Liberty Men's Basketball Opened Official Practice Sessions

The team prepares for the 2026-27 season with a new 16-player roster following back-to-back regular-season titles.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Basketball

Liberty Men's Basketball Opened Official Practice Sessions

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The Liberty men's basketball team began official practices in Lynchburg during the week of September 22, 2026. This marks the start of the 2026-27 campaign for head coach Ritchie McKay as he enters his 12th season with the program.

Why it matters

The program enters this season looking to maintain its dominance after losing several key contributors from the previous year. The team must integrate five freshmen and several transfer portal additions to defend its consecutive Conference USA regular-season titles.

Liberty finished the 2025-26 season with a 26-8 overall record, including a 17-3 mark in conference play. The upcoming 2026-27 season will feature a reduced 18-game conference schedule and a newly assembled 16-player roster.

The players

Ritchie McKay

He is entering his 12th season as the head coach of the Liberty men's basketball team and recently signed a contract extension.

Liberty University

This Lynchburg-based institution hosts the men's basketball program that has won consecutive Conference USA regular-season titles.

The details

Following a successful season that included a second-round appearance in the NIT, the Flames must replace core players such as Zach Cleveland, Brett Decker Jr., Kaden Metheny, and Colin Porter. Coach Ritchie McKay has secured his long-term future at the university by signing a contract extension that runs through the 2031-32 season.

The 2025-26 season saw Liberty finish with a 26-8 record.
Official basketball practices opened the week of September 22, 2026.
The 2026-27 season features a 16-player roster.
Coach Ritchie McKay is under contract through 2031-32.

Season Trajectory

The Flames look to extend their recent success following consecutive Conference USA regular-season titles. This season's adjustment to a reduced conference schedule will test the team's ability to remain competitive against the rest of the league.

The transition to an 18-game conference schedule provides fewer opportunities for the team to accumulate league wins compared to the previous 20-game format. Integrating five freshmen alongside transfer portal additions will be critical to maintaining the team's statistical performance.

The takeaway

The team faces a significant rebuilding challenge after the departure of several key starters from last year's roster. Success this season will depend on how quickly Coach McKay can integrate new players into the team's established system.