Despite the win on Saturday afternoon over Boyce in dominating fashion, the Liberty Flames were dealt a bit of a setback. Following the win, Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay announced that 6’9″ forward Dillon Claussen will miss the remainder of the 2026-27 season due to a torn ACL.
Claussen was one of two players that missed Saturday’s game against Boyce due to injury, as his fellow frontcourt starter in the season opener against Boyce, Osmar Garcia-Araujo also missed the game.
“They got injured about 10 minutes apart from each other on Thursday,” McKay said of the two. “Osmar will be a week or two, we’re not sure yet. We will know more. Dillon is out for the season. He tore his ACL.”
Claussen started Liberty’s season opener against High Point in Rock Hill, South Carolina at midnight on Monday. He was second on the team in minutes, playing 33 and only trailing freshman Eli Sancomb who played 34. Claussen recording a career-high 6 blocks to go along with 2 points, 2 assists, and 3 rebounds.
Claussen is in his first season at Liberty after transferring from Division II Washburn where he helped them to a 31-2 season a year ago. Claussen and Washburn won both the regular season and conference tournament titles before being upset as the 1-seed in the first round of the DII NCAA Tournament. Claussen missed the final three games of the season, including the NCAA Tournament due to a thigh injury.
“Dillon, it just happened the other day so that is tough news,” said Liberty guard Cooper Campbell. “I’m sure, for him, it’s really tough. We’re all just trying to support him through that. I think he might have found out today. Just helping him through that is a big thing. With something like that, the first thought isn’t even about our team and winning games, it’s more about just supporting him mentally and making sure he is ok.”
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska and Creighton Prep, Claussen led the team in both scoring and rebounding at 15.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while also averaging 2.7 assists and 1.4 blocks per game last year. He shot 62.5% from the field and made 16 of 42 (38.1%) from three while shooting 61.2% from the free throw line. He was a first-team All-MIAA Conference Selection.
In his first season at Washburn in 2024-25, he played in all 34 games averaging 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He recorded 25 blocks on the season and had a then career-high 17 points against Lenoir-Rhyne in the NCAA National Quarterfinal on 7 of 7 shooting while shooting 67% from the field overall. His shooting percentage set a program freshman record. He did not attempt a three-pointer during his freshman season.
Claussen is the second Liberty forward who has suffered serious injuries forcing them to miss the season as incoming JUCO transfer Sean Register, Jr. was injured during the summer. Both were expected to start for the Flames in the frontcourt this season.
“It’s part of it, but very frustrating,” said McKay. “He’s a first-team (all-conference). Sean (Register) is a first-team All-American Junior College. Both of them projected starters and we will play without either of them this year. Disappointing, but our group will rally. We will come to the fight.”
With Claussen out of the lineup, the Flames will have to rely on Osmar Garcia-Araujo more so than originally anticipated, assuming he is able to return to full strength in the coming days. Ryan Jones, Jr. is another important piece of the Liberty big men moving forward.
