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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Three Ole Miss Athletes Qualify For Junior Olympics
1/23/2003 | Rifle
Jan. 23, 2003
OXFORD, Miss. - Three members of the Ole Miss Rifle team earned the right to compete in the national Junior Olympics recently through qualifying competitions on the state level.
Samantha Leach, Megan Roberts and Megan Sandage all posted qualifying scores high enough to earn berths in the Junior Olympics. Players qualify by competing in a local "resident" competition in their home state, or can shoot as an at-large competitor by firing a predetermined minimum score outside of their home state.
The qualifying competition for women is similar to that of a normal college meet with one exception. In smallbore, the competitors shoot a half course, or an Olympic course, which is half of what is required in the event on the college level. In collegiate competition, the shooter fires 120 shots in three positions for a total possible score of 1200. In Olympic competition, only 60 shots are fired in three positions for a total possible score of 600.
"It's great to have so many players from one school go to the Junior Olympics,"said Ole Miss head coach Valerie Boothe. "We have never had so many able to compete for a spot at one time, so to have three of them earn invitations is exciting for the program. We are excited about the opportunity this presents for the ladies and it can point to brighter things for the future of our program because it exposes us to the younger shooters around the nation who advance to the Junior Olympics."
Freshman Samantha Leach led the way for the three shooters, posting her best scores since coming to Ole Miss in the fall. The Orlando, Fla., native sought a berth through at-large competition and easily passed the marks needed to qualify as she posted a 388 in air rifle and a 575 in smallbore.
Megan Sandage, another freshman on the squad, took the route of competing as a resident competitor, shooting in her home state of California over the Christmas break. Sandage scored a 380 in air rifle and a 568 in smallbore to earn her berth in the Junior Olympics.
Sophomore Megan Roberts also qualified for the national competition in smallbore as an at-large competitor here in Mississippi. Roberts fired a 573 in smallbore to secure her spot in the Junior Olympics. She fired a 378 in air rifle, falling just short of the required 380 to earn an at-large slot in that competition, but can still be invited to the meet.
The Junior Olympics will be held April 4-9, 2003, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
