Figure skaters focus on developing strong spiritual culture, sharpening one another for Sectional competitions

Members of Liberty University's figure skating team, which recorded its highest point total and placed seventh out of 16 teams at the U.S. Figure Skating Collegiate National Championships hosted by Notre Dame in April, are reflecting on the unprecedented success while preparing for the 2025-26 season.

"Getting seventh at nationals and breaking our national points record really opened the eyes of the girls to see, 'Hey, we can be competitive on the largest competitive stage for collegiate figure skating,'" Lady Flames Head Coach Courtney Kirschke said. "We definitely are well-known among the collegiate skating community now, which is really a blessing to see. We want to take that into next season and say, 'Don't count us out,' that we can still put in the work and do that or even better next season."

Kirschke said the skaters flourished on the ice because of their emphasis on developing strong team bonds and a firm foundation of faith.

"We had really strong captains and leaders, disciple-makers, and I really think the culture does stem from leadership, how they act and how they conduct themselves," she said. "I'm really proud of how they acted and really just welcomed and poured into the team. All the leadership this year set everything aside and said, 'You matter as a person.' That's really where our team culture came from."

Liberty figure skater landing — Liberty's figure skaters sharpen their routines on the ice and one another in their faith.

She said those relationships extended from the locker room to the practice sessions and eventually to the competitions.

"We could really be real with each other off the ice, which just makes on-ice practices even better," Kirschke said. "We're pushing each other, encouraging each other, lifting each other up, and there were really no barriers between any of the classes. Everyone just came in and meshed really, really well."

The Lady Flames struggled at their first Southeast Sectional competition at the University of South Florida in November, finishing fourth.

"We used that as fuel to our fire," graduate Rachel Berger said, noting that at the spring semester's opening competition hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, the team brought a "humble competitiveness" into the rink.

"We went in knowing it was going to take a lot of work, and we really put it on the ice and got first for the second time in program history, which was really a wonderful moment," Berger said.

"Setting our hearts and minds right with worship and devotions and being in the Word, then coming out our first day started out so strong at UPenn," Kirschke added. "Girls had clean skates, we were placing really well in the group, and each day just added momentum to the competition."

At that Feb. 21-23 event, the team prayed over the tragic Jan. 29 plane crash near Reagan National Airport that took the lives of several promising youth figure skaters as well as two from the University of Delaware. The Blue Hens hosted the third and final sectional meet in Newark, Del., where the Lady Flames placed second to their hosts to qualify for nationals.

"No other teams really have what we have," Berger said. "We have a servant leadership culture where we can see a need and fulfill that need."

"It's a really great community," rising junior Rachel Dugan added. "As we show how cohesive we are as a team, and how close we are, other teams can see that, 'They're so joyful, they're so grateful. There's something different about them.' I hope we can continue that so we can continue to impact other teams."

Video by Kylee Wright/Club Sports Video & Media Coordinator

Figure skaters first-place finish at UPenn — The Lady Flames placed first in a Southeast Sectional for the second time in program history in February at the University of Pennsylvania.

Liberty University Club Sports Athletics

Figure skaters focus on developing strong spiritual culture, sharpening one another for Sectional competitions

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