Riverfront Park Amphitheater Splits Opinions Between Businesses and Residents By: Evan Gates A public parking lot neighbors Lynchburg’s Riverfront Park Amphitheater, which opened in April 2026. Photo by Nick Brent. Lynchburg, Va. – As the Riverfront Park Amphitheater transitioned from a blueprint to the City of Lynchburg’s newest music venue, neighboring business owner Dave Henderson surveyed the sunlit lawn with a smile. Throughout the same Friday evening, many downtown residents felt lost in the shadows. Entering its inaugural season, the Riverfront Park Amphitheater’s objective to unite the community and generate local business revenue was eclipsed by the parking concerns of downtown residents. Located in Riverfront Park on Jefferson Street, the outdoor facility began as a drawing in the Downtown 2040 Plan, a revitalization plan for the city’s future. For Henderson, who opened his restaurant The Water Dog in 2016, the venue is a testament to the city’s vision for growth. “This isn’t just a music venue; this is a statement about how we perceive Lynchburg and how we are investing in Lynchburg’s future,” Henderson said. “It will benefit the community well beyond the voice of a singer, but further into community development. It’s another feather in the city’s cap for unique, family-friendly experiences.” In October 2025, the city selected Mason Lane Entertainment to serve as the venue’s operator and schedule acts to perform at the amphitheater. With the facility originally scheduled to host 10-20 weekends per year, between concerts, festivals and other events, Henderson believed the amphitheater marked progress within the Riverfront renovation efforts. “Over the last 15 years, the city has made some really smart and wise investments in its infrastructure downtown, but I don’t think we’re there yet,” Henderson said. “There are still vacant storefronts, there are still parts of downtown with worn-down buildings that need to be fixed up.” While Jefferson Street experienced steady progression within the recent decade, the remainder of downtown has lacked variety, according to residents. One noticeable listed shortcoming is the lack of grocery options for residents. Graphic by Evan Gates. As businesses boomed on Jefferson Street within the past decade, downtown tenants underscored the run-down buildings and lack of parking improvements in other areas. Jefferson Street resident Pat Young believes that the city’s direction signaled a disconnect between residents and City Hall. “When I think about the city, it does not reflect a vibrant community,” Young said. “Main Street looks so tired and buildings are dilapidated. I don’t recall any communication [from the city], even prior to the beginning.” In addition, many Jefferson Street residents spent years sharing their parking lots with the public. While the city confirmed having over 6,000 public and private spaces available for public use amidst the preparations, locals voiced concerns about losing their nearby spots. “After 5:00 p.m., it’s free parking,” said resident Robert Canida. “Although we pay for a spot on a certain floor, it’s not a designated spot, so anyone can come and take it. It’s part of downtown living.” As the sun set on the amphitheater’s construction process, residents were just awakening to new concerns about the Riverfront’s new decoration. I. With High Budgets Come High Expectations In stark contrast to initial blueprints shown above, the Riverfront Park Amphitheater features a grass lawn for concert fans, while the park remains accessible to the public throughout the week. Photo from Lynchburg Downtown 2040 Plan. In the earliest days of the project, Deputy Director of Public Works Clay Simmons embraced Rivermont Park's growth from a temporary stage to a firmly established facility, even if it meant expanding the budget. In a November 2023 work session, the Lynchburg City Council amended the project budget by over $3 million to accommodate Jamerson-Lewis Construction’s bid of almost $8 million, as the city couldn’t cut costs without eliminating the park’s public restrooms. For Simmons, the hefty investment would be validated in the long haul through the amphitheater’s consistent schedule. “Before, we had a tow-around stage that Public Works was the caretaker of,” Simmons said. “Clearly, it had its limitations. [The amphitheater] is going to be activated a lot more frequently, we hope.” The new permanent structure featured a curved steel design, unlike other projects of the past. In collaboration with Shickel Corporation, a metal fabrication company in Bridgewater, Va., Jamerson-Lewis exceeded the City’s expectations in its swift execution. The structure’s curved design is intended to assist the acoustics by directing sound towards the crowd. Photo by Nick Brent. “We were told to expect at least six to eight weeks for the steel assembly, and they were done in eight days,” Simmons said. “The structure really just fell together, and it had never been assembled prior to that. That spoke to [Jamerson-Lewis’s] talent.” Months later, the amphitheater hosted its first community concert just two years removed from the beginning of the construction process in April 2024. As future events arose, the city pledged to maintain Riverfront Park’s identity as a public space, despite its activation by a private company. “If citizens see anything with the facility that’s an issue, their first stop should be the city,” Simmons said. “We’re still going to be maintaining the facility.” Although taxes would assist in recovering the construction funds, the city relied on its tourism efforts to lessen the load on residents. According to the aforementioned November 2023 project update, the City Council listed its hotel, meals and admissions taxes as an efficient method for generating revenue. To contrast with many residents’ frustrations with the project, Robert Canida welcomed the connection between tourism and local businesses. “More folks, more business, more revenue,” Canida said. “I think it’s going to be a win-win for folks, and if they want to go downtown, they’re going to find a place to park. I just hope the business owners on Jefferson Street and Main Street are preparing themselves for the summer.” II. Rising Tides Lift All Ships The Water Dog overlooks the amphitheater’s lawn, while customers can watch the shows from the restaurant patio. Photo by Nick Brent. While Henderson prepared the possibilities of lively concerts in the lawn adjacent to The Water Dog, he understood the need to make adjustments throughout the opening weeks. Despite the prospect of generating increased revenue on event nights, businesses throughout Downtown Lynchburg began shifting strategies to complement, rather than compete, with the amphitheater. “Much like the amphitheater, we will figure it out after a couple shows,” Henderson said. “For as much planning as we’ve done and will continue to do, we’ll also bump into some walls and have to figure it out along the way.” Henderson’s objective, as the next-door neighbor, focused on shifting the business model to ensure customers can eat in a timely fashion. The task also meant finding ways to ensure the restaurant’s patio is available for paying customers, rather than being occupied by squatters for the concert. “We’re so lucky that our patio and restaurant is just adjacent to the amphitheater and the park; we need to shift our model to handle that,” Henderson said. “If there are potentially hundreds of people who are hungry and have watched a show all day, we need to be able to turn and burn.” Owning a staple restaurant on Jefferson Street, Henderson also believes that it will be critical to maintain his brand’s core identity and customer base during a time of transition. “I don’t want my regulars to feel like they’re not welcome on some of the more special days of the year,” Henderson said. “We’ve just got to figure out what makes the most sense for the business in terms of profitability, while staying true to who we are.” The business collaboration also extended into the arts scene, as other music venues have attempted to flex their shows to promote the amphitheater’s events. At the Academy Center of the Arts, Head of Operations Tabitha Abbott believes there are more possibilities than problems. “At the end of the day, we are firm believers that the more happening downtown from an artistic perspective, the better,” Abbott said. “We don’t see any real threat having the amphitheater there; we just want to pay attention and coordinate to make sure we’re not booking the exact same genre on the same night.” For both Henderson and Abbott, the organization process involved having conversations with Ty McBride, who serves as the President of Mason Lane Entertainment. At the Academy, which hosts youth camps throughout the summer concert season, few sacrifices had to be made to match the amphitheater’s schedule. “It works out well for us because our heaviest program months of the year are always during the spring and the fall,” Abbott said. “That might organically benefit the structure that the amphitheater has.” On the contrary, finding ways to maintain regular customers on concert nights became a perplexing scenario for downtown businesses. With limited adjacent parking space and road closures, The Water Dog focused on ensuring that loyal customers still feel welcome. “I hope through our service that people don’t get confused or thrown off, thinking that we’ve changed who we are because there’s an extraordinary event here,” Henderson said. “I just hope our identity continues to show.” III. To Park or Not to Park? At highly attended events, a free shuttling service will operate on the pink loop shown above to transport crowds up the hill. Map by the City of Lynchburg. As businesses struggled to ensure nearby parking for customers, local residents also faced the potential hurdles of losing their normal spots and encountering prolonged traffic on Jefferson Street. Beyond the 4,100 privately owned parking spaces in downtown Lynchburg, the City boasted approximately 1,000 public spots for long visits and blocked off several for handicap access. For lots by the riverfront, several spaces would be shared between businesses and patrons of the amphitheater. “I don’t see these parking lots as the Water Dog’s; it is a community asset,” Henderson said. I know this is going to be a disruptor for everyone, not just us, so we are in it together. If our regulars’ migration patterns shift on concert days, I hope those customers understand that this isn’t something we’ve done intentionally.” While the amphitheater could hold up to 5,000 fans, many residents felt apprehensive about locating nearby lots. In addition to Riverfront Park’s parking map, Interim Director of Public Information Susan Brown believes this project will promote new ways of traveling downtown. “You’re adding in new options of ride-sharing apps and riding together,” Brown said. “Plus, there are privately owned lots which, if they choose to participate and charge a fee, will be promoted.” Furthermore, the City of Lynchburg announced plans to offer a free shuttling service for highly attended events. Rather than escorting fans to parking areas outside the downtown area, the shuttle route looped through Commerce Street and Church Street to promote local businesses. “We’re making sure that it’s not feeling like we’re ostracizing all of our other entertainment arenas and avenues,” Brown said. “The goal is to enjoy a walkable city where you can find ways to stay, and it’s not always about paying exorbitantly.” While out-of-town visitors crowd downtown, however, many local residents began voicing frustrations about their spots being displaced on concert nights. Pat Young believes routines will look vastly different during event nights. “If you’re coming home with a bunch of groceries or lugging a suitcase, the parking is atrocious in that area,” Young said. “If I were the planners, something’s going to have to give.” Lynchburg’s largest parking garage, the Midtown Deck, houses 428 spaces. For comparison, the Elmwood Park Garage in Roanoke, Va., which sits adjacent to the Elmwood Park Amphitheater, owns 628 spots for concertgoers. During the time of transition, Young wishes for a stronger distinction between event lots and residential spaces. “Spaces should be blocked off for those residents, which is not what they’re going to do because they want concert-goers to have front row parking,” Young explained. While hauling groceries can be a minor annoyance, Young sees the issue as a microcosm for a disconnect between the city and many downtown residents. “Is there value being placed on the residents who live there?” Young said. “A concert is going to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars on a weekend, but the people who are living there day in and day out aren’t your primary users of services in the downtown area. Where is there empathy for that?” IV. Who Determines the Barometer for Success? Several apartments border Jefferson Street and the amphitheater, while others are tucked away on the hills. Photo by Nick Brent. As city workers and downtown residents maneuver the amphitheater’s first concert season, both parties believe that adjusting to change can be a lengthy process. The city, however, hopes that residents can still access their favorite locations, despite having to rearrange plans. “Don’t take this as an opportunity to say, ‘I’m not going downtown at all,’” Susan Brown said. “Just think, ‘Maybe I won’t go on Friday night, but I’ll visit my favorite restaurant on Saturday night.’” Click the photo for an interactive experience to plan an adventure following the amphitheater construction project. Game created by Evan Gates. With nine already scheduled events for the 2026 summer, both residents and city employees will make adjustments in the opening months. Even through the venue’s logistical roadblocks, many Lynchburg natives feel intrigued to experience it firsthand. “I’m a patron of the Academy already, and I’m really excited about what the amphitheater might bring,” Pat Young said. “They’ve done a beautiful job in terms of the architecture. If there is a good show, I would stay on the weekends to go to it.” While opinions about Lynchburg’s downtown future remain widely divided, progress towards a united solution will only commence once conversations between the city and its residents commence. “I hope that everything comes together and we’re able to function as a downtown entity, where everyone feels like they’re being heard and valued,” Robert Canida said. “We put our best foot forward in building up Lynchburg for the future.” ### To view a complimentary photo story, click here.

By: Evan Gates | Sports Reporter Members of the Lynchburg men’s tennis team pose for a preseason picture on media day. Photo by Caroline Gerke. Although each of the University of Lynchburg men’s tennis team’s 12 athletes come from an international background, the program’s family culture has offered support away from home while producing improved collective performances on the court. Throughout Director of Men’s and Women’s Tennis Chris Johnson’s nine-year tenure at Lynchburg, the roster has greatly transformed from an exclusively American lineup to a combination of global talent. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Coach Johnson made concerted efforts to help the University expand its recruiting outreach to new countries. “It’s not a new phenomenon, it’s just new to Lynchburg,” Johnson said. “Now it looks like we have a lot of people, but it was really a collaborative effort to get that started.” The process commenced when transfer Christian Zepeda joined the Hornets ahead of his sophomore season in 2023. Within a few months, the Leon, Mexico native was accompanied by his younger brother, JP, along with five additional international student-athletes. “It was just a very new concept for the [admissions] department,” Johnson said. “We put together a game plan and did a lot of work to put the systems in place where we could recruit and bring in international student-athletes.” This springtime marks a proud moment for the coaching staff, as each of the initial six international recruits will graduate from the University. For senior Dan Hardy, the rise of international student-athletes underscores the high level of competition within the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. “Since I started, there have definitely been more international students coming,” Hardy said. “It’s showing how competitive some of the coaches are becoming to reach ODACs. It’s good to see that international students are now starting to show prominence in the conference, and other coaches are taking on that.” As a native of the United Kingdom, Hardy sought a college that prioritized athletics at a high level. While many European schools either do not sponsor tennis programs or offer roster spots before the commitment process, Lynchburg became the perfect fit.  “Most people don’t go for the sport [in the U.K.],” Hardy said. “Trials are after you go, so you start at the university and then you try out. If you want to play tennis, you have to be pretty good and know someone.” High Mileage, High Expectations Dan Hardy serves to his opponent as the men’s team faces Randolph on Senior Day. Photo by Nick Brent. For most students, college marks the first prolonged period away from home. While international student-athletes often travel across the globe to fulfill their dream, several competed away from home at an early age. “It wasn’t too bad for me because I had already lived in Spain for a bit before coming here,” Hardy said. Ricards Spaks, a sophomore from Liepaja, Latvia, also adjusted to the travel before collegiate tennis when he spent time competing in the International Tennis Federation Juniors Tour. “Since I played juniors, I traveled a lot,” Spaks said. “It’s, of course, tough being away from parents, but there are also video live streams for them to watch.” After spending four years in America, his senior teammate acknowledged the difficulty of maneuvering defeat without his loved ones. “Homesickness is not due to being away from home; it only happens when things aren’t going well,” Hardy said. “Winning helps; when you’re winning a tennis match and you’re with people that you like, it’s so much easier.” Switching Surfaces Ricards Spaks and Nicholas Pierreux strategize before playing a point in a doubles match versus Randolph. Photo by Nick Brent. Division III tennis does not pose the added pressure of maintaining an athletic scholarship, but performance plays a key role in earning attention as a recruit. For Spaks, collegiate tennis became a reality with consistent improvement after the COVID pandemic. “I broke my hand during COVID, and I stopped playing tennis for a year,” Spaks said. “I was even thinking about quitting. When I came back and started competing more, I started winning tournaments in Latvia.” In addition to adjusting to a new country, international athletes must adapt to different playing surfaces and conditions. While Europeans periodically compete on clay or carpet, collegiate tennis is exclusively played on hard surface courts. Spaks began his Division I career at the University of Southern Mississippi before transferring to Lynchburg, which led him to modify his strategy on hard courts.  “When I was in Mississippi, I was actually struggling with that a lot because my game is fast-based,” Spaks said. “I had to change my game completely. I started playing slower and built my cardio, so I could last for more points.” Amidst these changes, Coach Johnson cites the team’s competitive practice schedule as the answer for overcoming these barriers. “They adjust pretty quickly with the surface,” Johnson said. “They’re used to playing tennis a lot, and we have a ‘get what you earn’ culture. It’s very competitive: we have six starting spots and 12 guys.” On the court, Spaks’ transition has paid off, as the sophomore occupies an 12-2 record after recording just one win at Southern Miss. “When I was in Division I, I got injured and basically lost every match,” Spaks said. “My record was 1-11, so it was also pretty mentally hard. I wanted to be stronger and better physically because I hadn’t known what to expect. “ Seven Cultures, One Mission The men’s team huddles during its match against Randolph. Photo by Nick Brent. After several years of leading the recruiting process, Coach Johnson understands that athletes might feel apprehensive about traveling halfway around the world. As a father of a high school athlete, he aims to use his patience and knowledge to help families come to a decision. “I’ll stay on the phone for an hour because we would have a thousand questions if we sent our daughter to France,” Johnson said. “It’s not a two-week camp, it’s a four-year deal.” Johnson has also used his experience to help fellow staff members recruit overseas. “We do it as a family,” Johnson said. “This isn’t just a few emails throughout the process. I’ve worked with some of the other coaches as they start to bring in international student-athletes as well. It’s such a pleasure for me because I’ve been doing it for so long.” With the 2026 men’s team representing seven different nationalities, several players have seen their personal styles change as a result. “We all bring something different and come from different places,” Hardy said. “You get inundated with Latino music at practice, so I have Spanish songs on my playlist now.” Their differences also create a wide variety on the dinner table. “When we sit down at a restaurant, where we eat and who orders what gets to be a funny deal,” Coach Johnson said. “We have a lot of fun with it.” Despite beginning their careers in different locations, the Hornets have united on the court to produce a 7-7 record to begin the season. Heading into the final weeks of the season, they remain dedicated to staying united as a team. “For international players, it’s more cultural, a different type of team bond,” Spaks said. “But on court, I don’t think it really matters.” To view the 2026 Lynchburg men’s tennis schedule, click here.

By: Evan Gates | Sports Reporter Birmingham, Ala. – Lamont Victoria led the University of Lynchburg indoor track & field teams at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships by contributing 18 points to the team total, including a victory in the men’s 60-meter dash with a 6.71 finals performance. The men’s team posted 30 points with just five athletes, falling two points shy of returning to the podium for the second consecutive season. The Hornets improved upon the team’s projected total of 22 by eight points, while Victoria and Alex Jordan scored in their respective events despite being seeded outside the top eight individuals. With his finals performance, Victoria became the first NCAA 60-meter dash champion in Lynchburg history. The senior exploded out of the blocks, and despite a lean at the line from Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s Dylan Doss, Victoria ousted his competition by one thousandth of a second. The senior entered the weekend as the 20th seed out of 20 competitors in the event. In prelims, Victoria improved his 6.78 personal best to 6.70 and nearly matched the mark in his final race. Following the 60-meter dash, Victoria clawed to a second-place finish in the men’s high jump behind Ohio Wesleyan’s Connor Smith. While neither opponent cleared the final 7’ ½” (2.15m) bar, Smith held the narrow tiebreaker based on previous attempts. Victoria faced elimination from the event after missing his first two attempts at the 6’ 9” (2.06m) bar, though he comfortably cleared the height on the third. He proceeded to elevate over the 6’ 10¼” (2.09m) and 6’ 11½” (2.12m) bars with just one missed attempt at either height. Teammate Jamarcus Brown placed 14th in the event, clearing 6’ 6” (1.98m). Micah Leech completed the final three events of the men’s heptathlon on day two of competition, securing a fifth-place finish with 5,103 points. Entering Saturday after a personal-best total through four events, the junior remained inside the top 10 to claim four points for the Hornets. To open the day, Leech placed 16th with a 9.05 performance in the men’s 60-meter hurdles after clipping the first row. The junior recovered in the men’s pole vault, posting a second-place event result after clearing the 14’ 11” bar. Leech followed up his personal best in the pole vault with another PR in the 1,000m run, clocking 2:54.54 for the final event of the day. Based on point value, his best event of the competition was a 7.16 performance in the 60-meter dash, earning him 826 points. Chasen Hunt competed in his first NCAA Championships since returning to Lynchburg via transfer, procuring a fourth-place 8:09.12 finish in the men’s 3,000m run. Behind the eventual champion Seth Clevenger, Hunt led the chase pack for multiple laps in the middle portion of the race. The senior posted a 1:02 final 400 meters to clinch fourth place and earn five points for the team. Hunt now boasts eight All-American finishes for the Hornets in eight NCAA appearances, needing the minimum eight races to accomplish this feat. To round out competition at the NCAA Championships, Kacey Kelly finished 19th in the women’s triple jump with a 35’ 4½” (10.78m) mark. The senior registered distances that would qualify for the final round of eight, though her foot crossed the board for a scratch in her last two attempts. Lynchburg registered five first team All-American performances at the 2026 NCAA Championships, besting their 2025 team points total (29) by a single tally. The Hornets open the 2026 outdoor track season on Friday, March 20 at the Washington & Lee Carnival.  For full results from the NCAA Indoor Championships, click here. Visit Lynchburg athletics' home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network. Sign up here to receive Lynchburg Sports news in your email inbox. Give Lynchburg Sports a like on Facebook, and follow Lynchburg athletics on Instagram, Threads, and X. --LYN--

By: Evan Gates / Sports Reporter Snow covers the Hornet statue adjacent to Shellenberger Field. Photo by Caroline Gerke. LYNCHBURG, Va. – While Virginia’s recent ice storm canceled in-person classes for over a week at the University of Lynchburg, the athletic department relied on contributions from student-athletes to ensure in-season teams could continue practicing despite the frigid conditions. With Lynchburg’s baseball, lacrosse, softball and track & field teams each gearing up for outdoor competition in the spring, Director of Athletics Jon Waters felt the urgency to keep everyone in a routine ahead of the regular season. “Our approach anytime storms are in the forecast is to do everything we can to keep people in motion,” Waters said. “If you still have everybody together and you’re practicing, it’s a whole different kind of mindset.”  The Snow Removal Process Although a campus-wide email allowed students to travel home, several student-athletes chose to stay in Lynchburg for training. Throughout the uncertainty of power outages and canceled classes, Waters believes Lynchburg’s coaches inspired students to work together. “It speaks a lot to the spirit of how our coaches are wired and how they encourage our students to be service-minded,” Waters said. “It’s not an extreme thing for students to pick up a shovel and try to clear lanes or the field.” Removing snow from Shellenberger Field proved to be a week-long process. In an effort to prevent any damage to the turf field, the removal efforts began with shovels and accelerated with a tractor. “Everybody really put their best foot forward to help us get back out there,” said Emma Timberg, a senior forward for the women’s lacrosse team. “The men’s lacrosse was out there pretty consistently with shovels trying to break up the sheet of ice. We ended up having about a third of the field cleared after the first week, so we could get some stuff done.” With snow packed densely underneath the ice, this winter storm stood out from others in recent years. “This storm felt backwards; sometimes you get the ice first and then the show,” Waters said. “We didn’t have a good grasp of what technique we needed to clear it. I had my eyes on the small tractor that had been sitting behind the physical plant.” After days of shoveling and minimal progress, the tractor quickly changed the story. Within days, Lynchburg athletes could finally spot the green turf in its entirety, but not without the efforts of the athletic department in freezing temperatures. “The tractor worked really well because the ground was still frozen, which was a unique characteristic,” Waters said. “The three or four days where we spent the most time outside were when temperatures were in the 20s. It was a team effort.” Snow banks towered over the sidelines as the Lynchburg men’s lacrosse team faced Mary Washington in a preseason scrimmage. Photo by Caroline Gerke. While the tractor cleared the field efficiently, it resulted in several displaced beads from the turf. To minimize the potential for injuries, the athletic staff has a plan for dispersing the beads from the track onto Shellenberger Field.  “The question that we’ve spent time on is: what is our best mechanism for not only how [the beads] get back on, but how they get respread,” Waters mentioned. “As soon as the snow melts the rest of the way, we're hoping to take a high-speed blower or some other device and blow everything back into the field.” The final step involved reseeding the field, which typically occurs three or four times each year. While supporting Lynchburg’s athletic programs is top on the depth chart for Waters and his staff, navigating storms has become an annual task in recent years.  “Growing up in Hampton Roads, you have hurricanes and all kinds of different components,” Waters said. “Here, it’s more about winter weather and four-wheel drive. You’re presented with a problem: how are you going to solve your way through it?” Pivoting to New Facilities Throughout the process of clearing the field and track, several Lynchburg athletes trained in new locations. For senior sprinter Rylee Turner, who has registered three school records during her final campaign with the Lynchburg indoor track & field team, using Liberty University’s indoor facility provided a massive benefit. “Having that connection between the coaches is very helpful,” Turner said. “Our coaches have been very good about us making our impact on Liberty as well. We volunteer at their meets and build that connection to keep our relationship strong.” In addition, training inside helped Turner adjust her mindset ahead of a busy slate of track meets.  “As we’re in the indoor season, running on a 200-meter track is very different than running outdoors,” Turner said. “It makes for very accurate training and accurate results when you go to compete.” Rylee Turner sprints the 60-meter dash at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Photo by Nick Brent. With several athletes training at home during the week of canceled classes, Turner noted the importance of not deviating from the process. “It’s about trusting your instincts and knowing that the base is there,” Turner said. “Obviously we train through the whole fall. When it was time to stress with lots of unknown, we stuck to the basics and made recovery a high priority.” Liberty University also lends its natatorium to the Lynchburg swim teams throughout the winter, which has become a consistent location for training. Amidst winter weather difficulties, the indoor facilities have kept Lynchburg athletes in sync. “It speaks to the quality of the coaching experience and how creative they can be to get in a good spot,” Waters said. “Obviously, we try to keep the swim pieces in motion. That paid off in a big way with the ODAC Championships.” For the Lynchburg lacrosse teams, Turner Gymnasium became a versatile asset when the field was covered. “It’s always a preference to be on Shelly,” Timberg said, “but the choice to continue having practices, whether they looked traditional or not, was really important during that week.” Although the situation did not provide an optimal practice experience, Timberg appreciated the timing of the storm. “If it was going to happen at any time, it was probably a good thing that it happened before we were actually in season,” Timberg said. However, that’s never what you want. You come back to school and you’re in the mindset of getting ready for that opportunity. A sheet of ice doesn’t really help with that.” With a prolonged focus on conditioning and drills, rather than shooting on goal, the lacrosse teams were excited to return to Shellenberger. As the sun completely melted the ice weeks later, Timberg praised those who assisted when it mattered most. “The people who were out there actually helping to clear the field, they’re grinding and want to be out there,” Timberg said. “At the end of the day, we all want to get going on the season.” To access the Lynchburg sports schedule for upcoming home games, click here.

Sophomore Jake Hart shoots a free throw against Roanoke in the ODAC Semifinals at the Salem Civic Center. Despite suffering its worst free throw percentage since the 2008-2009 season , the University of Lynchburg men’s basketball team earned 14 wins and advanced to the conference semifinals in the most recent college basketball campaign. As evidenced by the team’s four wins in 2008, free throws are a crucial element to success by offering multiple unobstructed shots following illegal contact.  Lynchburg made 344 of its 557 free throws during the 2024-2025 season; the team’s 61.8 shooting percentage finished last in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference despite the Hornets taking the fourth-most attempts ( 2024-2025 Men’s… , n.d.).  The team’s number of free throw attempts and makes skyrocketed as conference play arrived later in the season. These improvements coincided with closer scorelines, as tight matchups often require last-minute fouls to prevent the clock from dwindling to zero. Completing his 17th season, head coach Hilliary Scott  recognized a correlation between the team’s presence close to the basket and free throw attempts.   “One of the things we stress is getting paint touches,” Scott said. “The byproduct of paint touches is getting to the line, shooting higher percentages around the basket, or opening up for threes.” With the team utilizing two forwards in the paint, the Hornets excelled in getting to the free-throw line. The number of misses, however, could be a product of several other obstacles. “We’ve had some injuries this year,” said Scott. “Jayson [Easton] would add something, Mason [Makovec] would’ve gotten to the line as well. Piercen [Young] had stretches where he was hurt this year.” Easton led the team and shot 78 percent from the free throw line before his injury in early December. For those that underperformed, as junior guard Piercen Young  stated, it remains crucial to continue attacking. “Even if you’re struggling, your numbers aren’t going to get better unless you shoot more of them,” said Young. “Getting there is better than thinking, ‘Oh, I can’t bring down my percentage.’” Even with subpar shooting performances, the team experienced heightened success when starters made more free throws than average, as shown below.  https://youtube.com/shorts/WnByJjTTaIA?si=WcoG_DTexAcvp3TE   Lynchburg only outperformed its opponents from the line in three of its 13 losses. An even more drastic difference, however, lies in the team’s percentage on the road during conference play. The Hornets will only lose two players to graduation following this season, hoping to remain competitive in the ODAC. For access to team stats, click here . Sources List: Hilliary Scott – Head Men’s Basketball Coach scott.h@lynchburg.edu Piercen Young – Student Athlete, Men’s Basketball Team youngp528@lynchburg.edu   2024-2025 Men’s Basketball - Overall Statistics . Old Dominion Athletic Conference. (n.d.). https://odaconline.com/stats.aspx?path=mbball&year=2024   2024-2025 Men’s Basketball Cumulative Stats . Lynchburg Sports. (n.d.). https://lynchburgsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats (DATA SOURCE) GAME-BY-GAME tab is used for season totals, INDIVIDUAL tab is used for player stats

Frank Csorba, a six-time All American and national champion for the Lynchburg men's distance medley relay, passed away in Apr. 2024. On Jack M. Toms Track at the University of Lynchburg, speed is always the name of the game. But on Friday, April 11th, as the track & field team prepare to host a memorial lap honoring the late Frank Csorba, a crowd of walkers might offer the loudest footsteps. Almost one year after Csorba’s unexpected passing, the team will host a memorial walk at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic. Where will it take place? None other than Csorba’s favorite place to run: lane eight. “There was one block of training for about six to eight weeks after a little nagging issue he had, and I think he ran about every single mile of 100-mile weeks in lane eight,” said head distance coach Jake Reed. “We kind of joked that it’s Frank’s lane and he owns that lane.” At Lynchburg, Csorba was a six-time All American and national champion in the men’s distance medley relay. As a result, it's little surprise he will be the first honoree on the new Enza Steele Champions Walk. “Frank did a lot, not just for the program but for the school,” said student-athlete Jacob Hodnett. “He was always a friendly face around campus, and always open to talk to people, so I think he had a large impact overall on the school.” The new plaque is located just footsteps away from where the teams memorialized Frank last spring. Team members left their shoes under the scoreboard in the waning days of the season. Now, his plaque will stand firm forever, much like Csorba’s impact on his closest friends. “I think the statue is a great commemoration of what Frank was and who he stood for,” said close friend Tor Hotung-Davidsen. “It immortalizes him and what he did for this program, and that statue represents every bond he created on this team and all the hard work he put in.” The men’s invitational mile section at Dennis Craddock is now named in Frank’s honor. Along with the memorial walk and plaque dedication, Coach Reed expects the lightning quick field to honor Frank with some fast times. “This was the last race he did, and he did it for the boys. He paced this race.” For more information about the memorial walk, visit www.lynchburgsports.com .  For the full video package, click here . Contact List: Jake Reed (Head Cross Country Coach): reed_s@lynchburg.edu Jacob Hodnett (Student-Athlete): hodnetj733@lynchburg.edu Tor Hotung-Davidsen (Student-Athlete): hotungt972@lynchburg.edu

LHSN student worker Ethan Marotske prepares a camera and tripod for Lynchburg's home softball broadcast at Moon Field. With 18 sports teams competing for the University of Lynchburg, the institution’s Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network staff remains focused on employing one key demographic group to assist with broadcasts: the students. The network, known throughout campus as LHSN, streams each home athletic event throughout the academic year on YouTube. Many weekends feature multiple teams competing on campus; student workers provide expertise for camera work, stats and announcing to assist the three full-time athletic communications staff members,  “We just have to give them a good framework for what we need, and then let their skills and talents drive us to our next point,” said athletic director Jon Waters when discussing student workers. “We never would have made it this far if it was just based on full-time paid professionals.” While the University does not offer a sports broadcasting major, LHSN provides opportunities for students to expand production knowledge while earning hourly wages. “To be able to do it as early as I was able to made it a lot easier for me and others coming through the system,” said student broadcaster Ethan Marotske. “When others learn about it, more people want to work for LHSN.” For many workers, responding to technology issues on the fly is crucial when entering sports occupations. “It’s about staying calm and knowing we’re never going to have a perfect broadcast,” said Marotske. “The problem can be fixed.” Though students have become crucial members for production, director of communications Ely Shilling understands the importance for full-time staff members to teach newcomers. “Often, we’ll have three different events in three different locations,” said Shilling. “We try to space out our full-time staff to each be at one location and fill out the remaining spots with students.” To express interest in working with LHSN, contact shilling_e@lynchburg.edu .  ### For a photography story regarding LHSN’s student workers, click here . Sources: Jon Waters (Athletic Director): waters.j@lynchburg.edu Ethan Marotske (Student Broadcaster): (703) 579-7871 Ely Shilling (Director of Communications): shilling_e@lynchburg.edu

Assistant coach Thomas Chandler practices with the beach volleyball squad on its home court at the University of Lynchburg. Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, four coaches have collaborated to jointly assist with the University of Lynchburg’s three volleyball programs. Last year, Lynchburg’s athletic department welcomed the creation of a men’s volleyball program, just one year removed from the inaugural beach volleyball campaign for the Hornets. Though different individuals carry head coaching responsibilities for each program, the committee of Kevin Cardoza, Ryan Turner, Ryan Chandler and Nathan Moore remains dedicated to sharing time with each team. “It’s not good enough if the women’s program has success and no one else has success,” said director of women’s volleyball Kevin Cardoza. “We want to make sure that all 60 of our student-athletes are getting a championship experience, on and off the court.” Lynchburg’s coaches not only strive to advocate equal time among the teams, but as assistant coach Thomas Chandler states, each sport requires different tactics and mindsets. “Indoor has six people on the court at a time; beach has two people,” said Chandler. “In beach, you don’t get as much time to think about what you’re doing. You just have to do it.” Despite the coaching prowess, however, the staff’s teamwork is continually cited as the factor that allowed the opening season to prosper. “No one here has an ego, and no one here thinks that they know more.” Coach Cardoza said. While the women’s indoor volleyball team returned to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017, the squad’s success translated to other programs’ portfolios.  “It’s very special to have all the guys [coaches] here,” said indoor and beach volleyball athlete Kailey Keough. “Each of them gives different perspectives to indoor and beach, and it’s really nice because they all know different things.” For additional information regarding the volleyball programs’ upcoming schedules, visit www.lynchburgsports.com .  ### To hear the audio story, click here . Sources: Kevin Cardoza (Director of Women’s Volleyball): cardoza_k@lynchburg.edu Thomas Chandler: (Volleyball Assistant Coach): chandler_t@lynchburg.edu Kailey Keough (Student-Athlete): keoughk992@lynchburg.edu