Ritchie McKay and the Liberty Flames opened the 2025-26 season with four straight wins, extending the program’s consistent climb under the veteran head coach. Now in his 13th season leading the Flames, the 60-year-old enters the year aiming for what could be the team’s ninth 20-win campaign in the last decade.
Liberty Looking to Dance Again
Last season, Liberty captured the Conference USA title and returned to the NCAA Tournament with a 28–7 record. Their stay was brief, as Oregon controlled the opening-round matchup in Seattle, but the appearance continued a trend of postseason success for McKay. The Flames have become a fixture in March.
McKay’s signature NCAA Tournament moment still sits in 2019, when Liberty stunned Mississippi State in the first round before falling to Virginia Tech. He owns a 1–4 NCAA Tournament record, along with an 8–5 mark in other postseason events. Across his career, McKay has collected four conference tournament titles, four regular season championships, and he earned the Jim Phelan Award in 2019. He has also been named Conference Coach of the Year three times.
Long History in Basketball
Before his time at Liberty, McKay spent two seasons each at Portland State, Colorado State, and Oregon State. In 2002, he took over at New Mexico and reached the NCAA Tournament in his third season. Liberty hired him in 2007, beginning a long and successful partnership that has reshaped the program.
McKay’s playing career began at Westwood High School in Mesa, Arizona, and continued at Seattle Pacific from 1983 to 1987. There he set both the single-season and career records for steals and finished third in assists, cementing the defensive mindset that still influences his teams today.
Pressure is on for Flames
Liberty opened this season as the clear favorite in Conference USA. The Flames received 11 of 12 first-place votes in the preseason poll, with Kennesaw State earning the other. Standouts Zach Cleveland and Kaden Metheny returned to anchor the lineup, and Cleveland entered Monday’s game averaging 11.3 points, 7.7 assists, and 10 rebounds. In the latest win, he contributed eight points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, continuing his all-around production.
The schedule tightens later this month, starting with a road trip to Vermont on November 24. December brings visits to NC State and Dayton, two tests that will show how far this Flames team can climb. With experience, depth, and a coach who has built a decade of sustained success, Liberty has every reason to believe it can be a factor once the calendar turns to March.