The Flames Division 1 team of Tyler Peterson, Kyle Sennett, Addison Sells, and Jona Burdick captured the top title by separating themselves from the host Wildcats, previous national champion Ferris State and a host of other high-level programs at the Bluegrass Regional Championships near Lexington, Ky.
Disc golf teams sweep first-place finishes at Bluegrass Regional in Kentucky
2/24/2026 5:10:00 PM | Disc Golf
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The Flames and Lady Flames weathered wintry conditions to post some solid scores in their first tournament in more than three months.
Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor gloom of night could stop Liberty University's men's and women's disc golf teams from the swift completion of their appointed rounds — or from sweeping the four divisions of competition at this past weekend's Blue Grass Regional Championships in Lexington, Ky.
Blustery conditions and freezing temperatures as well as a wintry mix of precipitation made the rounds more challenging for the Flames, as well as the other 20 or more teams in the two-day tournament. But Liberty's players weathered the wind and snow and emerged victorious in their first competition in more than three months. The Flames and Lady Flames sent split squads to Kansas and Eastern Mennonite in mid-November after the Northeast Region Qualifier was canceled earlier that month.
"It was pouring snow where we were and they were under a storm warning for (Sunday) night," Head Coach Steve Bowman said. "For our practice round on Saturday, there were 40 mph wind gusts, and on Sunday, it was a high of 25 degrees with spitting snow, blizzard-like sideways snow with 20-25 mph winds."
Bowman said the conditions prepared the players well for whatever they might have to play through weather-wise at the April 8-11 College Disc Golf National Championships in Rock Hill, S.C.
"The courses were sloppy from all the rain, and kind of muddy, but it wasn't terrible, other than the wind blowing in your face every time you turned," he said. "They were tough conditions, both physically and mentally. It was windy with a high of 29 over the weekend and wet, so players' hands were freezing and the discs were getting cold. We never know what we're going to see at Rock Hill, but we'll be ready for it."
He said the players accomplished their main objective for the weekend.
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The Flames Division 2 men's team of John Wakimura (from left), John Weathersby, Casey Stoope, and Andrew Hathaway earned their bid to the April 8-10 College Disc Golf National Championships near Rock Hill, S.C.
"We were here to get our Division 2 men's national bid and we did that," Bowman said. "We had good showings from all the teams and are excited about how well they played against quite a few good teams here. They just had to play through the weather conditions and focus on playing with their teammates."
Bowman said the winter months have been brutal for players to try to maintain their games. He was glad to get another tournament in before hosting the annual Liberty Blue Ridge Regional Conference Flamethrower Championships from March 7-8 on the East Campus course along with New London Tech's newly renovated course in Bedford County.
"Because of all the snow and ice over Christmas break, a lot of them couldn't get out and play," he said. "Since coming back, we've held a lot of indoor practices (in the Liberty Multipurpose Center) doing mostly conditioning and field work. Last week was our first out playing on the fields."
In the men's Division 1 bracket, Liberty's top team of sophomore Addison Sells, freshman Tyler Peterson, senior Kyle Sennett, and graduate Jonah Burdick finished at 25-under par, seven strokes in front of runner-up host Kentucky. Sells placed third in the singles round at 6-under 56, followed by Peterson (tied for fourth at 5-under 57), Sennett (tied for eighth at 4-under 58), and Burdick (tied for 20th at even-par 62).
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Graduates Cami Burdick (left) and Grace Wilson won the female division in a landslide.
The Flames Division 2 team of graduate John Weathersby and freshman Casey Stoope (who tied for second in singles at 4-under 58) as well as junior William Hathaway (tied for 17th at even-par 62) and freshman John Wakimura (tied for 36th at plus-3 65) earned their qualifying bid by finishing first with a combined 17-under-par total factoring in doubles play. That beat runner-up Missouri State by seven shots.
Individually, Mathews had the lowest round of singles, tying for third at 1-under 61, followed by Muleta (tied for sixth at even-par 62), Norton and Lange (tied for eighth at 1-over 63).
Liberty's women's duo of graduates Cami Burdick and Grace Wilson combined to finish first at 13-over par (tied for third individually at 7-under), with the Lady Flames' pair of Haylee Goral, who also plays on the women's ultimate team, and fellow senior Bethanne Castiglione landing in third.
By Ted Allen/Staff WriterCaleb Muleta (from left), Ben Mathews, Tommy Job, and Jay Norton completed the Liberty's team sweep at the Bluegrass Regionals.
