The Flames' Mens Quad featuring graduate Jack Hazel, senior Nick Belzer, freshman Tristan Fitzgerald, and sophomore Aidan Lovelace finished first in 19:46.756 at Sunday's season-opening regatta on the James River near Richmond, Va.
New rowers get feet wet, returners pull their weight at Richmond Chase
10/29/2026 6:24:00 PM | Rowing
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The Flames and Lady Flames opened their seasons with fast finishes Sunday in a small regatta on the James River hosted by VCU.
Liberty University's men's and women's rowing teams christened their 2026-27 season with strong showings at Sunday's Richmond Chase Regatta, which launched from Robious Landing Park on the James River in Chesterfield, Va.
The Flames and Lady Flames — which have a total of 35 rowers on this season's roster, including 20 varsity and 15 novice — raced against boats from the University of Richmond, the College of Willliam & Mary, and Virginia Commonwealth University, which hosted the event.
"We enjoy this regatta, which is kind of low-key, not super stressful races," Liberty Head Coach Debbie Prowse said. "It was less crowded than Rocketts Landing in downtown Richmond. Because it's our season opener, we like our novice rowers to compete, as it is a nice way for them to ease into competitive racing."
The Lady Flames' Women's Varsity 8 rowed to the fastest time of the day for any of Liberty's six boats entered, winning its 5,000-meter race in 19 minutes, 45.788 seconds. That lineup featured graduate Ariana Davis as coxswain and rowers (from front to back) junior Angelique Buntin, graduate Rebecca Couric, freshman Carolina Livingston, junior Jacquie Jurgovan, senior Caitlin Kinsella, sophomore Brie Buckles, and seniors Sarah Gassman and Grace Cornell.
The Lady Flames also landed in first place in the Women's Varsity 4, which crossed the finish line in 22:17.867, with Davis again sitting in the coxswain seat and Buntin, senior Claire Black, sophomore McKenny Reynolds, and freshman Reagan Horcher the rowers.
Liberty's Women's Novice 4, which featured sophomores Moriah Arrunalegui and Sophia Knutson and freshmen Evelyn Rouland and Rory Tompkins as rowers with freshman Joana Schaetzle serving as its coxswain, finished runner-up to William & Mary (22:36.225) in 23:42.056.
Liberty's Men's 4x boat, with no coxswain and all four rowers sculling with two oars, finished first in a time of 19:46.746. That lineup featured graduate Jack Hazel, senior Nick Belzer, freshman Tristan Fitzgerald, and sophomore Aidan Lovelace.
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Liberty's Men's Novice 8 earned gold medals for its first race of the season, Sunday's Richmond Chase Regatta. (Photo by Nick Belzer)
As the only entry in the Men's Novice 8 race, Liberty's boat also earned a gold medal for its 22:55.125 time. Sophomore Valery Ortiz-Merida served as coxswain on that boat exhorting Flames rowers Colin Anderson, a sophomore, junior Abbott Houle, senior Heath Barnett, junior Noah Cook, graduate Christopher Bergin, graduate Saben Jenkins, graduate Matthew Jones, and junior Jonathan Fencer.
The Flames and Lady Flames will next compete at back-to-back head races — the Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Nov. 7-8 and Head of the South in Augusta, Ga., on Nov. 14.
"We only have three more weeks on the water," Prowse said. "We like having our first race in October and try not to schedule too much too soon. Since we're only on the water three days per week, it takes us a while to get our lineups together. For these upcoming races, we will only take our varsity boats — our Women's Varsity 8, 4, and double or 2x, and our Men's Varsity 4x or quad."
Over Homecoming weekend, Liberty rowing alumni are invited to the team's boathouse on Smith Mountain Lake for a new boat dedication on Saturday at 8 a.m.Â
