Freshman forward Hayden DeMars crashes the cage in a game against Ohio last season at the LaHaye Ice Center. The Flames will play their last four regular-season games against the Bobcats in 2026. (Photo by Emily Cuthrell)
DI men’s hockey 2025-26 schedule ranks among its best ever
5/28/2025 12:54:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey
The Flames, coming off a No. 4 ranking and 25-6-5 record in 2024-25, will challenge at least 10 other ACHA Division I national qualifying opponents, with all but 10 of 33 games at the LaHaye Ice Center.
Of the 11 returning ACHA Division I teams on Liberty University's Division I men's hockey team's 2025-26 season schedule, 10 qualified for last season's National Championships near St. Louis.
That includes a total of 10 games against 2018, 2021, and 2024 national champion Adrian College, which was dethroned by UNLV in this year's final after the Rebels eliminated the Flames in the Final Four; 2013, 2019, and 2023 national champion Minot State, which was ranked No. 1 for the majority of the 2024-25 season; and four-time ACHA national champion Ohio.
"We are excited about the schedule, which is maybe the best schedule we've ever had, with a lot of familiar opponents," 25th-year Head Coach Kirk Handy said after guiding the Flames (25-6-5) to their third Final Four appearance in five years and a No. 4 final ranking.The only returning DI team on Liberty's schedule that didn't make the national tournament this spring is former ESCHL rival Stony Brook.
"Staying independent has given us more flexibility," Handy said. "Our goal every year is to put our guys in position to play the top teams in the nation night-in and night-out, and our schedule does that for us. It came together nicely, and God put all the pieces in place. He has provided us great opportunities to go and play several of the top teams in the country leading up to the national championships in March."
The Flames will open the fall semester with an exhibition matchup against the NCDC's West Chester (Pa.) Wolves on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at the LaHaye Ice Center, where they will play 23 of their 33 regular-season games pending a visiting opponent for the weekend of Nov. 14-15. Then Liberty will play three straight games against Division I newcomers, starting with a Sept. 12-13 home-and-home against North Carolina State and a single game Sept. 19 against UNC Chapel Hill.
The Flames will then host defending ESCHL tournament champion Delaware in the first of two Midnight Mayhem matchups on Sept. 26 with a rematch on Sept. 27 before welcoming Utah, which finished ranked No. 8 in the nation, for a first-ever series on Oct. 3-4.
The schedule also features a Nov. 6-7 rematch with Jamestown, which it defeated in the national quarterfinals, a trip to the St. Louis area for the Maryville Showcase before Thanksgiving with games against the host Saints (Nov. 20), Calvin (Nov. 21), and Arizona (Nov. 22); and a Dec. 5-6 fall semester-ending series against Minot, starting with the second Midnight Mayhem game.
After opening the spring semester with home series against Niagara (Jan. 23-24), Adrian (Jan. 30-31), and Maryville (Feb. 6-7), the Flames will conclude the regular season with four games against the Bobcats, at Ohio on Feb. 13-14 and at the LIC on Feb. 20-21.
Liberty DI men's hockey 2025-26 season schedule
Sept. 12 at North Carolina State
Sept. 13 NC State
Sept. 19 UNC
Sept. 26 Delaware
Sept. 27 Delaware
Oct. 3 Utah
Oct. 4 Utah
Oct. 10 at Adrian
Oct. 11 at Adrian
Oct. 24 Stony Brook
Oct. 25 Stony Brook
Oct. 30 at Niagara
Oct. 31 at Niagara
Nov. 6 Jamestown
Nov. 7 Jamestown
Maryville Showcase near St. Louis:
Nov. 20 at Maryville
Nov. 21 vs. Calvin
Nov. 22 vs. Arizona
Dec. 5 Minot State
Dec. 6 Minot State
Jan. 23 Niagara
Jan. 24 Niagara
Jan. 30 Adrian College
Jan. 31 Adrian College
Feb. 6 Maryville
Feb. 7 Maryville
Feb. 13 at Ohio
Feb. 14 at Ohio
Feb. 20 Ohio
Feb. 21 Ohio
(Bold denotes home games at the LaHaye Ice Center)
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