Liberty's figure skating team, led by Head Coach Courtney Kirschke (in red), posted a program-best seventh-place showing at the U.S. Figure Skating Intercollegiate Finals in South Bend, Ill.
Figure skaters soar to seventh-place showing at Intercollegiate Finals at Notre Dame
4/14/2025 4:11:00 PM | Figure Skating
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Liberty accumulated a program-record 161.5 points in the three-day U.S. Figure Skating collegiate nationals competition.
Liberty University's figure skating team accumulated the most points it has ever earned at a U.S. Figure Skating National Intercollegiate Final this past weekend at the University of Notre Dame's Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Ind., finishing a program-best seventh out of 16 teams with 161.5 points.
The Lady Flames placed behind only Boston University (263.5), Southeast Section champion University of Delaware (255), New York University (236), Cornell (N.Y.) University (212.5), and the University of Denver (167), barely finishing in front of eighth-place Adrian (Mich.) College (161).
The other two Southeast Section rivals, University of Pennsylvania (151.5) and Penn State University (126), placed ninth and 12th, respectively.
Liberty's total eclipsed its best previous performance of 159 points in 2023, vastly improving on last season's 112 points and 15th-place national showing.
"We had a very successful first day of competition with several individuals on the podium for their respective events," Lady Flames second-year Head Coach Courtney Kirschke said.
Senior Rachel Berger (left) and sophomore Rachel Duncan both won silver medals.
In Friday's Juvenile Solo Free Dance, Liberty senior Rachel Berger skated to a silver medal behind only Boston University's Page Dong. She won a tie-breaker against the University of Denver's Sydney Dondes, who received a bronze medal.
Berger also placed third in the Juvenile Women's Short Program and 14th in the Pre-Bronze Solo Pattern Dance competition followed by senior Emma Richards in 19th. Richards also placed ninth in the Intermediate Women's Short Program.
Sophomore Rachel Duncan, meanwhile, finished runner-up to New York University's Lena Valenti in the Excel Pre-Preliminary Women's Free Skate with senior Katie Williams placing eighth in that event. Junior Greta Snukis placed 12th in the Excel Juvenile Women's Group A Free Skate before Berger placed seventh in Group B.
Sophomore Amber Banghart placed fourth followed by junior Emma Zajonc (11th) and freshman Ava Basler (16th) out of 20 contestants in the Preliminary Solo Pattern Dance. Junior Taylor Nordquist finished fourth in the Pre-Gold Solo Pattern Dance and sixth in the Novice Women's Short Program.
Basler later claimed a gold medal in the Excel Preliminary Plus Free Skate Mixed event, landing both of her axels and earning 12 team points, with freshman teammate Macy Clemons placing 10th.
Banghart finished fourth in the Excel Preliminary Free Skate Mixed Group A with senior Shaeleigh Rae Stewart landing in ninth. In Group B of that event, freshman Maggie Duhaime placed seventh out of 17 skaters by winning a tiebreaker with Barrett Reed of Penn State.
In the Junior Championship Free Skate event, freshman Odessa Olver placed eighth.
"The team supported each other so well on Day One by celebrating everyone's accomplishments and podium finishes," Kirschke said.
Team captains Rachel Berger (left) and Emma Richards led the Lady Flames well.
On Saturday, Richards and Norquist landed in fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Women's Excel Intermediate Free Skate. Liberty placed three skaters in the top seven out of 16 contestants in the Aspire 3 Excel Mixed Free Skate — Zajonc in third, junior Anna Holloway in sixth, and Dani Martinez in seventh.
"All three skated their season-best programs, executing jumps, spins, and skating skills very well," Kirschke said.
Complete individual and team maneuver results are available online.
"Nationals is always a bittersweet competition," Kirschke said. "It provides the opportunity to see the fruits of everyone's hard work and improvement throughout the year, but it is the last time for our seniors to represent Liberty and last time we have this year's specific team dynamic and cohesion."
She said the team still has the season-ending PraiseFest showcase coming up on April 27 at 4 p.m. in the LaHaye Ice Center.
"The figure skating and synchronized skating teams put that on together," Kirschke said. "The skaters create and choreographic their own programs or group numbers as a fun way to enjoy one last performance before the school year ends."
Students, faculty, and staff can receive one free ticket by logging into their accounts. Additional tickets are $8 and available online through Liberty's Ticket Office.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer Lady Flames graduating seniors (from left) Shaeleigh Stewart, Rachel Berger, Greta Snukis, Emma Richards, and Katherine Williams
