March 2, 2021 : By Ted Allen - Office of Communications & Public Engagement
Swimmers take off from the blocks at the Liberty Natatorium during the Feb. 15-17 CCSA Women’s Championships. (Photos by Andrew Snyder)
While spectators were not allowed at the Feb. 15-17 CCSA Championships at the Liberty Natatorium, the university’s women’s swimming & diving team still savored the cozy confines of its home environs as it captured a share of a fourth team title.
The facility was christened in January 2018, and a year later, the Lady Flames became the first program in CCSA history to host a championship meet on campus. In its first few years, the 75,000-square-foot natatorium has become a prime venue for collegiate swimming and diving, standing out in the crowd as one of the few facilities in the nation with an Olympic-distance competition pool and separate 17-foot-deep diving well.
Liberty senior Payton Keiner has been selected to compete in the 2021 NCAA Division I Women s Swimming & Diving Championships.
The 2021 NCAA Division I Women s Swimming & Diving Championships will be hosted at Greensboro Aquatic Center, March 17-20 in Greensboro, N.C.
Keiner will be making her second appearance at the NCAA Championships, as she competed in the 100 and 200 backstroke at nationals as a freshman in 2018. Keiner was selected to compete at the 2020 NCAA Division I Women s Swimming & Diving Championships, but the meet was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is the seventh time in 11 years of the program s history that at least one Lady Flame has been selected to compete in the NCAA Division I Women s Swimming & Diving Championships. The Lady Flames have had two All-America honorable mention finishers, in Brye Ravettine (13
The Liberty Champion
For the Lady Flames softball team, its 2021 campaign means a return to action after months off the field. After last year’s cancellations, however, it’s also an opportunity for last year’s seniors to have another swing at a final season.
Prior to the season’s start Feb. 12, the team had not played against other teams since March 8, 2020. After an 11-month hiatus, the Lady Flames were excited to finally return to the field.
“There’s this excitement of realizing, ‘You don’t know what you have until it’s gone,’ so they’re not taking things for granted,” Head Coach Dot Richardson said.
Host Flames claim 24th consecutive men s indoor track & field title, third in ASUN » Liberty News liberty.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from liberty.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Liberty – 5 Notre Dame – 6 Liberty – 7
Notable Numbers - Liberty outhit Notre Dame 7-6 for the game, while the Lady Flames committed two errors and Notre Dame committed one error. Liberty left seven runners on base, while the Fighting Irish stranded five.
- Liberty s Karlie Keeney (4-2) earned the win, allowing two runs on six hits and walking one in the complete-game effort.
- Payton Tidd (1-3) drew the loss, yielding three runs (two earned) on seven hits, walking one and fanning three in 6 1/3 innings. - Amber Bishop-Riley went 3-for-4 with a double, homer, two RBI and two runs scored for the game. Autumn Bishop batted 1-for-4 and scored one run.