#LTBC Elite 8 Matchups Set for Friday

As was announced on twitter over the weekend, we have elected to move the remainder of the ASOR Liberty Twitter Bracket Challenge polling voting to right here on ASeaofRed.com. Voting for the Elite 8 matchups will take place beginning on Friday at 9am just below.

ELITE 8 MATCHUPS

#1 Malik Willis For Heisman vs #3 Turtle Power 98

#2 Risewithus vs #4 Jeremiah Flinchum

#2 Kathy Hudson vs #8 Jenna Nicely

#1 Jokers vs #3 VinesPom

Remaining schedule for LTBC:
The Final 4 will be on Monday, January 10 from 9am – 9pm.
The Championship will be on Wednesday, January 12 from 9am – 9pm.

The winner will receive the pictured ASOR #LTBC belt for one year, a Hugh Freeze autographed football, a Ritchie McKay autographed basketball, and will have the opportunity to be a guest coach for one of Liberty men’s basketball’s remaining conference games this season.

Here’s a look at the Elite 8 as well as a brief bio of each remaining account, written by the account owner.

EAST CAMPUS REGION

#1 Malik Willis For Heisman @Liberty_Flames_

@Liberty_Flames_ was established in 2017 to ‘Fan the Flames’ on twitter, even though there was only a small group of Liberty focused twitter accounts at the time. In the Fall of 2020, when Malik Willis took over at QB and started compiling video game-like numbers our name was changed to ‘Malik Willis for Heisman’ and the rest is history.

Over the last year, tweets from @Liberty_Flames_ have reached more than 3.7 Million people on twitter. Since 2017, there have been more than 1 MILLION views on our videos as well as gaining close to 2,000 followers. Our goal is to connect the rest of the world to what the Flames are doing and to shine a positive light on Liberty Athletics.

We also enjoy doing Giveaways to fellow Flames fans, so follow along and let’s Fan the Flames together.

#3 Turtle Power 98 @sstaedtler98

This is Turtle Power 98 (real name Stephen Staedtler). Growing up, I was constantly called “Turtleboy” or “Turtleman” because my Dad raised 500 live turtles. I don’t have any turtles now but I do survey and photograph reptiles and amphibians. Do have 3 pet lizards. I am married with two kids and reside in southeastern Pennsylvania in Bucks County. Always was huge into sports, as I played baseball, basketball, and tennis growing up. Ended up the #2 ranked men’s tennis player at Messiah College. Don’t challenge me in table tennis, either.

As for Liberty University, I had always wondered why the Mormons had BYU, the Catholics had Notre Dame, but there was no equivalent Protestant University. Though I never attended the school or have any family who went there, I always had heard great things about it. When Liberty beat Baylor in football, I started to pay attention, and when Liberty joined FBS, I became an immediate fan. I could see the elements were there for our programs to take off. I used to brag to friends about Liberty’s rising programs and they looked at me bewildered. Now they don’t anymore. I wear my Liberty gear proudly which is a very rare site of anyone in my part of Pennsylvania.

Why should you vote for a guy who never attended Liberty? Well in a way, I am a fulfillment of Jerry Falwell Sr.’s dream. The fact that Liberty’s programs could grow so much that they could make huge fans out of people not even affiliated with the school is something. My goal is to make the Liberty brand national. To this end, I have tried to get national podcasts and writers to talk or answer questions about Liberty University. I achieved in getting the Winning Cures Everything podcast to talk about Liberty many times and predict their games. I got writers from the Athletic to answer questions about Liberty and about Conference USA. Volunteer Flame admitted that virtually no one works harder trying to recruit players online than I do. Lastly, I’m not a one sport person. Yes, I’m a huge football fan, but I’ve watched and commented on Liberty men’s and women’s basketball, field hockey, softball, baseball, and even golf. There are many great posters throughout this Liberty Twitter contest, but if we are basing this on Twitter game and not a popularity contest, I’d love to be considered for your vote. Thank you!

SOUTH TOWER REGION

#4 Jeremiah Flinchum @theotherJerryLU

My name is Jeremiah A.K.A. Jerry, a nickname I picked up in 4th grade by my peers, which followed me to high school graduation and even to some at Liberty, for the obvious reasons. Ever since my acceptance to Liberty in 2011, I have turned into a fan I believe to be worthy of the #LTBC Championship belt. From traveling to my very first Liberty football game at Wake Forest as a Freshman, to making the long trek from East 75 & 76, being painted and loud for EVERY home football game as a residential student. From representing #FlamesNation on multiple nationally televised events (including NFL Network) and WSET when the basketball team made the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Now, I am an undergrad and grad LU alumnus, using my education in counseling and ministry to serve the homeless and addicted population of Nashville, TN. Since moving here in the summer of 2021, I have made the 7+ hour drive to Lynchburg for 5/6 home football games and the 6+ hour drive to Mobile for our Flames bowl game. I have also turned my coworker, who played linebacker at Michigan, with Charles Woodson and Ty Law, into a Liberty fan. I fan the Flames and I’m true to the red, white and navy blue. I let the fire in my name set the spirit aflame, so win a vict’ry for @theotherJerrylu.

#2 Risewithus @Risewithus5

07 and 10 grad – avid baseball fan and recruiting junkie. Flames club member, season ticket holder since 2012.

GREEN HALL REGION

#8 Jenna Nicely @jennanicely1

Hey Flames Nation! My name is Jenna Nicely and all my friends and acquaintances call me the “Liberty Girl.” I fell in love with LU when my older brother, Justin, went to Liberty in 2016. He was an intern with the football team for four years and graduated in 2020. I quickly became a follower of Liberty sports and knew Liberty was the school for me!

I may be the youngest in the LTBC, but here’s why you should vote for me: My goal is to get the younger generation (current and prospective students) excited and engaged in all things Liberty! My social media game is strong with followings and interactions from athletes and future students on twitter and my instagram account @Nicely.Jenna.

Please vote for me and keep this Cinderella dancing! I’m not ready to put away my dancing shoes yet.

GO FLAMES!

#2 Kathy Hudson @redhedtchr

• Came to Liberty Baptist College in 1981 from Michigan, graduated 1985 the day it became Liberty University
• Met Robert our freshman year, a native from a TRBC charter member family 1981
• Married in August 1985 in the prayer chapel by Dr. Jerry Falwell
• Season ticket holder for football, basketball and baseball
• You know I’m there because you can hear me and/or my cowbells
• Attended Big South championship games in football, basketball and baseball, ASUN championship games for basketball and baseball, playoff games at JMU and Villanova for football, regional games at UVA and South Carolina for baseball, and the 1st Cure Bowl
• I live-streamed the Lending Tree Bowl at my son’s wedding reception
• We attend many away regular season games in all 3 sports to fan the Flames to victory. My ears still ring from that championship game at Radford.
• I have a bunch of autographed memorabilia from cards to balls to programs to Sam Chelanga’s National Championship shoe
• I promote Liberty at every opportunity, wearing my gear, talking sports and always striving to be a Champion for Christ by showing God’s love to my kindergartners, their families and any one I meet

DEMOSS HALL REGION

#1 Jokers @liberty_jokers

Making it hard to play at Williams Stadium, the Vines Center, and Liberty Arena since 2011.

#3 VinesPom Connection @vinesconnection

VinesPom Connection is the nerdy Liberty fan account for all things Liberty basketball. My name is Nick Kirby, and I am a diehard Liberty hoops fan. I started the VinesPomcast as a LIVE video and podcast to talk about all things Liberty hoops. I have created several videos for Liberty hoops, including a top 25 countdown of the best moments of the Richie 2.0 era. I also started the Liberty Classic Games channel on YouTube with 21 full games, some special clips, and I also synced up the radio and ESPN feed for the 2019 and 2020 ASUN championship games.