Liberty University Men's Basketball

After spending six seasons working under Tony Bennett as associate head coach at Virginia, McKay returned to Liberty as the men's basketball head coach on Ap...

Aaron Schreiner joined the Liberty Sports Medicine staff in August 2005. Currently, Schreiner serves as the head athletic trainer for the men's basketball pr...

Chelsea Ndenga (formerly Mangino) has served in the role of Director of Basketball Operations for the program since 2016. Ndenga organizes travel and recruit...

Derek Johnston joined Liberty's coaching staff in May of 2018 and was promoted to Associate Head Coach in April 2022. In Johnston's first two seasons at Liberty, the Flames posted a 59-11 record, earning back-to-back ASUN Regular Season and ASUN Championship titles and two NCAA Tournament berths, including the school's first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Round of the 32 in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The Flames' offense has reached new heights since Johnston joined the staff, as the Flames ranked No. 1 in the nation in 2020, in fewest turnovers per game and also ranked No. 7 in the country in 2020 in offensive points per possession. Johnston comes from the University of Alabama Huntsville where he served as an assistant coach under head coach Lennie Acuff. During his three years at UAH, Johnston helped the Chargers win two Gulf South Conference (GSC) regular season titles and a GSC tournament title. Alabama Huntsville appeared in two NCAA Division II tournaments including hosting the 2016 NCAA South Regional, the same year UAH advanced to the final. While at UAH, Johnston led the program's recruiting efforts and was in charge of opponent scouting. A native of Lexington, Ala., Johnston was a part of a coaching staff that developed a potent offensive attack, averaging 83.7 points per game, which ranked No. 32 throughout Division II this past season. Johnston has quickly moved up the coaching ranks over the last eight years. Prior to UAH, Johnston was an assist

Kyle Rode stepped into his role as Assistant Coach in June 2025. Rode returns to Liberty following a highly successful five-year playing career with the Flam...

Luke McKay began as a student manager for the team in 2017 before earning a spot on the Liberty roster during his senior season as the Flames advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2020-21. After completing his bachelor’s degree in sport management, McKay served as a Graduate Assistant in 2021-22 before being elevated to Video Coordinator in May 2022. McKay manages all practice, game, opponent and recruit film. He uses coding and statistical analysis to determine tendencies and improve overall efficiency of play. McKay is the son of decorated Division I head coach, Ritchie McKay. He and his wife Kaitlyn, a former Liberty volleyball athlete, were married in April 2022.

Robb Hornett was hired as the Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports in June of 2022. Hornett joins the Liberty Basketball program after previou...

Stelios Tzoutzis stepped into his role as Assistant Coach/General Manager in April 2025. “I’ve had a long history with Stelios, dating back to when he was a GA for us in our first season at Liberty. Since then, his experience and reputation in the profession have grown immensely,” said Liberty Men's Basketball Head Coach Ritchie McKay. “Stelios serves in an assistant coaching role where we will be able to benefit from his international relationships. He will also be our general manager, a role in which he will be the liaison between our players and their representatives as well as our administration.” Tzoutzis spent the last five years with the Virginia men’s basketball program, first serving as a graduate assistant for two seasons before being promoted to program and operations assistant in Sept. 2024. Tzoutzis, a native of Athens, Greece, served as a graduate assistant at Liberty for one season prior to his time at Virginia. He was the primary film coordinator while pursuing a master’s degree in sport management, which he earned in 2016. Tzoutzis also obtained a master’s degree in education and curriculum instruction from Virginia in 2022 “It’s an incredible honor to be back at Liberty. This program shaped me in so many ways as a graduate assistant, and to now return as an assistant coach feels like coming home,” Tzoutzis said. “I’m especially grateful to Coach McKay for his belief in me and for the culture he’s bult here, one that’s centered on excellence, growth and genui

Stephen Burggraf assumed his role as Assistant Coach in Aug. 2024. Burggraf assists in recruiting, scouting and on/off court player development for the Flames. Burggraf stepped into his role after serving as a Graduate Assistant for the program during the 2023-24 season. He also worked as a student manager for the Flames for two seasons (2019-21) before playing at Liberty from 2021-23 and earning a scholarship during the 2021-22 season. Burggraf appeared in 32 games in two seasons with the Flames. Burggraf was a two-time NABC Honors Court recipient and was earned the Best Teammate award during the 2022-23 campaign. Burggraf earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science: strength & conditioning in May 2023. He is certified in strength & conditioning from the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA). Burggraf is currently working on finishing a master’s degree in executive leadership. Burggraf is originally from Lynchburg and currently resides in Lynchburg.

Tyson Gage assumed his role as Men’s Basketball Graduate Manager in June 2025. Gage served as a manager for the Flames from 2023-25 prior to assuming his cur...

Zach Farquhar joined the Liberty Men’s Basketball program in 2015 as a player. Farquhar was a member of the team from 2015-19 and served as a captain his sen...