Liberty Swimming & Diving to Join American Athletic Conference in 2025
12/12/2024 11:14:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
The Liberty swimming & diving team will join the American Athletic Conference as an affiliate member beginning on July 1, 2025, as announced today by league officials.
The American currently has six members competing in swimming & diving: East Carolina, FAU, FIU, North Texas, Rice and Tulane. Liberty, James Madison and Marshall will all join next year, bringing the membership for swimming & diving to nine schools. The 2026 American Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships will be held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
The Lady Flames have won conference titles in each of the last six seasons (CCSA – 2019-23; ASUN – 2024). Liberty has won seven total conference championships to date.
Liberty will compete in the ASUN for swimming & diving this season, with the ASUN Swimming & Diving Championships taking place Feb. 19-22 at Allan Jones Natatorium in Knoxville, Tenn.
FIU is the defending American champion in swimming & diving, defeating second-place SMU by over 100 points. Rice finished third, followed by East Carolina, FAU, Tulane and North Texas in that order. The Panthers won eight straight Conference USA Championships (2015-22) before CUSA stopped sponsoring swimming & diving due to conference realignment.
In November of 2021, Liberty Athletics accepted an invitation to join Conference USA, starting with the 2023-24 athletics season. The announcement made Conference USA the new all-sport conference for 16 of Liberty's 20 NCAA Division I athletics programs.
Conference USA does not sponsor the sports of men's soccer, women's lacrosse, field hockey or women's swimming & diving.
Liberty's field hockey program continues as an associate member of the BIG EAST Conference, while women's lacrosse competes in the ASUN and men's soccer plays in the Ohio Valley Conference.
"The American Athletic Conference will afford our swim/dive program with a highly competitive conference home where our team will continue to flourish and compete for championships. We are grateful to Commissioner Pernetti, his staff and campus administrators for affording Liberty this opportunity."
Ian McCaw
Liberty University Vice President and Director of Athletics
"On behalf of our Associate Head Coach Jessica Barnes, Diving Coach Samantha Pickens, and our entire Swimming & Diving program, both past and present, I thank the coaches, administrative leadership, and Presidents of the American Athletic Conference for the opportunity to join this prestigious group of highly competitive institutions. Featuring fast swimming, fantastic diving, and outstanding coaches and staff, the American elevates our level of competition, and we are thrilled to get started next year!"
Jake Shellenberger
Liberty University Women's Swimming & Diving Head Coach
The American currently has six members competing in swimming & diving: East Carolina, FAU, FIU, North Texas, Rice and Tulane. Liberty, James Madison and Marshall will all join next year, bringing the membership for swimming & diving to nine schools. The 2026 American Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships will be held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
The Lady Flames have won conference titles in each of the last six seasons (CCSA – 2019-23; ASUN – 2024). Liberty has won seven total conference championships to date.
Liberty will compete in the ASUN for swimming & diving this season, with the ASUN Swimming & Diving Championships taking place Feb. 19-22 at Allan Jones Natatorium in Knoxville, Tenn.
FIU is the defending American champion in swimming & diving, defeating second-place SMU by over 100 points. Rice finished third, followed by East Carolina, FAU, Tulane and North Texas in that order. The Panthers won eight straight Conference USA Championships (2015-22) before CUSA stopped sponsoring swimming & diving due to conference realignment.
In November of 2021, Liberty Athletics accepted an invitation to join Conference USA, starting with the 2023-24 athletics season. The announcement made Conference USA the new all-sport conference for 16 of Liberty's 20 NCAA Division I athletics programs.
Conference USA does not sponsor the sports of men's soccer, women's lacrosse, field hockey or women's swimming & diving.
Liberty's field hockey program continues as an associate member of the BIG EAST Conference, while women's lacrosse competes in the ASUN and men's soccer plays in the Ohio Valley Conference.
"The American Athletic Conference will afford our swim/dive program with a highly competitive conference home where our team will continue to flourish and compete for championships. We are grateful to Commissioner Pernetti, his staff and campus administrators for affording Liberty this opportunity."
Ian McCaw
Liberty University Vice President and Director of Athletics
"On behalf of our Associate Head Coach Jessica Barnes, Diving Coach Samantha Pickens, and our entire Swimming & Diving program, both past and present, I thank the coaches, administrative leadership, and Presidents of the American Athletic Conference for the opportunity to join this prestigious group of highly competitive institutions. Featuring fast swimming, fantastic diving, and outstanding coaches and staff, the American elevates our level of competition, and we are thrilled to get started next year!"
Jake Shellenberger
Liberty University Women's Swimming & Diving Head Coach
Jessica Barnes: Joy in Suffering
Tuesday, January 06
Alicia (Finnigan) Cardie: Finding Purpose Outside of the Pool
Wednesday, August 06
Headed to the American Conference! See you on July 1, 2025! 👀🏊♀️ #shorts
Friday, December 13
Little recap of our swim meet from against JMU🤩 #shorts
Monday, November 04