Luke Anderson, who visited Liberty University twice in the recruiting process, will join the Flames for the spring semester after opting to transfer from NCAA Division III Bethel (Minn.) University.
DI Flames add NCAA Division III defenseman Anderson for spring semester
12/15/2024 10:00:00 AM | Men's D1 Hockey
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The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Minnesota native will transfer in from Bethel to Liberty, where he joins several former teammates and is familiar with the culture and coaching staff.
FCA Hockey connections at Liberty University played a key role in sophomore defenseman Luke Anderson's decision to transfer from NCAA Division III Bethel (Minn.) University to the Flames' ACHA Division I men's hockey team for the start of the spring semester in January.
The 6-foot, 1-inch, 185-pound defenseman visited Liberty twice before committing to Bethel in 2023, playing in 26 games there his freshman season before seeing action in only five games this fall.
Encouraged by Flames senior forward and alternate captain Truett Olson, a former teammate of his at FCA Hockey's NorthStar Christian Academy, Anderson recently reached back out to Liberty Head Coach Kirk Handy and decided this week to transfer.
"I have known Kirk for several years, after we connected through FCA some years ago," he said. "I came down and toured two separate times during COVID and thought Liberty was a great option, but at the time, Bethel made more sense to me, being closer to home (in St. Cloud, Minn.) after playing juniors hockey (for the Kenai River Brown Bears in Alaska) the previous two years. When I thought about potentially leaving Bethel, also a strong Christian school, I was only looking at Liberty because of the faith aspect."
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At Bethel (Minn.) University, Anderson played 26 games as a freshman last season before seeing the ice only five times this fall.
Besides Olson, Anderson had played with Flames graduate forward Jackson Vercellono and senior defenseman Nate Cox for one season at NorthStar before joining sophomore Ryan Finch and freshman Michael DeBrito in Alaska on the Brown Bears. He has also worked as a counselor at various FCA camps along with senior defenseman Reid Bogenholm and junior defensemen Laz Kaebel and Grant Morton.
"I have a lot of close friends at Liberty, and those relationships are another reason I think it will be an easy transition," Anderson said, noting that FCA Hockey's recent move from Alexandria, Minn., to Lynchburg, Va., was another factor. "I am also really close with (FCA Hockey Director) Rick Randazzo and (lead on-ice instructor) Tim Jackman, so being around them is definitely a plus."
He said the biggest difference between playing at Bethel and Liberty will be the size of the program.
"Bethel is a pretty small private school, whereas Liberty has a much bigger campus," Anderson said. "I am not totally sure how that will impact my faith walk, but having more resources and more options for getting connected with a church will be a change for the better."
He is looking forward to joining a team banded as brothers in Christ.
"I feel pretty fortunate to continue playing hockey after high school and juniors. Being part of a locker room and being tight with the guys, being able to compete and enjoy working hard in the sport I love at the collegiate level is where most of the joy comes from," Anderson said.
After studying kinesiology on a physical therapy track at Bethel, he plans to pursue a B.S. in Exercise Science at Liberty, with hopes of playing professional hockey and becoming a physical therapist after graduating, with the goal of eventually owning his own clinic.
"I enjoy that a lot, working with athletes and hopefully hockey players," Anderson said. "When you want to play hockey at a high level, it definitely doesn't hurt when you understand how the body works."
He describes himself as a "steady, fairly well-rounded player who makes simple plays, is solid defensively, and can add a little bit of offense," he said, noting that his mental dexterity and physical athleticism are about equal. "I am not incredibly skilled, but I am able to think through the game pretty well, and that adds to my skill set."
As a former team captain at NorthStar his junior and senior years of high school, Anderson also served as captain for his last season of juniors hockey in Alaska, when he played in the NAHL's top prospects tournament. He also represented NorthStar in the NAPHL All-Star game as a senior.
His FCA Hockey background helped assure Handy and Associate Head Coach Jeff Boettger that Anderson has the character that aligns with Liberty's mission.
"Coming from NorthStar, they know what type of a person they are getting," Anderson said. "Playing-wise, they value my style of play and how I carry myself on the ice. That was part of the attraction — as a person and a player, I feel I fit pretty well into the culture that Kirk's building."
"He meshes well with us as far as his mindset and work ethic and attitude," Boettger added. "Also, he has been around the game, is a level-headed guy that knows how to work and what to do to get into the lineup and be a team player. Hearing where he is at with his goals, and his academic and spiritual perspective, we are confident that's a good fit. He's another piece of that puzzle that will help push the envelope of the team."
He said Anderson joins a locker room full of players who have served as team captains or assistant captains on their former teams.
"That bodes well, and his background with that will enhance what's already there," Boettger said. "When you have a group of people that are like-minded and have shown some sort of servant leadership, it makes for a great environment and a fun environment. First and foremost, you're brothers."
Anderson said his leadership style is one of example rather than through motivational speeches.
"I have natural leadership qualities and try to hold myself to a higher standard," Anderson said. "As a person, I am pretty laid back, very chill and calm, and I very much lead by action and not as much by rah-rah talks. That carries over onto the ice, where I am pretty steady and don't do anything crazy."
He said adjusting to the Flames' style of defense shouldn't be overly difficult, and he expects to adapt to the speed of the ACHA quickly.
"We have a pretty fast team here at Bethel, so I don't have an issue with that," said Anderson, who is adept at sparking a fast break with a quick outlet pass. "I would rather play that way, as it fits my game more. Passing's probably one of the biggest assets in my game."
He hopes to make an immediate impact in the spring semester and to further the Flames' mission of contending for their first ACHA DI National Championship near St. Louis in March.
"I want to be who I am and what I was brought in for, to come in and add as much as I can to the chemistry in the locker room and on and off the ice to build on the momentum the team has right now," Anderson said.
"We know Luke is a really solid two-way hockey player as a defenseman," Boettger added. "He has been playing NCAA Division III hockey and has the background of playing at a high level of juniors hockey."
He said his size gives Anderson bigger impact potential.
"It will be easier for him to move guys in front of the net, and adding some inches to the mix allows for longer reach, for getting a stick on the puck for poke-checking ability," Boettger said.
Liberty (14-5-2) slipped one spot to No. 4 in this week's ACHA DI national rankings even after sweeping No. 25 Drexel University by 16-0 and 8-2 scores this past weekend.
"Our guys are battling and doing right things on the ice, which has contributed to their success and high rankings, but at the end of the day, we've got to keep winning," Boettger said. "We have a fantastic schedule against some of the top teams in the country (in the spring semester), so there is a lot for the guys to look forward to, and that will help prepare us for nationals. Anybody that's played at the level is going to want to compete and to put out their best effort each and every day and every night that they're playing, and Luke's going to bring that 100 percent."
By Ted Allen/Staff WriterAnderson played one season with current Flames forwards Ryan Finch and Michael DeBrito with the Kenai River (Alaska) Brown Bears.
