Get to know the Flames’ new ASUN Conference opponents
Liberty Athletics officially became a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference on July 1. Eight of Liberty’s nine men’s programs moved from the Big South to the ASUN (baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track & field), along with nine of Liberty’s 11 women’s programs (basketball, cross country, lacrosse, women’s soccer, softball, tennis, indoor and outdoor track & field, and volleyball). The only programs not making the conference move are football, which is in its first season as an FBS independent, field hockey (BIG EAST Conference), and women’s swimming & diving (CCSA).
The Flames men’s soccer team played Liberty’s first-ever ASUN Conference matchup on Sept. 13 against Stetson University, tying the Hatters 3-3 at the Stetson Athletic Training Complex. Trailing 3-1, Liberty rallied for two goals during the final four minutes of regulation to force overtime.
ASUN Conference Championships
All 17 of Liberty’s athletics programs in the ASUN Conference are eligible to compete for conference championship titles during the 2018-19 athletics season.
- Cross Country (Oct. 26) – NJIT
- Women’s Soccer (Oct. 26, Oct. 28, and Nov. 3) – Hosted by top-seeded teams
- Men’s Soccer (Nov. 2, Nov. 4, and Nov. 10) – Hosted by top-seeded teams
- Volleyball (Nov. 15-17) – Kennesaw State
- Indoor Track & Field (Feb. 22-23) – Liberty
- Men’s Basketball (March 1, March 6, and March 10) – Hosted by top-seeded teams
- Women’s Basketball (March 8, March 13, and March 17) – Hosted by top-seeded teams
- Men’s Tennis (Apr. 18-20) – Stetson
- Women’s Tennis (Apr. 18-20) – Stetson
- Men’s Golf (Apr. 21-23) – The Legends Golf Club in Braselton, Ga.
- Women’s Lacrosse (May 2-4) – Coastal Carolina
- Softball (May 8-11) – FGCU
- Outdoor Track & Field (May 10-11) – North Florida
- Baseball (May 22-25) – Stetson
FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY, Eagles
Fort Myers, Fla.
Public institution | Founded in 1997 | Enrollment: 14,099
ASUN member since 2007:
- FGCU has won four out of the last six ASUN All-Sports Trophies, most recently for 2016-17.
- FGCU has won back-to-back women’s basketball titles and five out of the last seven.
- In 2013, FGCU made a run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY, Dolphins
Jacksonville, Fla.
Private institution | Founded in 1934 | Enrollment: 4,157
ASUN member since 1998:
- The track & field program owns 23 ASUN Championship crowns.
- Women’s lacrosse has won five ASUN titles.
- The baseball team won 40 games and received an at-large selection to the 2018 NCAA Gainesville Regional.
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY, OWLS
Kennesaw, Ga.
Public institution | Founded in 1963 | Enrollment: 24,100
ASUN member since 2005:
- KSU won the 2017-18 ASUN All-Sports Trophy for the first time in school history.
- The men’s golf team received its eighth straight NCAA Regional berth and advanced to the NCAA Championship in 2018.
- KSU has won 12 straight ASUN men’s track & field championships (indoor & outdoor).
LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY, Bisons
Nashville, Tenn.
Private Christian institution | Founded in 1891 | Enrollment: 4,018
ASUN member since 2003:
- The Bisons claimed their first ASUN men’s basketball title in 2018.
- The volleyball team has reached the NCAA Women’s Tournament in seven of the last 11 years, including an at-large bid in 2014.
- The Bisons have won six of the last seven ASUN women’s cross country titles, while the men have captured four of the past five.
NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NJIT), Highlanders
Newark, N.J.
Public institution | Founded in 1881 | Enrollment: 10,646
ASUN member since 2015:
- NJIT opened the 3,500-seat NJIT Wellness & Events Center prior to the start of the 2017-18 men’s and women’s basketball seasons. The new facility is also home to the school’s volleyball and swimming & diving programs.
- Liberty’s Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Brant Tolsma graduated from NJIT in 1971.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA, Lions
Florence, Ala.
Public institution | Founded in 1830 | Enrollment: 7,490
ASUN member since 2018:
Joined the ASUN for the 2018-19 academic year, transitioning from NCAA Division II to Division I.
The softball team won the 2016 NCAA Division II Softball Championship, posting a 60-7 record.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA, Ospreys
Jacksonville, Fla.
Public institution | Founded in 1969 | Enrollment: 16,252
ASUN member since 2005:
- The Ospreys have captured the last four ASUN Men’s All-Sports trophies.
- North Florida has won four of the last seven ASUN men’s golf titles, including in 2018.
- The UNF women’s tennis team has won four straight ASUN titles; the men’s tennis team also captured the 2018 ASUN title.
STETSON UNIVERSITY, Hatters
DeLand, Fla.
Private Institution | Founded in 1883 | Enrollment: 3,900
ASUN member since 1985:
- Stetson baseball made its 19th NCAA Regional appearance by winning the 2018 ASUN title. The Hatters hosted a regional as a No. 1 seed and advanced to a Super Regional.
- The women’s basketball team has reached postseason play in each of the last eight seasons (NCAA, WNIT, WBI).
The ASUN Conference footprint reaches into eight of the top 50 media markets in the nation. The conference is headquartered in Macon, Ga. Its motto is “Building Winners for Life.”
