Who should be on Liberty Athletics’ Mount Rushmore?

Posted by Jon Manson | Jun 6, 2023 | Baseball, Basketball, Football, news, Other Sports | 1 |

The 2022-23 Liberty Athletic year is all but over, so now it's time for the important conversations…

Who belongs on the MT. Rushmore of Liberty University Athletics?

Our ASOR staff breaks it down as we each give our MT. Rushmore candidates.

I’m not going to have a cookie cutter plain, old, boring Mount Rushmore, that's not my style. It's crucial to know I’m not just factoring stats but rather the successes of the team and their importance to the growth of their individual programs. Without further ado (Jon, is this how you spell that word?) here we go!

(In no particular order)

The only thing better than this guy's arm is his outfit at senior prom. There's no other QB I would have rather had usher Liberty into the FBS era than Buckshot. He gets overlooked because Malik came next, but his games against Baylor and the first win Bowl win in school history gets him onto the list.

Everyone knows at least two things about me; I love Women's Soccer and the movie Heavyweights. By the time Nancy Davis White left Liberty had become Big South Champions and it was in large part to her. She's got some Wayne Gretzky stats in the atop record books with almost double the amount of points and goals that second place has. Nancy Davis White. The GOAT.

*Pause for a slot break. 50 free spins for betting $10 on the NBA finals. Free money*

When you are the guy in the biggest win in school history you get on the list. Thirty points on national television for the world to see. This wasn't a flash in the pan either, Caleb balled out his junior and senior year. He played with one of if not the best teams in school history so while his stats don't pop out, his impact and ability to make everyone around him better gets him on the list.

You win a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP you’re on this list automatically. This guy won FOUR alongside a NCAA record. His Wikipedia page has SECTIONS. Yes it's not the most popular sports but when you can hang a banner, get a ring, and win a natty it's as automatic as it gets.

Honorable Mention

Malik: I have a picture of Malik on my Google home that rotates in between pictures of my deadgrandparents and wedding action shots.

Jesse Sanders: Floor manager legend. Also, have you seen that hair?

Austin Marsh: Makes me laugh on twitter. Walk on extraordinaire.

Mike Brown: Electric on the field. I’ve never seen anyone take over a game like he did back in the day.

Brandon Schlittler: Dad is a legend.

The first athlete that came to my mind was Sam Chelanga and for good reason. Chelanga iseasily the most accomplished athlete in school history. Chelanga is a 14-time All-American andis a four-time national champion (you read that right, four times!!). Chelanga won back to backnational titles in cross country in 2009 and 2010 and won back to back national titles in the 10,000 meters event for outdoor track and field in 2010 and 2011. Chelanga's 10,000 meter time of 27:08.49 is an all-time NCAA record which still stands to this day. After graduating, Chelanaga became a professional runner that was sponsored by Nike. Chelanga retired in 2018 to join the US Army as a logistics officer. While still in the Army, Chelanga recently unretired asa runner and will compete as a part of the Army's World Class Athlete Program in hopes of qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. What an absolute legend.

Personally, I don't know how you keep Jill Bolton off your list. Bolton finished her career at Liberty as the all-time leader in goals, points, and is third in assists. Not to mention a multiple- time All-American and All-Big East recipient as well as being named Big East tournament MVP and to the All NCAA tournament team in 2021. Those are all incredible accomplishments, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Bolton led Liberty to the 2021 Final Four and National Championship game, marking the very first time a Liberty team had made an appearance to a Division I Final Four or National Championship in any sport. Bolton then made more history, by being named the NFHCA National Player of the Year. This honor is awarded to college field hockey's top player (for all you football fans, that is the field hockey equivalent of winning the Heisman). Bolton is the only Flame to win a National player of the year award at the Division I level. As if that wasn't enough, Bolton was also selected as the 2022 Honda Award winner for field hockey, which made her one of twelve finalists for the 2022 Collegiate Woman of the Year award.

Malik Willis only started two years for the Flames, but that did not stop hi from having one of the most prolific careers in Liberty Athletics history. Willis sat out the 2019 season due to NCAA transfer rules after coming to Liberty from Auburn. Willis’ debut was foreshadowing to the rest of his career, as he led the Flames to an upset win over preseason CUSA champ WKU, while also setting the program single-game record for QB rushing yards with 168. Willis would go onto win his first seven starts (first LU QB to do so), leading Liberty to wins over ACC opponents, Syracuse and Virginia Tech, while also setting the single-game touchdown record against Southern Miss, as the gunslinger was responsible for seven touchdowns against the Golden Eagles. Willis and the Flames concluded 2020 with a Cure Bowl win over nationally ranked Coastal Carolina. Willis ran for a program record for touchdowns in the game which earned him Cure Bowl MVP. Willis led the Flames in passing and rushing yards in 2020 (he did it again in 2021), while also helping the Flames accomplish a ten-win season and the program's first ever FBS Top 25 ranking. Willis was also the 2020 Dudley Award winner, which is awarded to the top collegiate football player in Virginia.

After 2020, the hype surrounding Willis grew, as we started to see his name appear in mock rafts. Willis led the Flames to an eight-win 2021 season that concluded with a LendingTree Bowl victory over Eastern Michigan (Malik was named MVP). Willis also won the 2021 Bobby Bowden Trophy Award, which is a national honor that is awarded to one football player who epitomizes a student-athlete of faith. After re-writing the record books and amassing 6,929 total yards and 74 touchdowns in two years at Liberty, Willis went on to impress at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. Malik was such a highly-touted draft prospect that Liberty's pro day was televised on the NFL Network. After becoming a household name, Willis was selected in the third round by the Tennessee Titans, where he still currently plays.

Darius was a once in a generation type talent that just concluded his career on the Mountain. Despite only being 5’9, McGhee is the all-time leading scorer and three-point leader in bothLiberty and the ASUN Conference's history. McGhee is the only Liberty Basketball player to winthree Division I conference Player of the Year awards, winning three consecutive from 2021-23 (the ASUN should really name the MVP trophy after Darius). McGhee helped lead the Flames to three ASUN Tournament Championships, including being named 2021 Tournament MVP. Darius played in two NCAA Tournaments (led Liberty in scoring as a true freshman against VT in the Round of 32 game) and one NIT, while playing a huge role in some of Liberty's greatest wins of all-time. McGhee is just one of two former Flames hoopers to be named honorable mention All-American. I’ll conclude with this final statistic, Darius McGhee is tied with Wardell Stephen Curry (only the greatest shooter to ever exist), for the most three-pointers in an NCAA DI single-season, with 162 three-pointers made.

Honorable Mention

Sid Bream- Bream was probably Liberty's first athletic star. Bream was an NAIA and NABC All-American and holds the Liberty records in batting average with a .435 (sheesh) and slugging percentage with a .830. Bream was drafted in the second round of the 1981 MLB Draft and played in the MLB for twelve seasons, including making back-to-back World Series appearances with the Atlanta Braves in 1991 and 1992.

Heather Sagan- Sagan was Liberty's first-ever Division I National Champion (won the Indoor Track mile) and also earned All-American honors. Sagan won 14 Big South individual championships (light work) and was named the 2002 Virginia NCAA Woman of the Year. Sagan (now Heather Zealand) is currently on Liberty's Track & Field coaching staff.

Rashad Jennings- Jennings was not only a stud running back, but might be the most famous Liberty alumni. Jennings was an FCS All-American in 2008 and rushed for 3,633 yards at Liberty, while setting program records in rushing touchdowns, points scored, and 100-yard games. Jennings had an extremely solid seven seasons in the NFL before his career really took off. Jennings won Dancing with the Stars, a popular tv competition in 2017 and is a New YorkTimes best-selling author.

I start this by saying Jerry Falwell, Sr. deserves to be on the Liberty Athletics Mount Rushmore as does current Athletic Director Ian McCaw, but we have decided to only nominate players. Here are my four – Peter Aluma, Sam Chelanga, Rashad Jennings, and Heather Sagan.

Aluma helped Liberty claim its first ever Big South title in 1994 and earn the program's first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament during his freshman season. He finished his career with 1,715 points scored and still holds the program record for career blocked shots. Aluma was a three-time Big South all-conference selection and was the conference tournament MVP in 1994 and 1997. Aluma is arguably the greatest big man in program history and even had a short stint in the NBA.

Chelanga won four individual national championships during his time with the Flames’ cross country and track & field programs, by far the most of any Liberty athlete. He won the 2009 and 2010 cross country national titles and would go on to claim national championships at the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships in the 10K in 2010 and the 5K in 2011 as he became the first student-athlete in school history to win multiple national championships.

Jennings is the most decorated running back to ever suit up for the Flames. During his three years with the program, he rushed for 3,633 yards and set program records for career rushing touchdowns, 100-yard games, and points scored. He was a consensus first-team All-American during his senior year and earned Big South Offensive Player of the Year twice. He was the face of Liberty football and the entire athletic program for his entire time at LU and has also made a big name for himself since playing for the Flames.

Sagan was Liberty's first Division I national champion and was named the 2002 Virginia NCAA Woman of the Year and Eastern Track Athlete of the Year after winning the NCAA Division I Indoor national championship in the women's mile and finished second in the outdoor 1500.

Honorable Mention

Katie FeenstraMalik WillisJill Bolton

Share:

Rate: