
Lowes honored as ACHA DI Coach of the Year before Lady Flames challenge for seventh national title
3/7/2025 11:41:00 AM | Women's D1 Hockey
Liberty eighth-year Head Coach Chris Lowes earned the award for the third time in the past five seasons.
"I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award," Midland (Neb.) University Head Coach Jason White said in the league's press release. "Chris is a consummate professional at the (women's DI) level and has built a premier program in the ACHA. He has created a winning culture at Liberty with his extensive knowledge of the game and his ability to relate to and motivate his student-athletes."
"It's an honor to be recognized by my fellow coaches and peers," Lowes added. "I am really grateful for the staff I have around me, to our three fellow coaches (Assistant Coaches Mike Morrison, Madison Pinel, and Frank Keating) and Victoire (Adetola, who runs), our hockey operations. I consider this a team award. It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a group to lead a team."
The No. 1-ranked Lady Flames (21-3) are coming off their fifth WMCH Tournament championship in six seasons of that conference's existence. They have also won five of the past six ACHA DI national titles and will contend for a seventh in program history from March 17-21 at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.
"I'm really proud of what our girls have done this year and not just the on-ice results, but who we are as a team," Lowes said. "The girls play the game the right way and I think and hope we have the mutual respect of the opponents we play every weekend."
He was disappointed more of his players weren't recognized on the ACHA DI All-Athletic Teams, with senior forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek receiving the only mention on the second team.
Maryville freshman forward Haley Beckett was named the Zoe Harris Player of the Year.
"They're going to be a really tough out," Lowes said of the No. 2-ranked Saints, who dealt Liberty its only loss of the spring semester.
He believes the Lady Flames are peaking at the right time as they prepare to make their fourth and final trip to the St. Louis area this season.
"Our girls are focused on the big prize, and we've got to go get that done come nationals," Lowes said. "They are healthy, motivated, and itching to get going again, coming off the conference championship. We've got a really motivated group, and the girls are excited. We need to make sure we keep the compete (level) up in practices, fine-tune details in our systems and team play, and keep riding the momentum (through the postseason)."
He said the chemistry within this year's team is exceptional and the players are as tightly bonded as any he has coached.
"I really like our group this year," Lowes said. "It is a great mix of personalities, and there's something special in our locker room this year. There's no science to it. We've got a great group of veteran players who have led this year when they've needed to, and have added to that a special group of girls — six true freshmen and two transfers who have come in and played a big part and done a great job to fill the shoes of some great girls that graduated last year."
He said the coaches' freedom to live out their faith at Liberty has fostered an environment where the Lady Flames can mature spiritually as believers and socially as family and friends while they improve physically and mentally as hockey players.
"A lot of that (camaraderie and spiritual culture) just happens organically," Lowes said. "It is about having a group that understands that a team is made up of 24 unique individuals and you've got to celebrate everyone's strengths and pick up their weaknesses. Whether or not it results in success on the ice, we have a group that trusts each other on the ice and off the ice. We spend a lot of time in recruiting as it is very important that we have kids that will come in and buy into the vision of our program, but also the mission of our university. Fortunately, we have been able to find girls that check those boxes and are also really good athletes."
Liberty's season has been a success at home and on the road, in the rink and away from it, including at the Liberty Natatorium, where the Lady Flames have held two baptism ceremonies for four of their players.
"It's been an incredible year with our group, with a lot of memories made on road trips, and in big games, along with the success we've had in the classroom, and the spiritual growth, all of those things that add into a successful year," Lowes said.
He has his team focused on reclaiming their national title after losing to Minot State in double overtime in the semifinal round last season.
"We had a skate today, and we'll give the girls a few days off to have a weekend to get away, to go to the mountains or the beach," he said. "I've been really happy with the last couple weeks of practice. They we'll have one final push week of practice when we dial it in so that we can be at our best. We'll be getting after it."Â
To put themselves in position to challenge for a seventh title, the Lady Flames will first need to advance out of their pool with wins over No. 12 Grand Canyon on March 17 at the Centene Center and No. 8 Niagara on March 18 at the Maryville University Hockey Center to return to the March 20 semifinals and March 21 championship game.Â
"We've got to take it one game at a time, one period at a time," Lowes said. "Hockey's a game of bounces, a game where there are upsets. The only thing you can do is to prepare and be at your best. I like our group. We're playing good hockey and we're healthy and I expect we'll be a tough team to beat in St. Louis."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer

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