Triathletes combine for sixth-place team finish at Collegiate National Championships

Friday, March 27

Gulfport, MS

Liberty University Club Sports

Collegiate Club National Championships

Triathlete cyclists USA Collegiate Nationals

Junior Alex Schimmel (front) was the Flames' fastest finisher in the Olympic Distance, crossing the line in 30th place out of 633 triathletes. Here, he allows junior Gabe Shreve to draft off of him in the cycling stage of the men's Draft Legal Sprint, in which he placed 15th and Shreve 26th, (Photos by Ella Mancini)

Triathletes combine for sixth-place team finish at Collegiate National Championships

4/1/2026 9:16:00 PM | Triathlon

The Flames came in eighth and Lady Flames ninth after the Olympic Distance and Draft Legal Sprint races Friday and Saturday in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Swimming stage at nationals — Shreve comes out of the Gulf of America water after completing the swimming stage of the Draft Legal race.

Liberty University's men's and women's triathlon teams combined for a sixth-place finish out of 85 club programs at this past Friday's and Saturday's USA Triathlon Collegiate Championships held at Gulfport Municipal Marina in coastal Mississippi.

"That was a super effort in a National Championship filled with the best triathletes in the nation," Liberty Head Coach Heather Gollnick said. "I'm very proud of our team (members) who stepped up in all facets throughout the weekend to represent our team and university in a positive and uplifting way."

The Flames, paced by junior Alex Schimmel, placed eighth among men's teams and the Lady Flames, led by junior Kendall Leininger, finished ninth out of the women's programs.

Beverly Swem Liberty triathlete — Freshman Beverly Swem competes in the women's Draft Legal event.

In the men's Olympic-distance race, which started with a 750-meter swim followed by a 35.7-kilometer cycling stage and 9.3K run, Schimmel placed 30th out of 633 finishers in 2 hours, 1 minute, 4 seconds. Not far behind was his older brother, senior captain Brandon Schimmel (50th in 2:03.25), and sophomores Evan Bittner (72nd in 2:06:50) and Ben Babcock (75th in 2:07:16).

"Carrying the Liberty red, white, and blue across my final collegiate finish line marks a bittersweet close to a chapter of my life, where God used a school, a team, and a family to shape me into who I am today," Brandon Schimmel said. "The spirit of joy that could only come from the Lord was tangible throughout this season and will be the defining memory as I look back on my experiences as an athlete and captain."

In the women's Olympic-distance event, Leininger crossed the finish line 23rd out of 427 triathletes in 2:23:10, followed by graduate Lydia Couric (57th in 2:31:56), freshman Jaden Lucas (59th in 2:32:18), and junior Natalie Kingston (70th in 2:34:23).

"It was obvious throughout the weekend just how much this team loves and supports each other," Leininger said. "No matter the outcome of their race, everyone made a point to congratulate each other on their hard work and dedication to the sport over the last seven months. There really is a sense of camaraderie on this team that is unmatched."

Liberty triathlete crosses finish line at Mississippi — Senior captain Brandon Schimmel carries the Liberty flag down the home stretch of the 9.3-kilometer run in the Olympic Distance race.

Alex Schimmel also placed 15th out of 56 competitors in the Men's Draft Legal race, which started with a 500-meter swim, continued with a 20.5-kilometer cycling stage, and concluded with a 4.2K run, in 1:02:45 with junior Gabe Shreve finishing 26th in 1:05:48. Leininger, meanwhile, finished 16th out of 55 competitors in the Women's Draft Legal race in 1:10:43 and freshman Beverly Swem placed 42nd in 1:20:10.

Complete results are available online.

"What makes this group truly special is how they represent our mission to be Champions for Christ, serving as an example of God's love both on and off the racecourse," Gollnick said. "It was truly a great season, and this team continues to demonstrate a tremendous culture, supporting one another in myriad ways."