
4. 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.
5. Women’s Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field
Like the men, the women also won championships in both indoor and outdoor track & field.
6. Swimming & Diving
The Lady Flames won the CCSA Swimming & Diving Championship once again.
7. Lacrosse
Lacrosse had their best season in program history. The Lady Flames finished a perfect 7-0 in the ASUN, winning the regular season title after knocking off powerhouse Jacksonville during the regular season. Liberty was 12-7 overall and, unfortunately, fell to Jacksonville, 14-13 in overtime, in the ASUN Tournament Championship.
8. Women’s Soccer
The Lady Flames were 8-0-2 in the ASUN during the regular season, clinching the regular season title. Liberty finished with a 14-3-4 overall record before falling to FGCU in penalty kicks in the ASUN Tournament final.
9. Men’s Basketball
Liberty fell short of their ultimate goal of winning the ASUN Tournament and advancing to another NCAA Tournament, but the Flames still had one of their best seasons in school history. Liberty finished the season with a 27-9 overall record and were 15-3 in the ASUN, finishing in a tie for first place. The Flames would lose by just one point to Kennesaw State in the title game, but would advance to the program’s first ever NIT. Liberty knocked off Villanova in the NIT before losing at Wisconsin. The Flames finished with a top 50 national ranking for the first time in program history.
10. Volleyball
Liberty won the ASUN volleyball regular season title with a 14-2 record. The Lady Flames lost to FGCU in the ASUN Finals and then fell to Western Carolina to open the NIVC. The Flames finished with a 23-9 overall record.
11. Women’s Basketball
The Lady Flames had another strong season but were unable to top FGCU in the ASUN Tournament final. Liberty finished the year with a 24-9 overall record and 16-2 mark in conference play, finishing just behind FGCU. The Lady Flames lost at Bowling Green in the first round of the NIT.
12. Men’s Tennis
The men’s tennis team finished with a 17-10 record and 7-1 mark in the ASUN which was good enough for a tie for first place regular season finish. The Flames slipped up in the ASUN Tournament, losing in the semifinals, but would respond to win the Men’s Tennis NIT.
13. Football
The Flames started the year at 8-1 and ranked in the top 20 of the national polls following wins over Arkansas and BYU. Unfortunately, the rest of the season didn’t go the same way as Liberty dropped four straight games, including the 2022 Boca Raton Bowl, to conclude the Hugh Freeze era.
14. Women’s Cross Country
The women were unable to repeat as ASUN Champions in Cross Country, finishing in 2nd place. The Lady Flames would finish 9th at the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships.
15. Men’s Cross Country
Just like the women, the men finished second in the ASUN in Cross Country this past year while also finishing in 9th place at the NCAA Division I Regional Championships.
16. Women’s Tennis
The Lady Flames finished the year at 17-9 overall and 6-2 in the ASUN. Liberty finished tied for second place in the conference during the regular season before falling to #1 North Florida in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
17. Baseball
The baseball team was one of only two programs to finish this past season with a losing record as Liberty finished at 27-31 overall. Liberty was 16-14 in the ASUN, finishing in 6th place in the league. The Flames would pick up a win to open pool play, helping the team to advance to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Lipscomb.
18. Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team struggled to a 3-6-6 overall record. The Flames were 1-4-3 in ASUN play, finishing 7th out of 9 teams and did not qualify for the ASUN Tournament.
