Choice Awards show serves as induction ceremony for 12th Club Sports Hall of Fame class

Triathletes at Club Sports Choice Awards

Staff and student-athletes of the men's and women's triathlon teams gather on the Academic Lawn between the School of Music and Montview Student Union before the start of the Choice Awards. (Photos by Grace Greer and Ethan Smith)

Choice Awards show serves as induction ceremony for 12th Club Sports Hall of Fame class

5/7/2026 1:15:00 PM | General

Wednesday night’s gala event with a ‘Fiesta!’ theme brought testimonies, a song, and a prayer to the School of Music, Concert Hall stage.

Liberty University's Club Sports department enshrined its 12th Hall of Fame class on Wednesday night in the School of Music's Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall. The inductees' acceptance speeches were staggered throughout the end-of-year Choice Awards, honoring the best academic and athletic performances, coaches, and student-athletes in Club Sports.

Three athletes were inducted into the Hall of Fame: triathlete Megan Merryman, who graduated with her B.S. in Exercise Science in 2017; four-time NCWA Grand National championship women's wrestler Cendall (Manley) Murphy, who completed her B.S. in Psychology: Counseling in 2020 and her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2023; and men's volleyball setter Kaden Knepper, who earned his B.S. in Sport Psychology in 2019 and his M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology in 2021.

"Even though (triathlon) pushed my limits like no other sport had before, I loved the challenge and the reward of going farther than I thought possible," Merryman said. "The Lord has gifted us as athletes with unique abilities and passions for our sports, first and foremost for His glory, but also for our enjoyment and benefit."

"I am incredibly grateful for my time at Liberty and the opportunity I had to be a part of the triathlon team, for the friendships I made and the life lessons I learned," Merryman added. "I want to congratulate all of the athletes here on their hard work and dedication to their sports and also for their accomplishments athletically and academically. May the Lord bless you all as you pursue Him and the athletic talents and abilities He has given you."

Knepper was an All-National Collegiate Volleyball Federation First Team honoree after leading the Flames to a best-ever third-place showing at the NCVF National Championships in Denver his senior season. He was also recognized as the East Coast Championships Most Valuable Player after guiding Liberty to its first tournament title.

He later served as an assistant coach on the Lady Flames' beach volleyball and NCAA Division I indoor volleyball teams before playing an instrumental role in coaching MSU-Denver to a 32-3 season and first-ever NCAA Division II national championship in his fourth season as assistant coach this past fall. This spring, he has started in the same position at NCAA DI American University in Washington, D.C.

At the end of his acceptance speech, Knepper called the student-athlete crowd to its collective feet before leading them in the worship song, "You're Worthy of It All."

Murphy thanked her father, Randy Manley ('87); Head Coach Jesse Castro ('81, '85, '15), Liberty's first four-time NCCAA national champion in 1981; older sister Charisse (Manley) McIlhenny ('21), who won an NCWA Grand National title in 2019 and became head coach of the women's wrestling program this season after serving as assistant to Castro since 2020; and her husband, three-time NCWA Grand National champion Josiah Murphy ('22, '24).

"Dad, you were my first coach and you didn't just teach me how to wrestle, you taught me how to live," she said. "You showed me what it means to live for Christ when no one else is watching. Coach Castro, you caught a vision for what women's wrestling at Liberty could become … and you refined my wrestling, but more importantly, you refined my character. 'Risse, my sister, my friend, you made me better in ways that no one else could, sharpening me as iron sharpens iron. Josiah, thank you for being my consistent, God-given anchor."

Chris Williamson, who served for six seasons as an assistant coach under Castro before starting the men's wrestling program at Cornerstone (Mich.) University in 2021 and succeeding Castro at the helm last summer, received the Alumni Legacy Award for carrying on the tradition of excellence within the Flames' men's wrestling program.

"Grounded in Liberty's mission of Training Champions for Christ, Coach Williamson's leadership reflects humility, servantheartedness, and a deep respect for relationships, strengthening the wrestling program's foundation both on and off the mat," his video introduction stated.

Williamson thanked Club Sports Athletic Director Kirk Handy, NCAA Division I Director of Athletics Ian McCaw, and all of the Club Sports staff.

"Honestly, I came back to Liberty because I wanted to be around the best people," he said. "As (men's lacrosse Head Coach Kyle) McQuillan said, this is the greatest Club Sports department in the country."

Flames Central co-anchors Rett McGibbon and Matt Warner emceed the festive, semi-formal gala for the 10th time, adding to the prestige of the event. Other honorees included Division II women's hockey junior forward Cora Williams, the ACHA DII Player of the Year, as the Female Athlete of the year, and sophomore skier Eli Malek, the Male Athlete of the Year, who paced the Flames to a second-place overall men's freestyle team showing at the USCSA National Championships at Lake Placid, N.Y.

Sophomore gymnast Malaika Campbell, last year's Female Rookie of the Year, became this year's Female Outstanding Performance Award winner after capturing two individual gold medals to lead the Lady Flames to their first-ever NAIGC National Championship last month in Birmingham, Ala. The women's gymnastics team was selected as Female Team of the Year, and freshman Charis Ng, who won a gold medal for the NAIGC national champion Lady Flames in the balance beam finals, was chosen as Female Rookie of the Year. Third-year gymnastics Assistant Coach AJ (Kenniv) Tan was named Female Assistant Coach of the Year.

Liberty's Division III men's hockey team earned Male Team of the Year honors after capturing the first AAU D3 national championship in program history, while the D3 men's disc golf team won Male Most Outstanding Performance accolades for "three-peating" as College Disc Golf national champions.

Suzanne Flaig was named Women's Team Head Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Flames' Hunt Seat equestrian team to a Region 4 regular-season championship and Zone 4 team qualification, with three individuals advancing to the IHSA National Championships.

McQuillan received Men's Team Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Flames to their first MCLA DI National Championship in May 2025, after last year's Choice Awards.

Sophomore DIII men's hockey defenseman Macguire Graham, who overcame invasive surgeries on both hips at the start of the fall semester, was named the Male Perseverance Award winner, and junior LU Dance team member Kyleigh Engle, who lost her father and uncle in the past two years, received the Female Perseverance Award for leading her team to a second-place showing in the Pom Division at the College Classics in Orlando, Fla.

The Women's Varsity 4 rowing team received the Breakthrough Award after capturing the SIRA Regional Championship title following a gold-medal finish at the ACRA National Championships at the Women's Novice 4 last spring.

Gavin Glossner, who led the Flames to a fourth-place finish at the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championships at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, was named Male Rookie of the Year.

The Academic Partnership Award was bestowed upon School of Education Associate Dean for Licensure and Residential Programs Dr. Michelle Goodwin for her efforts to invest in Club Sports students holistically.

Wade Westlake was awarded the Male Student Service Award for incorporating his passion for analytics into providing video reports for the Division I men's hockey team.
Liberty's synchronized skating team received the Club Sports Community Service Award.

The Male Academic Athlete of the Year Award went to senior men's swimmer Benjamin Bizeau, while men's swimming Assistant Coach Jordan Stackpole received the Male Team Assistant Coach of the Year Award. Senior captain Whittman Brown, who anchored the majority of the Flames' relays in their third-place team finish at the College Club Swimming National Championships in Greensboro, N.C., received the Male Champion Award.

Junior defenseman and alternate captain Emerson Oakes earned the Female Academic Athlete of the Year Award, while she and her Division I women's hockey teammates all were honored as Academic Team of the Year for maintaining a cumulative 3.74 grade-point average. Graduate forward and second-year head captain Brielle Fussy, who paced the Lady Flames in scoring this season, received the Female Champion Award.

The Male Academic Integration Student of the Year was senior Josh Greiner, who is graduating with his B.S. in Exercise Science after working with the sports performance staff headed by Club Sports Assistant Athletic Director Chris Kerr.

Female Academic Integration Student of the Year was Emely Gomez, who worked as a customer service representative with the men's Division II and III and women's Division II hockey teams.
Highlight videos produced by Club Sports Director of Video & Media Patrick Strawn started and ended the ceremony after Associate Athletic Director for Holistic Development Reese Braband closed the night in prayer.

The student-athletes and coaches then enjoyed fellowship and heavy hors d'oeuvres served in and around the School of Music entrance with a Mexican theme.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media

Gallery: (5-7-2026) Club Sports Choice Awards & Hall of Fame