Taekwondo artists fight to medals at ACATA tournament at Villanova

Saturday, November 7

Villanova, PA

8:00 AM

Liberty University Club Sports

Villanova University

Sophia Varrati wins bronze in sparring in ACATA event

Lady Flames graduate Sophia Varatti competes in Class A women's sparring at this past Saturday's ACATA tournament hosted by Villanova. (Photos by Katrina McMillen)

11/12/2026 3:15:00 PM | Taekwondo

David Varner and Xavier Zumba both won gold medals in men’s C Division sparring to lead the Flames.

Taekwondo medal winners from Villanova ACATA event — Men's C Division sparring gold medalists David Varner and Xavier Zumba and C Division sparring bronze medalist Hayden Hollman and women's A Division sparring bronze medalist Sophia Varrati (right) pose with their awards from the ACATA tournament at Villanova.

Liberty University's men's and women's taekwondo teams sent 11 competitors to this past weekend's Atlantic Collegiate Alliance of Taekwondo tournament hosted by Villanova University on the outskirts of Philadelphia and four returned with medals in the best-of-three team competition format.

Graduate David Varner and sophomore Xavier Zumba both won gold medals in men's C Division sparring despite competing with only two members against teams that had three, meaning they had to win both matches in each round to advance.

Lady Flames graduate Sophia Varrati received a bronze medal for women's A Division sparring and Flames junior Hayden Hollman earned a bronze for men's C Division sparring as both joined student-athletes from other programs.

Other colleges and universities represented included Princeton University, Cornell University, the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Penn State University, New York University, Stony Brook University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and host Villanova.

The Flames and Lady Flames did not have enough competitors to place as a team after finishing second at a season-opening ACATA tournament hosted by UNC in October.

Their next ACATA competition is set for Feb. 21 at Princeton (N.J.) University.