Liberty University to join ASUN Conference beginning with 2018-19 season
Lipscomb Public Relations & Communication |
The ASUN Conference announced today the induction of Liberty University into the league after a unanimous vote by the ASUN Presidents Council. The Flames will become a member of the ASUN Conference starting with the 2018-19 season alongside the University of North Alabama, bringing the ASUN membership up to nine.
“We are excited about the announcement that Liberty University will be joining our conference,” said Lipscomb University President L. Randolph Lowry. “We look forward to welcoming the Liberty Flames to our campus and sending the Bison Herd to Virginia next year,” continued Lowry.
ASUN Conference Commissioner Ted Gumbart said the conference is excited about the announcement.
"This is a very proud day for the ASUN as we begin a partnership with the entire Liberty University community," said Gumbart. "Together, we play a role in higher education and providing a lifelong learning experience to university students. We call it Building Winners for Life. As we celebrate this new relationship, we salute the alumni, the faculty, the donors, the parents, the coaches, all the teammates who contribute to the athletic, academic, and ultimately, the lifelong success of our graduates."
Liberty fields 17 sports sponsored by the ASUN, while the Flames' Football program will continue as an FBS Independent. Liberty's Swimming & Diving program will continue to compete in the CCSA, while the Flames' Field Hockey team is a member of the Big East.
"On behalf of Liberty University, we gratefully accept the invitation to join the ASUN Conference on July 1, 2018," stated Liberty University President Jerry Falwell. "I want to thank the ASUN Presidents and Commissioner Ted Gumbart for their support and warm welcome. The ASUN is a progressive conference made up of high quality academic institutions and highly competitive athletics programs that will elevate Liberty's national profile."
Last summer Lowry visited Liberty University’s senior leadership team as well as its athletic administrators.
“They impressed me as serious in their work to create an excellent academic and athletic environment but also — like Lipscomb — a vibrant Christian community,” said Lowry. “Liberty and Lipscomb are unique in the conference as we are both intentionally Christian universities, which is a strong benefit to our institution.”
The ASUN expands its footprint into the state of Virginia for the first time in conference history. With Liberty joining the ASUN, the league resides in six states and features eight of the top-80 media markets in the nation.
"On behalf of our coaches, staff and student-athletes, we are excited and honored to join the ASUN as our all-sports conference," added Liberty Director of Athletics Ian McCaw. "Moreover, we are deeply appreciative to Commissioner Ted Gumbart, the ASUN leadership and member institutions for this opportunity. The ASUN footprint will allow Liberty to further extend our brand into New Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. These states are fertile for recruiting students and student-athletes alike who fit Liberty's mission."
Liberty fields teams in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s golf, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women's indoor and outdoor track and volleyball.
The 2017-18 school year has been a strong one for the Bisons in ASUN conference action. Lipscomb claimed ASUN conference team championships in men’s cross country, men’s soccer, men’s basketball and individual championships in men’s golf (Dawson Armstrong), men’s cross country (Jacob Poynter), outdoor track (Wayne Newman, men’s 110 meter hurdles, men’s 400 meter hurdles; Grant Mason, men’s 200 meter dash; Johnathan Imes, men’s 400 meter dash; men’s 4x400 meter relay; Courtney Brenner, women’s 5000 meter run). Armstrong was named ASUN Golfer of the Year and Loren Cagle was named the ASUN Women’s Basketball Player of the Year.
For the past four years and for the fifth time overall, Lipscomb University student athletes have led the way in academics by claiming the Atlantic Sun Conference Academic Champion Trophy, presented to the school in the league with the highest percentage of student athletes that have claimed a 3.0 grade point average or higher. They are leading the way for the title again this year. Results will be announced next month.
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