Liberty head coach Lang Wedemeyer was selected the 2022 VaSID All-State Coach of the Year and five Lady Flames received all-state team selections as the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID) announced its 2022 University Division All-State teams and awards.

Liberty defender Bridie Herman was named to the all-state first team, while midfielders Saydie Holland and Rachel DeRuby, goalkeeper Ainsley Leja and forward McKinley Burkett were selected to the all-state second team.

Wedemeyer becomes the first Liberty coach to be voted the state’s coach of the year by the members of the VaSIDA since Nate Norman garnered the honors in 2016. He led Liberty to the best winning percentage in program history with a 14-3-4 record in 2022. The Lady Flames’ three losses were their fewest in a season in school history. In addition, the Lady Flames won the ASUN regular season title, finishing unbeaten in conference play with an 8-0-2 record.

For the second time in his six years as head coach of the Lady Flames, Wedemeyer was unanimously selected by the ASUN Conference head coaches as the ASUN Coach of the Year this past fall.  He was named the ASUN Coach of the Year for the 2021 Spring Season.

Wedemeyer’s Lady Flames finished the 2022 season with a 13-game unbeaten streak (10-0-3), the longest in school history. In addition, Liberty won 10 or more games in a season for the fourth time in Wedemeyer’s six seasons at the helm.

Liberty allowed an ASUN-low 13 goals and posted an ASUN-leading 0.61 goals-against average in 2022. In addition, his Lady Flames recorded 12 shutouts during the season to lead the ASUN. Liberty finished the year ranked 18^th nationally in goals-against and 16^th in the nation with a 0.571 shutout percentage. The Lady Flames also lead the ASUN Conference with 44 goals.

Defender Bridie Herman added to her postseason accolades as the senior was selected to the all-state first team. The senior defender was named to the All-South Region first team and received ASUN All-Conference first team honors in 2022.

Herman led Liberty with 14 points, scoring three goals and recording eight assists. She finished the year as the ASUN leader in assists and eighth in the conference in points. In addition, Herman, who started all 21 games, was part of a Liberty defensive unit that has helped the Lady Flames allow a conference-low 0.61 goals per game and recorded 12 shutouts to lead the ASUN. Liberty finished the year 16^th nationally with a 0.571 shutout percentage.

The Springboro, Ohio, native was selected the ASUN Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2022. She earned the honor for the weeks of Sept. 27 and Oct. 4. The defender also was named to the 2022 ASUN All-Tournament team.

In her first season at Liberty, Holland was named to the All-South Region second team and earned ASUN All-Conference second-team honors this past fall. She also was selected to the 2022 ASUN All-Tournament team.

The senior midfielder played in 18 games, starting 17. Holland finished the year with 11 points, scoring four goals and three assists.

After providing steady play during the regular season, the Waverly, Tenn., native had a standout ASUN Tournament for the Lady Flames. Holland scored two goals and an assist over Liberty’s three games. The midfielder scored two goals in a 3-0 win over Jacksonville in the ASUN Quarterfinals.

DeRuby posted career highs for goals and points and was selected to the All-South Region second team and ASUN All-Conference first team in 2022. The junior midfielder, who started every game for Lady Flames, finished the year tied for the Liberty lead with six goals and was second on the team with 13 points.

The Oneida, N.Y., native completed the season tied for fourth in the ASUN in goals and ninth in points. She also led the Lady Flames and was third in the conference with four game-winning goals. In addition, DeRuby earned inclusion on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.

Leja had quite a season in her first year as Liberty’s starting goalkeeper. The sophomore was named the 2022 ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming the second Liberty goalkeeper to be selected as the ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year in program history. She also garnered ASUN All-Conference first team honors and All-South Region second team honors.

The Rockford, Mich., native started all 21 games for the Lady Flames in 2022, posting a 0.62 goals-against average and a .812 save percentage. She finished third in the ASUN and 20^th in the nation in goals-against average.

In addition, Leja led the ASUN and finished the year 13^th in the nation with 10 shutouts, the second-most in program history. She also earned inclusion on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.

Burkett rounds out Liberty’s five all-state team members. The senior midfielder finished her Liberty career by receiving her second all-conference team honor, as she was named to the ASUN All-Conference first team this past fall. The forward also garnered 2021 Spring ASUN All-Conference team honors.

This past fall, Burkett started 18 games, tying for the Liberty lead and finishing sixth in the ASUN with six goals. The forward was also third on the Lady Flames with 12 points. She finished the year fifth in the ASUN in goals per game (0.33 goals/game).

The Moseley, Va., native was also named to the 2022 ASUN All-Academic team.