Liberty will commence the 2025 segment of its swimming & diving agenda this weekend at East Carolina, competing against the Pirates at Minges Natatorium.
This weekend’s contest will be a two-day event, starting at 5 p.m. on Friday. The two squads will kick off day two at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Liberty will be up against a future conference rival in East Carolina, as Liberty, James Madison, and Marshall will become affiliate members of the American Athletic Conference in women’s swimming & diving starting on July 1, 2025.
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Live results will be accessible through the MeetMobile App.
Liberty’s ASUN Athletes of the Week This Season
Swimmer of the Week Aly Bozzuto (Oct. 17, Nov. 13)
Diver of the Week Mary Herndon (Oct. 17)
Co-Diver of the Week Maddie Freece (Oct. 24)
Diver of the Week Chloe LaCount (Nov. 27)
Team Notes
- The Lady Flames clinched the 2024 TYR ’85 Invite, marking the first midseason invitational victory in program history.
- Liberty established program records in both the 200 breaststroke (Aly Bozzuto – 2:11.28) and 400 freestyle relay (3:16.97).
- During the TYR ’85 Invite, Chloe LaCount achieved NCAA Zone diving scores in both one-meter (276.45) and three-meter (283.65) diving. Kamryn Cannings recorded NCAA B cuts in the 100 fly (52.32) and 200 fly (1:58.31), while Aly Bozzuto delivered B cuts in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.37) and 200 breaststroke (2:11.28). Sydney Stricklin clinched NCAA B standard times in the 100 free (48.94) and 100 backstroke (53.31), while Malia Francis’ 1:56.74 satisfied the B standard in the 200 backstroke.
- Liberty (5-2) overcame longtime rival Campbell, 156-100, on Nov. 9 in Buies Creek, N.C. This meet featured nine different Lady Flames achieving event victories. A total of four Lady Flames (Layne Jones – 100 back; Emily Harstad – 200 fly; Sadie Stricklin – 200 back; Kaycee Cannings – 500 free) earned their first wins of the season at Campbell.
- On two occasions on Nov. 9, Liberty had consecutive races won by siblings. Sydney Stricklin triumphed in the 100 free before her sister Sadie took the 200 back in the very next race. Kaycee (500 free) and Kamryn (100 fly) Cannings also achieved victories in back-to-back races.
- Freshman Aly Bozzuto triumphed in both the 50 free and 200 breaststroke at Campbell. She has prevailed in every event she has entered in dual meets, including both individual and relay.
- Liberty secured its sixth consecutive conference championship and seventh in the program’s history, winning the 2024 ASUN Swimming & Diving Championships. Throughout the meet, Liberty amassed 48 A Finals, 26 podium finishes, and seven event victories.
- Kamryn Cannings was honored as Co-Most Outstanding Freshman of the 2024 ASUN Championships, winning both the 100 fly and 200 fly, while securing a second-place finish in the 100 free. Cannings and Sydney Stricklin (2022) are current Lady Flames who have been awarded Most Outstanding Freshman during their careers.
- Cannings participated in the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, achieving 19th place in the 100 fly with the fastest time (51.45) recorded by any freshman in the event.
- Maddie Freece was recognized as Most Outstanding Diver of the 2024 ASUN Championships, her third career conference most outstanding diver accolade. She excelled in three-meter diving at the ASUN Championships, while finishing as runner-up on one-meter.
- Freece was one of six Liberty divers selected to participate in the 2024 NCAA Zone Diving Championships. She was joined in qualifying by Mary Herndon, Shannon Icard, Chloe LaCount, Caroline Stamps, and Meagan Tuohy. All but Tuohy are returning this season.
- Liberty had two swimmers compete in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, with Heather Gardner swimming in the 100-meter breaststroke and current Lady Flame Malia Francis finishing 38th in the 200-meter backstroke. Additionally, Kamryn Cannings took part in the Canada Olympic Trials.
- In his 15th year, Head Coach Jake Shellenberger has guided the Lady Flames since the program’s inception. He holds a dual-meet record of 133-40 and has been named CCSA Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year six times (2012, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024).
- Six Lady Flames were awarded CSCAA Individual Scholar All-America honors last season, including Kamryn Cannings (first team), Mary Herndon (second team), Shannon Icard (second team), Grace Isaacs, Genna Joyce (second team), and Caroline Stamps (second team).
- A total of 12 current Lady Flames have achieved conference podium finishes throughout their careers, led by seven from Maddie Freece. Sydney Stricklin (4), Shelby Kahn (4), Kamryn Cannings (3), Grace Isaacs (3), Kate Baker (1), Malia Francis (1), Isabelle Gomez (1), Mary Herndon (1), Shannon Icard (1), Caroline Stamps (1), and Eden Troxell (1) have also reached the podium.
Matchup Highlights
- Liberty is 2-0 all-time against East Carolina in swimming & diving. The Lady Flames overcame the Pirates in a tri meet on Oct. 22-23, 2021, which also included Penn State. The last encounter between these two teams was Jan. 7, 2023, a 156-144 win for Liberty at ECU.
- The Pirates are 7-1 in dual meets this season and placed fourth at the 2024 American Swimming & Diving Championships.
- Liberty holds a 45-5 all-time record in dual meets conducted in North Carolina.
Up Next
The Lady Flames will conclude their dual-meet schedule with a two-day meet against Campbell and UNC Asheville on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at Liberty Natatorium.