Ole Miss Sets Sights On Another Great Season

First-team All-American. Check. NCAA Championships. Check. NCAA Sectional victory. Check. National Coach of the Year. Check.

The Rebels enjoyed their best season in the program's 10-year history in 2005-06. Ole Miss tore up the record book, setting team meet records for aggregate scoring (4666), air rifle (2344) and smallbore (2325), as well as notching school records in the individual smallbore (587) and individual air rifle (590), en route to the program's first ever NCAA Sectional victory and first appearance in the NCAA Championships. Jennifer Lorenzen and Shannon Wilson both earned All-America honor for their efforts, with Lorenzen picking up her second consecutive award and Wilson earning the program's first ever first-team All-America honor. To cap off the banner year, head coach Valerie Boothe was named National Coach of the Year by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association.

"It was a great year for the team and the program," said Boothe, who is the only head coach in Ole Miss rifle history. "I feel like we received more notoriety in the community. People began to stop me in the street and noticed what we did. It was huge for letting people know what kind of program we have. For the girls it was a reiteration that what they worked so hard to accomplish they actually could reach. We have been on the verge of making the next step for several years and we finally took it to the next level."

With the return of both All-Americans, the Rebels, who finished sixth in the nation last season, have their sights set on another great year in 2006-07.

Wilson, who set new school records for season average in both the air rifle and smallbore as a sophomore last season, leads a group of talented and improving shooters. Lorenzen, who enters her senior campaign, finished second to Wilson in both air rifle and smallbore, and the Rebels return four of their top seven statistical shooters from last season.

"We lost a good senior group from last season, but we have a strong group of shooters returning," said Boothe, who has coached 26 All-Academic student-athletes during her time at Ole Miss. "Jennifer and Shannon both want to repeat as All-Americans. The expectation level for them is going to be higher this year. The ones that didn't earn that honor now know the work they have to do to reach that level."

Boothe also believes international competition will help the Rebels in the upcoming season.

"Jessica (Hornby) had a great performance at her national competition over the summer," said Boothe. "She came back with a great attitude for the season. She has been a positive influence on the team. Shannon has had a lot of opportunities with the U.S. national team. She has brought back a lot of information that has helped not only her, but the rest of the team."

For Boothe, one goal remains for a program that accomplished so much last season.

"The number one goal for this season is to make the NCAA Championships again," she said. "Everyone has their individual goals, but as a team our goal is to return to the NCAA Championships."

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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