Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
A Flames Hockey fan wields a light saber during last season's Star Wars Night, which is being replaced by a Superheros Day this season. (Photos by Ethan Smith)
New theme nights in 2026-27 will add to festive atmosphere at DI men’s hockey games
9/4/2026 12:30:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey
The Flames will open the season against UNC at the LIC with American Heroes Night on Sept. 11 before introducing a season-long intermission competition between residential halls on Oct. 3.
Six specialty jerseys, three Midnight Mayhem games, tributes to the United States of America and its first responders, active military members, and veterans, and new Baseball and Superhero theme nights are just a few of the promotions on tap for Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team's home schedule at the LaHaye Ice Center."We are going to have some really fun nights, and I am excited to see how some of them play out," said Kimberly Preusser, Club Sports' Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing & Media, noting nearly 700 season tickets have been sold so far.
Perhaps the most exciting theme night of the year will set the stage for the 2026-27 season — American Heroes night on Sept. 11, for the Flames' ACHA Division I season-opening showdown with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the contest will be sponsored by Impact First Responders and honor all firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and paramedics. The night will also celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding as well as Team USA's men's and women's hockey teams' gold-medal performances at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy. For their game against the Tar Heels, the Flames will sport patriotic red, white, and navy blue sweaters — matching the university's colors — for the first of six specialty jerseys to be auctioned off after the game, with money raised supporting future Club Sports mission trips.
The Flames won't sport pink jerseys for their second themed contest as they did for the Hawaiian Night on Oct. 2, 2022, when Liberty edged the Niagara Purple Eagles in their first Midnight Mayhem matchup that season. But they will support breast cancer awareness and prevention by hosting a Pink the Rink Night for their Oct. 3 showdown with Arizona.
Then on Oct. 9, Flames fans are encouraged to break out their cowboy hats and boots and line dance their way to the LIC for a Country Night showdown against Delaware.
For the Oct. 24 date with Drury, Liberty will celebrate Champions Night, honoring all of Club Sports' individual and team national champions from the 2025-26 season, including the DIII men's hockey team and women's gymnastics squad.
The following Friday, for its Oct. 30 matchup against Virginia Tech, Liberty will kick off Homecoming Weekend by donning retro jerseys featuring logos from the 1970s, when both the university and its men's hockey program were founded.
Military Appreciation Night, sponsored by the Virginia Army National Guard on Nov. 7, will honor all branches of the U.S. Military leading up to Veterans Day on Nov. 11. The Flames will unveil their fourth specialty fit, a white-and-grey camouflaged variety.
They will then conclude fall semester play with a series against Syracuse highlighted by a second Midnight Mayhem contest on Dec. 4 followed by an Employee Appreciation Night and annual Teddy Bear Toss to benefit Toys For Tots on Dec. 5.
Two new themed games open the spring semester for Liberty's home rematch with Niagara, with Baseball Night on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m., with the Flames wearing white jerseys with navy pinstripes, and Superhero Day on Jan. 23 at 2 p.m.
"We asked the Liberty Baseball team to come out so we could promote their team and their season that will be about to start," Preusser said of the Jan. 22 contest.
The concession stand will offer specials on hot dogs, and synthesized organ music will help create a ballpark atmosphere during breaks in the action on the ice.
For Superhero Day, which will take the place of the Star Wars theme night this season, there will be no special jersey, but fans are encouraged to break out their capes and other super suits to provide cosplay around the arena.
The season's final themed jersey night will be for the Flames' annual "Chick-fil-A Youth Day, marked with a black-and-white cow print. Then on Feb. 12, Liberty will host the Kentucky Wildcats for the third and final Midnight Mayhem game before auctioning off those jerseys.
New this year, as another in-game promotion, Liberty Hockey is introducing a Hall Cup, with teams from various residence halls competing head-to-head in fun games held on the ice during intermission of the games set for Oct. 3, 10, and 24, Nov. 6 and 7, Dec. 4, and Feb. 5, 13, and 19.
"We are trying to get more involved in Residence Life and with students who may not have ever been to a hockey game, so we are creating a season-long tournament between halls with a trophy and a prize pack given to the winning team at the end of the year," Preusser said, noting winning teams will be awarded two points for their halls with one point given to the team of students deemed fan favorites. "It's going to be a fun way to generate fan engagement, and we're pretty excited about the interest so far. We will be starting small this year ,,, with the goal to have long-standing competitions and representation from various halls at hockey games. We hope to iron out some kinks so we can scale it up a bit in future years."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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