Liberty figure skaters combined for 229 points to place second out of 18 teams at the first of three Southeast Section competitions hosted by the University of South Florida. (Photo by Courtney Kirschke)
Figure skaters place second at first Southeast Sectional competition at USF
11/3/2025 2:46:00 PM | Figure Skating
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The Lady Flames are on track to qualify for a sixth consecutive U.S. Figure Skating National Intercollegiate Finals in Salt Lake City after their last two sectional events in the spring.
Liberty University's figure skating team traveled to the University of South Florida to compete in the 2025 Sunshine Classic held Oct. 24-26 at the Ellenton (Fla.) Ice and Sports Complex. The Lady Flames totaled 229 points to finish second out of 18 teams in the first of three Southeast Sectional competitions this season.Â
The top four collegiate programs in each of the four sections (Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Coast are the other three) at the end of the season qualify for the April 10-12 U.S. Figure Skating National Intercollegiate Finals in Salt Lake City.
The three-day Sunshine Classic opened with sophomore Ava Basler winning the Pre-Juvenile Free Skate followed by freshman Hannah Graham's second-place finish.
"They both had been very consistent in all their program run-throughs during practice and it showed that weekend with both performing great programs," Liberty Head Coach Courtney Kirschke said.Â
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Rachel Duncan won Group B of the Pre-Preliminary Free Skate on the first day of the competition hosted by the University of South Florida. (Photo by Kevin Brent Taylor)
Junior Rachel Duncan also won the eight-skater Pre-Preliminary Free Skate Group B and junior Amber Banghart and sophomore Maggie Duhaime finished 1-2 in Preliminary Free Skate Group B. Lady Flames senior Dani Martinez and freshman Lauren Weiss also placed first and second, respectively, in Group A while senior Emma Zajonc won Group B in the Aspire 3 event. Additionally, graduate Katherine Williams placed third out of seven in Pre-Preliminary Free Skate Group A.
Lady Flames senior team captain Taylor Nordquist competed in two Pattern Dance events as well as the Intermediate Free Skate, winning her free skate group to earn the team 12 points. Also on Saturday, freshman Aneska Kruger debuted her Juvenile Free Skate routine and placed third out of 10 skaters.  Â
Liberty's Low Team Maneuvers quartet of Basler, Duhaime, Banghart, and Graham finished first out of seven teams represented. Meanwhile, the Lady Flames' Intermediate Team Maneuvers trio of Nordquist, sophomore Jasmine Hodnicki, and freshman Kaitlyn Doud placed third.Â
"I was super proud of the team for the way they came together as teammates for each other," Kirschke said. "Our rookies were 100% bought into rooting for everyone on the team, being present in the stands, and being loud. It was an encouragement to see how easily everyone played their role as a teammate. I am excited to keep this growing throughout the season and strengthen the teammate bond and hopefully friendship bond between the girls." Â
The Lady Flames will compete next at a second sectional conference event set for Feb. 27-March 1 at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland with a third and final competition from March 13-15 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
 By Amory Doyle/Student WriterLiberty's Low Team Maneuvers quartet placed first at the Sunshine Classic for the first time since the Carolina Capital Classic in 2023-24.
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