Friday, July 28, 2017

Schwandt Adds Samaai to Coaching Staff

Liberty Men's Tennis Head Coach Derek Schwandt has announced the addition of Egon Samaai as the Flames' volunteer assistant coach.
Samaai enjoyed a successful playing career for the Flames from 2012-16 and served as a volunteer assistant for the team in spring 2017. In his role, Samaai will provide assistance to the program's coaching and administrative operations.

Samaai will serve as the Flames' volunteer assistant coach.
"It's an honor to have Egon join our team. He loves the game, is hungry to coach, and he is an outstanding model of servant leadership," stated Liberty Men's Tennis Head Coach Derek Schwandt. "As a Liberty alum, Egon is passionate about building something special with Flames tennis."
Samaai compiled 74 singles victories in his four-year career at Liberty, which is tied for the most in program history. He also racked up 76 doubles triumphs (No. 3 in Flames' history) and was named to the Big South All-Conference Doubles team in both 2013 and 2014.
As a senior, the Cape Town, South Africa, native served as a team captain and captured a singles crown at the Wake Forest Invitational. During his junior campaign, Samaai was tabbed Big South Player of the Week three times and earned ECAC Men's Tennis Player of the Week honors once.
Samaai made an immediate impact during his first two years at Liberty. He was declared a Big South flight winner at the No. 1 doubles position as a freshman and was the Big South No. 1 doubles leader with teammate Dillon Segur as a sophomore.
Samaai earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management from Liberty in 2016. He is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Sport Management and expects to complete it in December 2018. 

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Lady Flames Named 2017 ITA All-Academic Team for Fifth Consecutive Year

2017 All-Academic Teams & Scholar Athletes - Division I Women

The Liberty women's tennis program earned its status as a 2017 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Academic Team for a fifth straight year, as announced by the ITA on Tuesday.

The listing is comprised of programs with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 or higher. Liberty women's tennis posted a 3.34 GPA during the 2016-17 academic year and holds a 3.41 cumulative GPA.

In addition, Mariely Hassey, Emily Groeneveld, Evangeline Crist and Aleksandra Panchenko were each named to the 2017 ITA Scholar-Athlete team.

The Liberty women's tennis program earned its status as a 2017 ITA All-Academic Team for a fifth straight year and placed four student-athletes on the 2017 ITA Scholar-Athlete team.
To be eligible for the ITA individual listing, a student-athlete must be a varsity letterwinner, possess a GPA of 3.50 or greater for the current academic year and have been enrolled at the institution for two semesters.

"I'm proud of how hard our girls work in the classroom. It is a testament to their commitment to be excellent in all phases of their lives – academics, athletics, social and spiritual," stated Liberty Women's Tennis Head Coach Jeff Maren. "I have no doubt that we will continue this level of excellence again this year."

Hassey's selection is her fourth consecutive appearance on the ITA Scholar-Athlete team. Groeneveld and Crist are both making their third appearances on the squad, while Panchenko is appearing on the team for the first time.

Hassey graduated with a bachelor's degree in human resource management and is working on a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree at Liberty. The Surprise, Az., native out her career second place all-time in program history in singles victories (69), including a team-best 20 singles triumphs as a senior.

Groeneveld, who is currently working on her master's degree in human services counseling: crisis response and trauma, was Liberty's representative on the Big South All-Academic team. During her senior season, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native finished tied for second on the squad in singles wins (17) and third in doubles victories (16). The senior closed out her playing career with the ninth-most doubles victories in Lady Flames' tennis history (49).

Crist, a business administration – digital marketing and advertising major, was named to the 2017 Big South All-Conference second team in singles and the VaSID All-State Doubles first team with partner Anna Dollar. Crist closed her junior campaign with 17 singles victories (tied for second on team) and 19 doubles wins (second on team). The Lilburn, Ga., native is currently third in Liberty women's tennis history with 67 singles victories, needing 21 wins to surpass the all-time leader, Jordan Jenkins (87 wins, 2008-11). She also sits at No. 3 in doubles wins with 74, needing 17 to surpass the all-time leader, Valerie Thong (90 wins, 2013-16).

Panchenko, who is undecided upon her major at this point, collected 13 total doubles wins and four singles victories as a sophomore. The Moscow, Russia, native teamed with fellow sophomore Rebekah Anderson for a Maroon doubles flight title at the season-opening Elon Fall Invitational.
In total, 720 teams and 3,908 student-athletes across all five divisions of college tennis were recognized. At the Division I level, 302 teams and 1,521 scholar-athletes were honored.

Burton, Poynter Honored as 2017 ITA Scholar-Athletes

2017 All-Academic Teams & Scholar Athletes - Division I Men

The Liberty Flames men's tennis program placed a pair of student-athletes, Chase Burton and Alex Poynter, on the list of 2017 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athletes.

Burton and Poynter were both named on the list of 2017 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athletes.
To qualify for the academic honor, a student-athlete must be a letterwinner with a 3.50 or higher GPA for the current academic year while having been enrolled at the school for two semesters. After Burton and Poynter were named ITA Scholar-Athletes, Liberty men's tennis has now had 11 players in program history tabbed to the ITA Scholar-Athlete team.

Burton, a mechanical engineering major, enjoyed a highly successful year in the classroom and on the court as a freshman. The Naples, Fla., native was named to the Big South Conference First Team All-Conference singles list. He was also selected to the VaSID All-State Men's Tennis singles second team, the first Flames freshman in program history to garner the distinction. The two-time Big South Freshman of the Week paced the squad in singles victories with 18 and finished tied for second in doubles triumphs (12).

Poynter, a business administration major, posted 10 doubles wins with partner Diego Castano during the year, the most of any Flames tandem. Poynter and Castano won the Black doubles flight at the N.C. State Invite during the fall campaign. The Houston, Texas, native also collected three singles victories as a sophomore.

Liberty's men's tennis program currently holds a 3.15 cumulative GPA, the highest among Liberty's NCAA Division I men's athletics programs. The team posted a 3.19 team GPA during the 2016-17 academic year, also highest among Flames men's teams.

In total, 720 teams and 3,908 student-athletes across all five divisions of college tennis were recognized. At the Division I level, 302 teams and 1,521 scholar-athletes were honored.

Barr Tabbed 2016-17 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award Winner

BIG EAST Release 

Liberty field hockey student-athlete Serena Barr was one of 22 BIG EAST Conference student-athletes to be recognized as a 2016-17 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award winner, as announced by the league on Wednesday.

Barr was one of 22 BIG EAST student-athletes to be named a Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award winner. (Photo credit: Mitch Leff)
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are handed out to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accomplishments and volunteer service to the community. Barr was the lone BIG EAST field hockey student-athlete to receive the recognition among the conference's eight teams, chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) Council.

The list of 22 athletes features 16 seniors, four juniors and two graduate students. Barr graduated summa cum laude from Liberty in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in public health and a perfect 4.00 GPA.

"Serena continually displays excellence through her commitment to achievement academically, socially and athletically," stated Liberty Senior Associate Athletics Director – Academic Affairs Kristie Beitz. "Her ability to motivate her peers to perform at a superior level is a reflection of her leadership and commitment to excellence."

During the summer months, Barr has continued to collect accolades. The Lurgan, Northern Ireland, native was selected to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-District™ III Women's At-Large Team and received the Big South Conference's prestigious Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence in the month of May.

In June, Barr was named to the 2016-17 CoSIDA Academic All-America® At-Large second team. She also was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, one of 229 Division I student-athletes nominated for the prestigious award. Earlier in July, Barr was one of six Liberty student-athletes to earn a spot on the 2016-17 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Academic All-State Team.

Seton Hall paced the BIG EAST with five honorees, followed by Villanova with four and Butler with three. Liberty (Barr) and Temple (Brenda McDermott, women's lacrosse) were the two affiliate members represented in the 2016-17 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards winners.

3 Lady Flames Tabbed to IWLCA Academic Honor Roll

IWLCA Academic Honor Roll Release

Three Liberty women's lacrosse players – Courtney Brown, Victoria Tickle and Faith Wells – were named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Zag Sports Division I Academic Honor Roll, as announced by the IWLCA on Wednesday afternoon.



To be eligible for the honor, student-athletes must be a junior, senior or graduate student and have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or greater. The IWLCA recognized 402 student-athletes from 102 different institutions across the country.

Liberty has boasted three student-athletes in the listing on three separate occasions (2011, 2015 and 2017).

"I am extremely proud of Courtney, Tori and Faith for this accomplishment," said Liberty Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Kelly Nangle. "They are excellent examples of student-athletes, and it is great to see them rewarded for all of their hard work off the field."

Brown's selection marks the second academic award of the 2016-17 academic year for the Ladera Ranch, Calif., native. She was named to the Big South All-Academic squad in April for her efforts in the classroom. Brown, a Big South All-Conference second team and Big South All-Tournament team honoree, graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering.

Tickle is making her first appearance on the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll. The Fairfax, Va., native enjoyed a successful year both in the classroom and on the field, as she was a Big South All-Conference second team and VaSID All-State first team selection in 2017. Tickle graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in elementary education integrated studies: English.

Wells graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in elementary education integrated studies: English. The native of Haymarket, Va. served as a team captain in 2017.

Liberty was one of four Big South schools with three or more student-athletes named to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll, along with High Point, Presbyterian and Winthrop.

Monday, July 24, 2017

5 Liberty Student-Athletes Participate in Big South Leadership Conference

Big South Video Recap
Five Liberty student-athletes recently participated in the Big South Conference's 11th annual Student-Athlete Leadership Conference, held July 7-9 in Black Mountain, N.C.

Diego Castano (men's tennis), Jessica Cicerchia (softball), Evangeline Crist (women's tennis), Jeff Jacobs (men's track and field) and Morgan Weigner (swimming and diving) represented Liberty at the three-day conference.

(L-R) Jessica Cicerchia, Jeff Jacobs, Morgan Weigner, Diego Castano and Evangeline Crist represented Liberty at the 2017 Big South Student-Athlete Leadership Conference.
Forty Big South student-athletes participated in the conference, as this year marked the first time that every Big South institution and every sport was represented at the event.

"The leadership conference was a great opportunity to really gain wisdom and advice from people who are providing us opportunities to grow as athletes and become well-rounded people, as well as creating meaningful friendships with athletes from other schools," Weigner said. "It truly made me so grateful to be a Flame and motivated me to be a good steward of the blessings we have at Liberty and the chance we are given to better ourselves and the teams we represent."

Musco Sports Lighting served as the sponsor of the event, with Musco's staff members among those presenting. Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander provided a Big South Conference update at the beginning of the leadership conference, and various special guests spoke at the conference throughout the weekend.
Participants had the chance to learn alongside student-athletes from other schools in the conference through leadership discussions and team-building activities.

"The leadership conference was an incredible opportunity to connect with other athletes in the conference without the wall of competition between us. It gave us the chance to build connections with people we normally would not be able to connect with," Jacobs stated. "I loved watching the speakers walk a group of 60 athletes through Biblical truth and wisdom without using the Bible specifically. I personally took away a lot of great ideas and tools to turn myself and my team into better leaders on campus and on the track. The Big South did an incredible job running the retreat, and all of the athletes involved were amazing people."

Representatives from Growing Leaders, a leadership training and development company, also shared their knowledge with the student-athletes.

Timothy Alexander also spoke to the student-athletes. Alexander, who was recruited to play football at UAB, was involved in a car accident in October of 2006 that left him paralyzed.

Alexander used the accident as motivation to help bring the UAB football program, as well as bowling and rifle at the school. In July of 2016, Alexander stood up unassisted for the first time in 10 years.

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Liberty Lacrosse to Hold Inaugural Prospect Day on Aug. 19

In advance of the 2017-18 school year, the Liberty women's lacrosse program will be holding its inaugural Prospect Day on Aug. 19.
The Liberty Lady Flames women's lacrosse program will be hosting the 2017 Prospect Day on Aug. 19.
The 2017 Prospect Day will be hosted at the East Campus fields (2200 Liberty Mountain Dr., Lynchburg, VA 24502). Check-in will be held from 8:15-9 a.m., and the camp will dismiss at 3 p.m. The clinic is open to any and all entrants limited only by number, age, grade and/or gender.
The prospect day will feature a skill session (9-11 a.m.), lunch, academic talk and tour (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) and game session (1-3 p.m.). Liberty lacrosse camps focus on teaching the skills, concepts and game situations that will give each player confidence to make decisions on the field and prepare them to play at the next level.
The Liberty Lacrosse complex features two synthetic turf fields recently replaced in November 2016, as well as a team clubhouse including locker rooms, a team room equipped with a full kitchen, a players' lounge and the coaches' offices.
To register for the 2017 Prospect Day, click on the Lacrosse Clinics tab on the lacrosse page on LibertyFlames.com, or see below.
For questions, please contact Liberty Lacrosse Assistant Coach Nina Dunay (ndunay@liberty.edu or 434-582-2144). 

Monday, July 17, 2017

Women's Tennis Welcomes 3 More Student-Athletes

Liberty Women's Tennis Head Coach Jeff Maren has announced the addition of transfer Ashley Bongart, along with freshmen Nasha Ghajar and Grace Hashiguchi, for the 2017-18 academic year.
"Coach Lemmi and I are excited to add these three outstanding girls to our team! They will add tremendous depth to our lineup and provide us with a great work ethic and desire to improve and succeed," Maren stated. "Their personalities fit our program like a glove, and I have no doubt that they will all play an integral role in helping our team climb to the next level."
Bongart (left), Ghajar (center) and Hashiguchi (right) will join the Liberty women's tennis team for the 2017-18 academic year.
Bongart, a native of Bradenton, Fla., joins the Lady Flames following two years of competition at Tennessee. In two years with the Volunteers, she compiled 17 singles victories and 16 doubles wins while being named to the 2017 SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Prior to attending Tennessee, Bongart was a five-star recruit and ranked as high as No. 28 in the country as a junior player. Bongart's father, Eddie Bongart, played for the Liberty men's tennis program from 1990-94.
"I'm excited about playing for Coach Maren and Coach Lemmi. My teammates are all so talented, and I believe we will have a great opportunity to win the Big South Conference," Bongart said. "I'm really blessed to have this opportunity that the Lord has given me to attend and play for Liberty."
Ghajar hails from Buffalo, N.Y. and has also lived overseas, primarily in Saudi Arabia. An incoming freshman, Ghajar has been training for the past few years at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
"I was taken in by everyone, which signaled it was the right opportunity for me to follow my life's path," Ghajar stated. "It's a beautiful campus that holds kind-hearted people. I consider it an honor to call Liberty my new home, and I am proud to be a Flame!"
Hashiguchi, a native of Rockville, Md., is a four-star recruit who has been ranked as high as No. 129 in the country. She recently reached the quarterfinals of the Elon Invitational on the ITA Summer Circuit.
"Liberty University is everything I was searching for in terms of a strong, God-centered school which strives for excellence in every aspect of a student-athlete's life," Hashiguchi stated. "There is so much support offered to student-athletes at Liberty, and I am very excited to be joining the women's tennis team family, where I know I will further grow and mature and have the opportunity to work with Coach Maren, Coach Lemmi and all the other team members."

Crist and Dollar Selected to VaSID All-State Doubles First Team

Liberty women's tennis players Evangeline Crist and Anna Dollar were recognized on the VaSID All-State Doubles first team by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID), this afternoon.

Crist and Dollar are the 11th doubles pairing in Lady Flames history to receive all-state distinction and fifth in the last four years under head coach Jeff Maren. Both players earned the same recognition in 2016 with different doubles partners.
Crist, a junior from Lilburn, Ga., and Dollar, a sophomore from Lancaster, Pa., exhibited consistency throughout the course of the 2016-17 season. The tandem compiled a 17-11 overall record, which included a 9-3 mark in fall tournament play and 3-3 record in Big South action, this past spring.
Their most impressive stretch of play came at the 2016 ITA Atlantic Regional at Old Dominion, Oct. 14-17. Seeded No. 9, Crist and Dollar upset Maryland's No. 3 unit of Ekaterina Tour and Arnelle Sullivan to reach the semifinals of the regional, becoming the first Liberty duo in school history to qualify for the semifinals.
Two weeks prior, Crist and Dollar were the first Lady Flames pairing to be invited to compete at the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships.
The duo closed 2016-17 as the No. 7 doubles unit in the Oracle/ITA Division I Regional Rankings for the Atlantic Region. Crist has 74 doubles victories in three years in a Liberty uniform, third-most in Liberty women's tennis history, while Dollar has the program's fifth-best doubles winning percentage (.672, 45-22 record) through two seasons of her career.
William & Mary claimed two of the three major awards handed out by VaSID. Marie Faure was voted VaSID Player of the Year, while Tribe head coach Tyler Thomson was tabbed VaSID Coach of the Year. Virginia's Rosie Johanson collected VaSID Rookie of the Year honors.
2017 VaSID All-State Women's Tennis, University Division
Player of the Year – Marie Faure, College of William & Mary
Coach of the Year – Tyler Thomson, College of William & Mary
Rookie of the Year – Rosie Johanson, University of Virginia
All-State First Team
Doubles
Marie Faure/Lauren Goodman – College of William & Mary
Evangeline Crist/Anna Dollar – Liberty University
Janina Braun/Anna Rasmussen – VCU
Singles
Janina Braun - VCU
Marie Faure – College of William & Mary
Timea Guibe – JMU
Rosie Johanson – University of Virginia
Anna Rasmussen – VCU
Ekaterina Stepanova – College of William & Mary
All-State Second Team
Doubles
Kristina Titova/Mariam Mitaishvili – Hampton
Timea Guibe/Kimmy Herrock – JMU
Holly Hutchinson/Ingrid Vojcinakova – ODU
Kiana Marshall/Lyndell Giffenig – Richmond
Singles
Borislava Botusharova – ODU
Rosie Cheng – College of William & Mary
Francesca Fusinato – Virginia Tech
Holly Hutchinson – ODU
Natalie Novotna – Virginia Tech
Natalia Perry – College of William & Mary
Kristina Titova – Hampton

Field Hockey Summer Update with Nikki Parsley

LFSN's Nick Pierce recently touched base with Liberty Field Hockey Head Coach Nikki Parsley to discuss the summer months and look ahead to the fall 2017 season.

This fall, the Lady Flames return an experienced group of players from last year's squad which finished second in the BIG EAST Conference in their inaugural season. Liberty is anchored by senior captains Cassidy Bremner, Alynn Richardson and Rachel Suter. All-BIG EAST selections Abby Julius, Agueda Moroni and Allison Schaefer will also play key roles for the team, while the Lady Flames also welcome 10 new players to the squad.
Following a pair of road exhibition contests at Richmond (Aug. 15) and William & Mary (Aug. 19) in the middle of August, Liberty will begin its 2017 field hockey season on Aug. 26 at home against James Madison.

6 Flames Named VaSID Academic All-State

Liberty student-athletes Serena Barr, Graham Hansel, Lucas Holder, Jessie ProehlAudrey Rabe and Hunter Winstead all earned spots on the 2016-17 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Academic All-State Team.

Every Commonwealth college and university, including NCAA Division I, II, and III, NAIA, and independents, had the opportunity to submit athletes to be honored. To be eligible, student-athletes were required to have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or better. The student must have achieved sophomore status, and he or she could not have been in the first season of competition at their current school.
Barr, a native of Lurgan, Northern Ireland, graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in public health and a perfect 4.0 GPA. She was named the 2016 Zag Field Hockey National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I National Scholar Athlete, as well as a CoSIDA Academic All-America® At-Large second team honoree. On the field, Barr was voted to the 2016 Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-America second team, becoming the second All-American in program history.
Hansel was named to the Big South All-Academic Team following his career-best 19th-place finish at the 2016 Big South Cross Country Championships. The junior from Powassan, Canada owns a 3.96 GPA as an exercise science major.
A redshirt junior offensive lineman from Hillsville, Va., Holder earned several academic honors this past year. He was named Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned spots on the CoSIDA Academic All-District™ Team and the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team. After completing his undergraduate degree in government with a 3.69 GPA, Holder owns a 3.92 GPA during his master's degree studies in public policy: public administration.
Proehl, who graduated in May with a 4.0 GPA in zoology, joined Barr, Rabe and Winstead as Liberty's George A. Christenberry Award honorees. As a senior, the Kingston, Ohio native placed 18th at the Big South Cross Country Championships and came in fifth in the Big South 10K final, helping the Lady Flames capture team titles at both meets.
Like Holder, Rabe needed only three years to complete a bachelor's degree in global studies aviation, maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout. A native of Newbury, Ohio, Rabe was voted Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the 2017 Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships. She also earned All-Big South medals for the pole vault both indoors and outdoors in 2017.
Winstead graduated in May as a double major in government and international business with a 4.0 GPA. The Raleigh, N.C., native was named to the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team and to the STATS FCS All-America third team roster as a long snapper during the 2016 season. After completing 100 percent of his snaps for the second consecutive season, Winstead was a first team All-Big South honoree.
Liberty's 2016-17 VaSID Academic All-State Team Honorees
Name, Class, Hometown, Cumulative GPA, Major, Sport
Serena Barr, Sr., Lurgan, Northern Ireland, 4.00, Public Health, Field Hockey
Graham Hansel, Jr., Powassan, Canada, 3.96, Exercise Science, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Lucas Holder, R-Jr., Hillsville, Va., 3.69 (UG)/3.92 (G), Government (UG)/Public Policy: Public Administration (G), Football
Jessie Proehl, Sr., Kingston, Ohio, 4.00, Zoology, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Audrey Rabe, Jr., Newbury, Ohio, 4.00, Global Studies Aviation, Women's Track & Field
Hunter Winstead, Jr., Raleigh, N.C., 4.00, Government and International Business, Football

Liberty's Serena Barr and Holly Van Noord Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

Liberty field hockey defender, Serena Barr, and women's soccer goalkeeper, Holly Van Noord, have been nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. The two Lady Flames are two of 229 Division I student-athletes nominated for the prestigious award.

Barr put an exclamation point on her career at Liberty, tallying eight goals (second on team), 11 assists (second on team) and a team-high 27 points in the fall of 2016. The senior was named to the 2016 Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I All-America second team in December, becoming the second All-American in Liberty field hockey history.
Barr continued to pile up awards in her final season, being named to the Zag Field Hockey/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I National Scholar Athlete. The Lurgan, Northern Ireland native was the only NCAA Division I field hockey student-athlete in the country to receive the award, given to the first, second or third team All-American who maintains the highest cumulative GPA through the first semester of the 2016-17 academic year. Barr was also selected to the 2016-17 CoSIDA Academic All-America® At-Large second team, becoming the first player in Liberty field hockey program history to earn the award. She graduated summa cum laude in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in public health and a perfect 4.00 GPA.
She was one of four Liberty student-athletes to earn the Big South Conference's prestigious George A. Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence, given annually to the Big South Conference male and female student-athlete who attain the highest GPA during their college careers. Barr was named to the NFHCA All-South Region first team and garnered VaSID first team All-State distinction. Barr was also the BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year, an All-BIG EAST first team selection and BIG EAST All-Tournament team selection. She was selected, along with her sister Bethany Barr, to compete in the 2016 Victory Sports Tours/NFHCA Division I Senior Game.
Barr is not be eligible for the Big South Athlete of the Year due to the Lady Flames field hockey team competing in the Big East Conference.
In her senior campaign, Van Noord was stellar leading the Big South Conference with a 0.85 goals-against average and a .866 save percentage over 1,805 minutes between the posts. Her first of eight shutouts on the season and 34th of her career, a 1-0 blanking of James Madison on Sept. 4, set a new Big South Conference record for shutouts. In addition, the goalkeeper backstopped a school record seven consecutive shutouts by the Lady Flames and the longest winning streak in program history of eight games, this past season. Van Noord rewrote the Liberty and Big South record book during her four-year career with the women's soccer program, recording 41 shutouts.
A two-time Big South Defensive Player of the Week honoree this season, Van Noord was 14-7-0 in goal for the Lady Flames and allowed just 17 goals in net.  In conference action, she allowed just four scores in 753 minutes for a 0.48 GAA.  Van Noord posted a .909 saves percentage with 4.1 shutouts in nine starts.
The goalkeeper garnered five postseason awards. Van Noord was named Big South Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Big South, Big South Championship All-Tournament Team, NSCAA All-Southeast Region Second Team, VaSID All-State Second Team and Liberty's Rock Royer/Mac Rivera Award recipient at the 2017 FLAMESPY.
The NCAA Woman of the Year award was established in 1991 and now enters its 27th year honoring graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.
The award represents 534 nominees throughout all three NCAA divisions, with 229 from Division I, 117 from Division II and 197 from Division III. The nominees competed in 21 different women's sports, and 122 were multisport athletes during their time in college. Next, conferences will select up to two conference nominees each from the pool of school nominees. The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will then choose the top 30 honorees — 10 from each division. From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine. The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 22 in Indianapolis. 

White Among Nation's Top 25 Freshmen on ILWomen All-Rookie Team

Liberty freshman Carly White was named to the 2017 Inside Lacrosse (IL) Women's Lacrosse All-Rookie Team on Thursday, one of 25 freshmen in the country to receive the distinction.
White was one of 25 freshmen in the country selected to the 2017 Inside Lacrosse (IL) Women's Lacrosse All-Rookie Team.
White's selection to the All-Rookie Team, consisting of the nation's top 25 first-year players, marks the third consecutive year a Liberty freshman has appeared on the team. Katy Pridemore (2015) and Kayla Foster (2016) were both recognized on the ILWomen All-Rookie Team.
"This is a great honor for Carly to be recognized as part of the top 25 in her class," stated Liberty Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Kelly Nangle. "She had a great freshman year, and we are excited to watch her continue to grow and build on her experience moving into next season."
White, a midfielder, tallied 25 goals, 18 assists, 43 points, 40 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers in 19 contests during her first year in a Liberty uniform. The native of Marietta, Ga. excelled during the final 10 games of the season, compiling 23 goals, 14 assists and 37 points.
She tallied seven points (4 g, 3 a) in back-to-back contests late in the season, including a seven-point effort in the Big South Women's Lacrosse Championship quarterfinals that propelled the Lady Flames to their third postseason victory in program history, 20-13, over Longwood.
White was named the Big South Women's Lacrosse Freshman of the Year in late April as well as a Big South All-Conference first team selection. 

Pennington Hired as Men's Tennis Assistant Coach

Liberty Men's Tennis Head Coach Derek Schwandt has announced the hiring of Beck Pennington as the Flames' assistant coach.
Pennington joins the staff following a distinguished five-year playing career at the University of Kentucky, including back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Team Tournament. The Wildcats finished No. 9 in the nation in 2013, No. 12 in 2014, including a win over No. 1 Ohio State, and No. 23 in 2016. Pennington, a Bowling Green, Ky., native, climbed as high as No. 39 in the Oracle/ITA Division I singles rankings and No. 23 in doubles.

"Beck is an extremely hard worker and fierce competitor," Schwandt said. "He developed his game and coaching philosophy under Cedric Kauffmann (195 ATP Singles, Kentucky head coach) and legendary ATP Tour coach Bill Tym. I'm excited to see Beck's energy and impact on our training environment and team culture. He knows what it takes to compete at the top level of college tennis."
Pennington served as a team captain for Kentucky from 2014-17. He was a two-time second team All-SEC selection and three-time All-SEC Academic honoree in his time with the Wildcats. Pennington posted wins over No. 12 Austin Smith (Georgia), No. 26 Wayne Montgomery (Georgia) and No. 34 Malte Stropp (Mississippi State).
As a senior, he won 17 singles matches in his final spring campaign, which was tied for the most on the team. Pennington led his squad to a second-round appearance in the 2017 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship.
Pennington and doubles partner Enzo Wallart competed in the 2017 NCAA Men's Doubles Championship after defeating five nationally ranked opponents throughout the year.
"I have been given a great opportunity to work under Coach Schwandt with Liberty University," Pennington stated. "I am looking forward to building a new culture for the Flames' tennis program and cultivating leaders on and off the court."
Pennington graduated from Kentucky in May with a bachelor's degree in business communication and a minor in business marketing.

Burton Makes Program History with VaSID All-State Singles Selection

Liberty's Chase Burton has been named to the VaSID All-State Men's Tennis singles second team by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) today.
Burton is the first Flames freshman to be named to the VaSID All-State singles team and second player in school history to earn the honor.
Burton is the first-ever Flames freshman to be named to the VaSID All-State singles team.
He wrapped up his first year at Liberty with 18 singles wins, including an 8-3 mark (No. 4 in Big South) out of the No. 1 slot in the Flames' lineup and 5-2 mark in Big South competition. The Naples, Fla., native won eight out his final 11 matches to close the year, six of which came in straight sets.
Burton was selected to the Big South All-Conference singles first team list in April. He also garnered back-to-back Big South Freshman of the Week accolades in early February.
In the fall, Burton became the first Liberty men's tennis player since Shea Thomas in 2013 to advance to the round of 16 in the singles main draw at the ITA Atlantic Regional, after winning three singles matches. The freshman also represented the Flames at the ITF USA F29 Futures tournament in Irvine, Calif.
Virginia, the 2017 NCAA champion, swept the three major awards given out by the VaSID. NCAA Singles Champion Thai-Son Kwiatkowski was named the VaSID Player of the Year. UVA head coach Brian Boland was voted VaSID Coach of the Year, and Cavalier rookie Carl Soderlund was tabbed the VaSID Rookie of the Year.
2017 VaSID All-State Men's Tennis, University Division
Player of the Year – Thai-Son Kwiatkowski, Virginia
Coach of the Year – Brian Boland, Virginia
Rookie of the Year – Carl Soderlund, Virginia
All-State First Team
Doubles
Thai-Son Kwiatkowski/Alexander Ritschard (Virginia)
Alex Felisa/Jacob Dunbar (Richmond)
J.C. Aragone/Collin Altamirano (Virginia)
Singles
Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (Virginia)
Jacob Dunbar (Richmond)
J.C. Aragone (Virginia)
Adam Moundir (Old Dominion)
Collin Altamirano (Virginia)
Aidan Talcott (William & Mary)
Alexander Ritschard (Virginia)
All-State Second Team
Doubles
Daryl Monfils/Marten Jonsson (VCU)
Adam Moudir/Javier Jover Maestre (Old Dominion)
Christian Cargill/Ryan Newman (William & Mary)
Singles
Javier Jover Maestre (Old Dominion)
Carl Soderlund (Virginia)
Amadeo Blasco Hervas (Longwood)
Chase Burton (Liberty)
Damon Roberts (James Madison)
Henrik Wiersholm (Virginia)
Juan Araoz (Hampton)