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NCAA collegiate Rifle

butchlambert

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WVU Rifle Off to Strong Start​


By
Kevin Kinder
-
October 13, 2021



West Virginia University’s rifle team is off to a hot start in the first half of the 2021-22 season, having posted three of the top four aggregate scores in the nation in the early going of the season on the way to a 3-0 record.
The Mountaineers posted a 4733 score in a win over Mississippi on Oct. 2 and backed that up with a 4725 showing against Murray State the next day. WVU was a bit off that pace a week later, but still fired a very good 4718 score in downing Memphis at home last Saturday.
Rifle, head coach Jon Hammond notes, is different from most other sports in that there is no defense played, and no control exerted over one’s opponent. (In that regard, it’s most similar to golf.) Therefore, the scores posted by each team are self-contained, and form the basis of polls and selection for the NCAA Championships. By way of comparison, Kentucky took last year’s NCAA title with a score of 4731, with TCU finishing second at 4722. The Mountaineers were fourth at 4704.

Defending national champion Kentucky, along with Mississippi and TCU, were all expected to be at the top of the NCAA rankings this year, and there’s nothing to suggest they won’t be there again. The Horned Frogs own the third- and fifth-best aggregate scores of the young season, and Mississippi also has two aggregate team scores in the Top 10. (Kentucky did not field either of its Olympic medalists in its single match to date, and still put up a score of 4680.)


The Mountaineers, though, have been a bit stronger than expected, with solid scores up and down the five-member counting squads in both smallbore and air rifle. Sophomore Tal Engler has been the leader so far, setting career highs in both smallbore (591) and air rifle (598) this fall. She has topped the 1180 aggregate mark in all three of her matches to date. Malori Brown, Jared Eddy, Akihito Shimizu, Verena Zaisberger and Calista Smoyer have joined as regular counters to help propel West Virginia to early-season success, but without question far more difficult challenges await. The Mountaineers still have dual matches remaining with TCU and Kentucky, along with N.C. State this Saturday on the road in Raleigh, North Carolina. It will be vital for WVU to continue to post solid scores from all five team members to have a chance at postseason titles.


Another bit of good news about WVU’s early-season high scores is that they give the Mountaineers a great base for making the NCAA Championships again. Selections for that event are based on a combination of the scores shot in a qualifying match at the end of the season, combined with a team’s three highest scores at three different venues. WVU, with three scores well north of 4700, are in good shape to build an excellent qualifying score. The Mountaineers are scheduled for their NCAA Qualifier at their home range, competing alongside VMI and North Georgia, on Feb. 19, 2022.


The Mountaineers won five consecutive national titles from 2013-17, but Kentucky (2018, 2021) and TCU (2019) have won the last three. The 2020 Championship was canceled due to Covid.
 
The President of the ANDERSON CREEK SPRTSMEN referred to on this forum as Chef Tom has a son who while a senior at West Point about 14 years ago was the NCAA NATIONAL INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION. He is currently a Major now in the Army set to become a Li Col. next calender year.
 
Thanks for the update; it's been decades since I was involved in the NCAA shooting sports, and it is great to see that at least a few universities and colleges still have rifle teams. Though we practiced together on the same range, I was a pistol team shooter (decided to try something new in college, as my grandfather raised me a rifleman); I have seen a number of universities we used to compete against have dropped pistol teams, though some still have rifle teams.
 
WVU-Rifle-Airgun-Front.jpg


West Virginia continued its strong start to the 2021-22 season with a comfortable 4730-4652 win over N.C. State on Sunday in Raleigh, North Carolina. The 4730 was the Mountaineers second-highest total of the season, topped only by it 4733 mark against Ole Miss two weeks ago.


The win moved WVU to 4-0 on the year.


“I’m very happy with our performance today,” WVU coach Jon Hammond said. “It was a big, team effort with a number of them shooting over 1180 combined score. I think all 10 shot above 580 in smallbore, which may be a first, and that’s great to see the depth and competition we have. There were many solid individual performances but also many areas where we can continue to improve and get better. We’ll enjoy a few weeks off before a big match with TCU.”


The Mountaineers captured victories in both guns, defeating the Wolfpack 2348-2294 in smallbore and 2382-2358 in air rifle.
 
Butch,
Always enjoy your WVU updates.
A question on rifles. Do most (all) shooters bring rifles with them to school? Do they purchase them through the University? I would think a $4000+ rifle would be out of most shooters range along with all the other college expenses. Is the ammo provided for them or is that on them to purchase? I'm sure that they shoot a few hundred or thousand rounds a week!
All the best my friend,

Joe McNeill
SW Arkansas
 
Not knowing much about the scoring, other than a perfect shot is 10 pts. What is a perfect score? Are we talking 3 position? 4 position? or prone? I assume the team score is the total score of 5 shooters?
 
Thanks for the up date on the Mountaineers. It is always great to hear. I wish I knew about them shooting in Raleigh at NC State. It is about a 1.5 hours from me. I want to purchase some Mountaineer shooting T shirts or a hat. Any idea Butch where something like that could be purchased. If you know that they will be back in NC shooting, let me know. I would love to see it, if it is even possible. "Go EEERS"
 
Not knowing much about the scoring, other than a perfect shot is 10 pts. What is a perfect score? Are we talking 3 position? 4 position? or prone? I assume the team score is the total score of 5 shooters?
It's 600 for both air and smallbore rifle. Someone described the course of fire in Butch's previous thread, but that's buried now. The Air rifle is 60 shots standing, and the smallbore is a 3x20 3 position.
 
Not knowing much about the scoring, other than a perfect shot is 10 pts. What is a perfect score? Are we talking 3 position? 4 position? or prone? I assume the team score is the total score of 5 shooters?
Before the match starts, each coach designates which 5 shooters are going to be the counters. After those 5 have shot, the highest 4 scores are used for the team aggregate, giving a maximum team score of 4800 points.
 
Thanks for the up date on the Mountaineers. It is always great to hear. I wish I knew about them shooting in Raleigh at NC State. It is about a 1.5 hours from me. I want to purchase some Mountaineer shooting T shirts or a hat. Any idea Butch where something like that could be purchased. If you know that they will be back in NC shooting, let me know. I would love to see it, if it is even possible. "Go EEERS"

I'll see what I can find.
 
I am on the search as well. I have already looked at their schedule from here on out, and I won't be able to go to anything. I don't know if folks are even allowed to attend or not. I never realized how big it was when Ray and Michael were here.
 
UK has a great team as well as Murray State.
Murray State has a very good athletic program, they turn out some great athletes and some very good coaches pass through their system as they work their way up coaching ladder. Murray is only about a 40 minute drive for me, my father in law lives there too.
 
A question if anyone can answer. I see many teams with uniform shooting clothing, that's clearly made to measure. Do prospective team members have to purchase this, or is it supplied?

In contrast, I don't think I've ever seen two British student shooters with identical jackets! Club kit is always a mish mash of old and new. Students who already had their own kit were a Godsend, as they weren't sharing.
 
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A question if anyone can answer. I see many years with uniform shooting clothing, that's clearly made to measure. Do prospective team members have to purchase this, or is it supplied?

In contrast, I don't think I've ever seen two British student shooters with identical jackets! Club kit is always a mish mash of old and new. Students who already had their own kit were a Godsend, as they weren't sharing.
I don't know.
 
A question if anyone can answer. I see many years with uniform shooting clothing, that's clearly made to measure. Do prospective team members have to purchase this, or is it supplied?

In contrast, I don't think I've ever seen two British student shooters with identical jackets! Club kit is always a mish mash of old and new. Students who already had their own kit were a Godsend, as they weren't sharing.
Tim, I think it depends on each team’s budget. There are quite a few schools that provide the jacket and pants. Maybe even more than I think. I’m quite sure WV picks up the tab on that.
 

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