Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Saturday, September 26
Spotsylvania, VA
7:00 AM
Liberty University Club Sports
at
Giant Acorn Triathlon
Lady Flames freshman Makenzie Ross from Owensboro, Ky., (center) placed second in her firrst collegiate women's race on Saturday, the Giant Acorn Olympic-distance triathlon..
Freshman Ross excels at season-opening Olympic-distance Giant Acorn triathlon
9/29/2026 6:23:00 PM | Triathlon
Saturday’s race sets the stage for the Oct. 10 Mid-Atlantic Conference Championships on the southern end of the same Lake Anna.
Freshman recruit Makenzie Ross placed second overall in the female collegiate division to pace Liberty University's triathlon team at its first race of the regular season, the Giant Acorn Olympic-distance race in Spotsylvania, Va., on the northern side of Lake Anna.
"Makenzie raced with great intensity in her very first race with the team," Head Coach Heather Gollnick said after Ross completed the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40K cycling stage, and 10K run in 2 hours, 21 minutes, 11.6 seconds to finish runner-up to Eryn McGlaughlin (2:20:56.1) out of 31 female triathletes. "That was an impressive debut, and we're excited to see what she can accomplish as she continues to develop with the team."
McGlaughlin, who like the third-place female finisher Samantha Minton (25th in 2:26:43.4)Â was from the Naval Academy, and Ross placed 18th and 19th overall out of 80 collegiate triathletes.
Senior captain Kendall Leininger was Liberty's second-fastest Lady Flames finisher, placing fifth among females and 29th overall in 2:29:20.1. She was followed by sophomore Jaden Lucas (eighth among women, 33rd overall, 2:33:01.9), senior Natalie Kingston from nearby Stafford, Va. (ninth, 34th overall, in 2:33:10.6), and junior Elise Collette (10th, 38th overall, 2:34:15.5).
"Our season started off with strong showing at our first competition, which built a lot of momentum for the rest of the year," Ross said. "For me personally, it was especially meaningful to compete with my new Flames family in my first Collegiate and Olympic distance race. The foundation we've built by challenging and pushing each other every day showed in our results this weekend, and I'm beyond excited to see what this team can accomplish as our season continues."
With 12 women on this year's 20-triathlete roster, the Lady Flames have more depth than past seasons.
"We have one of our strongest female teams since I've been here," said Gollnick, who took over the program from Parker Spencer in 2018.
Liberty competed without Naomi Dieken, who is still recovering from completing her first Ironman triathlon on Saturday, Sept. 19, in Cambridge, Md.
On the men's side, sophomore Evan Bittner led the Flames with a sixth-place showing in 2:04:54.4. He was followed by junior Matthias Grutz (12th in 2:14:01.4) and sophomore Jack Donohue (16th in 2:19:16.6).
The Flames are competing this semester without senior captain Alex Schimmel, who is sidelined by injury but is on track to return to racing in the spring.
Complete results are available online. Watch a highlight video from the race.
"We're extremely happy with how the team performed at the Giant Acorn Triathlon this weekend," Gollnick said. "This was the team's first triathlon of the fall season, and it was an important step in our preparation for the conference championships in two weeks. The team showed tremendous potential and gave us a lot of confidence heading into the final stretch of the season."
As well as they competed amongst their peers on the course, Gollnick was even more pleased to see the way the Flames and Lady Flames acted as ambassadors for Christ at their first race of the season.
"What continues to impress me most is the way these athletes carry themselves and represent the university," she said. "They compete with determination, support one another, and consistently represent Liberty with class. I'm very proud of this group and excited about what's ahead."
On Oct. 10, the Flames and Lady Flames will compete in their second Olympic-distance race on Lake Anna with the Mid-Atlantic Conference Championships at Pleasants Landing Triathlon in Bumpass, Va., starting on the lake's warmer southern shores.
"The good thing about starting the season with the Giant Acorn is we get to do an Olympic-distance race before our conference championships," Gollnick said.
The team will conclude fall semester racing at the Mid-Atlantic Conference Draft-Legal Championships, a sprint triathlon set for Oct. 16 in Buford, Ga.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Kylee Wright/Club Sports Video & Media Staff
"Makenzie raced with great intensity in her very first race with the team," Head Coach Heather Gollnick said after Ross completed the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40K cycling stage, and 10K run in 2 hours, 21 minutes, 11.6 seconds to finish runner-up to Eryn McGlaughlin (2:20:56.1) out of 31 female triathletes. "That was an impressive debut, and we're excited to see what she can accomplish as she continues to develop with the team."
McGlaughlin, who like the third-place female finisher Samantha Minton (25th in 2:26:43.4)Â was from the Naval Academy, and Ross placed 18th and 19th overall out of 80 collegiate triathletes.
Senior captain Kendall Leininger was Liberty's second-fastest Lady Flames finisher, placing fifth among females and 29th overall in 2:29:20.1. She was followed by sophomore Jaden Lucas (eighth among women, 33rd overall, 2:33:01.9), senior Natalie Kingston from nearby Stafford, Va. (ninth, 34th overall, in 2:33:10.6), and junior Elise Collette (10th, 38th overall, 2:34:15.5).
"Our season started off with strong showing at our first competition, which built a lot of momentum for the rest of the year," Ross said. "For me personally, it was especially meaningful to compete with my new Flames family in my first Collegiate and Olympic distance race. The foundation we've built by challenging and pushing each other every day showed in our results this weekend, and I'm beyond excited to see what this team can accomplish as our season continues."
With 12 women on this year's 20-triathlete roster, the Lady Flames have more depth than past seasons.
"We have one of our strongest female teams since I've been here," said Gollnick, who took over the program from Parker Spencer in 2018.
Liberty competed without Naomi Dieken, who is still recovering from completing her first Ironman triathlon on Saturday, Sept. 19, in Cambridge, Md.
On the men's side, sophomore Evan Bittner led the Flames with a sixth-place showing in 2:04:54.4. He was followed by junior Matthias Grutz (12th in 2:14:01.4) and sophomore Jack Donohue (16th in 2:19:16.6).
The Flames are competing this semester without senior captain Alex Schimmel, who is sidelined by injury but is on track to return to racing in the spring.
Complete results are available online. Watch a highlight video from the race.
"We're extremely happy with how the team performed at the Giant Acorn Triathlon this weekend," Gollnick said. "This was the team's first triathlon of the fall season, and it was an important step in our preparation for the conference championships in two weeks. The team showed tremendous potential and gave us a lot of confidence heading into the final stretch of the season."
As well as they competed amongst their peers on the course, Gollnick was even more pleased to see the way the Flames and Lady Flames acted as ambassadors for Christ at their first race of the season.
"What continues to impress me most is the way these athletes carry themselves and represent the university," she said. "They compete with determination, support one another, and consistently represent Liberty with class. I'm very proud of this group and excited about what's ahead."
On Oct. 10, the Flames and Lady Flames will compete in their second Olympic-distance race on Lake Anna with the Mid-Atlantic Conference Championships at Pleasants Landing Triathlon in Bumpass, Va., starting on the lake's warmer southern shores.
"The good thing about starting the season with the Giant Acorn is we get to do an Olympic-distance race before our conference championships," Gollnick said.
The team will conclude fall semester racing at the Mid-Atlantic Conference Draft-Legal Championships, a sprint triathlon set for Oct. 16 in Buford, Ga.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Kylee Wright/Club Sports Video & Media Staff
Players Mentioned
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
/ Triathlon
Saturday, September 26
Tuesday, September 15
Wednesday, September 09
Wednesday, June 03