Liberty to Host Rutgers, JMU at Liberty Natatorium
10/14/2026 9:15:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty swimming & diving team will host Rutgers and James Maidson, Friday and Saturday at Liberty Natatorium.
This weekend's meet will feature head-to-head dual meet scoring for each team against the others. The meet will be a two-day contest, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday. The teams will begin day two at 10 a.m., Saturday.
The meet will have special significance to the program, as the Lady Flames will be raising awareness for cancer research. It will also be the team's alumnae recognition meet, thanking alumnae for their contributions in building a championship program. There will be an alumnae relay immediately following the final swimming event on Saturday.
How to Follow the Lady Flames
Live results will be available through the MeetMobile App. Additionally, live results and live video streaming will be available through links on LibertyFlames.com.
Liberty has the fastest time in The American Conference in the following in 2026-27:
50 freestyle – 22.59 – Aly Bozzuto
100 freestyle – 49.57 – Aly Bozzuto
200 freestyle – 1:50.18 – Sadie Huenefeld
500 freestyle – 4:58.86 – Emma Herrera
100 backstroke – 54.15 – Gwyneth Frick
200 backstroke – 1:56.54 – Gwyneth Frick
100 breaststroke – 1:00.59 – Aly Bozzuto
200 breaststroke – 2:12.89 – Aly Bozzuto
100 butterfly – 55.06 – Carly Larson
200 IM – 2:01.33 – Gwyneth Frick
400 IM – 4:20.25 – Riley Leach
200 free relay – 1:31.16
400 free relay – 3:23.58
200 medley relay – 1:40.06
400 medley relay – 3:38.98
Program Records Held by Current Lady Flames
100 breaststroke – 59.17 – Aly Bozzuto
200 breaststroke – 2:09.47 – Aly Bozzuto
100 IM – 55.93 – Aly Bozzuto
Platform diving (5) – 261.00 – Shannon Icard
Team Notes
Friday, Oct. 16 – 5 p.m.
1. 200 Medley Relay
2. 500 Freestyle
3. 100 Backstroke
4. 50 Freestyle
5. 3-Meter Diving - Full Diving Break
6. 200 Freestyle
7. 100 Breaststroke
8. 100 Butterfly
10 Minute Break
9. 400 IM
10. 200 Freestyle Relay
Saturday, Oct. 17 – 10 a..m.
1. 400 Medley Relay
2. 1000 Freestyle
3. 100 Freestyle
4. 1-Meter Diving - Concurrent with Meet
15 Minute Break
5. 200 Backstroke
6. 200 Butterfly
7. 200 Breaststroke
10 Minute Break
8. 200 IM
9. 400 Freestyle Relay
Up Next
The Lady Flames will travel to Miami, Fla., for the Dual-a-Pool-Ooza, Oct. 23-24 in a meet co-hosted by Mami and FIU and also featuring Vanderbilt.
This weekend's meet will feature head-to-head dual meet scoring for each team against the others. The meet will be a two-day contest, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday. The teams will begin day two at 10 a.m., Saturday.
The meet will have special significance to the program, as the Lady Flames will be raising awareness for cancer research. It will also be the team's alumnae recognition meet, thanking alumnae for their contributions in building a championship program. There will be an alumnae relay immediately following the final swimming event on Saturday.
How to Follow the Lady Flames
Live results will be available through the MeetMobile App. Additionally, live results and live video streaming will be available through links on LibertyFlames.com.
Liberty has the fastest time in The American Conference in the following in 2026-27:
50 freestyle – 22.59 – Aly Bozzuto
100 freestyle – 49.57 – Aly Bozzuto
200 freestyle – 1:50.18 – Sadie Huenefeld
500 freestyle – 4:58.86 – Emma Herrera
100 backstroke – 54.15 – Gwyneth Frick
200 backstroke – 1:56.54 – Gwyneth Frick
100 breaststroke – 1:00.59 – Aly Bozzuto
200 breaststroke – 2:12.89 – Aly Bozzuto
100 butterfly – 55.06 – Carly Larson
200 IM – 2:01.33 – Gwyneth Frick
400 IM – 4:20.25 – Riley Leach
200 free relay – 1:31.16
400 free relay – 3:23.58
200 medley relay – 1:40.06
400 medley relay – 3:38.98
Program Records Held by Current Lady Flames
100 breaststroke – 59.17 – Aly Bozzuto
200 breaststroke – 2:09.47 – Aly Bozzuto
100 IM – 55.93 – Aly Bozzuto
Platform diving (5) – 261.00 – Shannon Icard
Team Notes
- The Lady Flames (1-1) opened the season with a resounding 240-111 win over Penn State in a tri meet hosted by Virginia Tech, Oct. 2-3. At that meet, Liberty's trio of Gwyneth Frick (first place in 100 back, 200 IM and 200 back), Aly Bozzuto (first place in 100 breaststroke, second place in 100 free and 50 free) and Riley Leach (first place in 400 IM, second place in 200 fly, third place in 200 IM) picked up three top-three finishes each.
- Liberty holds the top time in The American in 15 different events so far this season, led by four from Aly Bozzuto and three from Gwyneth Frick.
- Liberty begins its second season as an affiliate swimming & diving member of the American Conference, as the Lady Flames, James Madison and Marshall all joined as affiliate members beginning on July 1, 2025.
- In the 2026-27 American Conference Preseason Poll, two-time defending champion Rice was voted first, followed by Liberty in second. James Madison was predicted to finish sixth.
- The Lady Flames won seven straight CCSA/Atlantic Sun Swimming & Diving Championships prior to joining The American last year.
- Liberty made an immediate statement, finishing second to Rice at the 2026 American Conference Swimming & Diving Championship. The Lady Flames recorded 14 podium finishes and eight event victories, while setting three program records.
- Aly Bozzuto was named Most Outstanding Swimmer of the American Conference Championship Meet, while Gwyneth Frick earned Most Outstanding Freshman of the American Conference Championship Meet.
- Shannon Icard made history, finishing fifth on platform at the NCAA Zone Championships to become the first Liberty diver to compete at NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships.
- Aly Bozzuto, Kamryn Cannings and Shannon Icard all represented the Lady Flames in the 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships.
- The Lady Flames were represented by Shannon Icard, Mercy Goodnight and Kayla Walsh at the 2026 NCAA Zone Championships, highlighted by Icard's fifth-place finish and national qualification on platform.
- 17th-year Head Coach Jake Shellenberger has led the Lady Flames from the program's inception. He has posted a 143-42 dual-meet record, being named CCSA/ASUN Women's Swimming Coach of the Year seven times (2012, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025).
- A total of four Lady Flames received CSCAA Individual Scholar All-America honors last season, in first-team selections Kamryn Cannings and Shannon Icard and second-teamers Gwyneth Frick and Kayla Walsh.
- Five current Lady Flames have posted conference podium finishes in their career, led by six medals from Aly Bozzuto. Shannon Icard (3), Gwyneth Frick (2), Emily Harstad (1) and Riley Leach (1) have all podiumed as well.
- Liberty is 6-3 all-time against James Madison in dual meets, with the Lady Flames winning the last four meetings. The Lady Flames beat James Madison 190.5-105.5, Oct. 26, 2024, in the teams' last matchup. James Madison's last win over Liberty came Oct. 15, 2016 in Harrisonburg, Va.
- Current Liberty associate head coach Jessica Barnes served as an assistant coach at Rutgers before coming to Liberty as its first swimming & diving assistant coach in 2010.
- The Lady Flames have not competed against Rutgers in a head-to-head dual meet all-time. However, Liberty competed in midseason invitationals hosted by Rutgers in both 2016 and 2017.
- Liberty has posted at least one head-to-head dual meet win against each of the Power conferences. The Lady Flames have beaten Big Ten programs Michigan State and Penn State, and will look to add Rutgers to the list.
- James Madison finished seventh out of nine teams at the 2026 American Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, scoring 787 points. The Dukes open their season this weekend.
- Rutgers placed 11th out of 14 teams at the 2026 Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, with 379.5 points. The Scarlet Knights opened the 2026-27 season by hosting the Rutgers Preseason Invitational this past weekend.
Friday, Oct. 16 – 5 p.m.
1. 200 Medley Relay
2. 500 Freestyle
3. 100 Backstroke
4. 50 Freestyle
5. 3-Meter Diving - Full Diving Break
6. 200 Freestyle
7. 100 Breaststroke
8. 100 Butterfly
10 Minute Break
9. 400 IM
10. 200 Freestyle Relay
Saturday, Oct. 17 – 10 a..m.
1. 400 Medley Relay
2. 1000 Freestyle
3. 100 Freestyle
4. 1-Meter Diving - Concurrent with Meet
15 Minute Break
5. 200 Backstroke
6. 200 Butterfly
7. 200 Breaststroke
10 Minute Break
8. 200 IM
9. 400 Freestyle Relay
Up Next
The Lady Flames will travel to Miami, Fla., for the Dual-a-Pool-Ooza, Oct. 23-24 in a meet co-hosted by Mami and FIU and also featuring Vanderbilt.
Players Mentioned
Sprint Free, Breast
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free, Fly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Back, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free, Fly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free, Fly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free, Fly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breast, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & DivingTuesday, January 06
Wednesday, August 06
Friday, December 13
Monday, November 04