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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Wilson Wins Rifle Gold At 2006 Junior Olympics
3/30/2006 | Rifle
March 30, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Ole Miss rifle sophomore Shannon Wilson added another accomplishment to a stellar season by winning the gold at the 2006 U.S. Junior Olympics women's rifle smallbore competition this past weekend.
The Fairfax, Va. Native bested 57 shooters to take home first place in the two day event held over the weekend at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. She won the event with a score of 1251.6.
"I spent the whole year telling myself I am not a smallbore shooter," said Wilson, who was recently named first team All-America. "This really gives me a boost of confidence in my shooting. I think I have a really good chance of qualifying for the World Championships."
This past season the sophomore helped lead Ole Miss to its first ever appearance in the NCAA Rifle Championships and tied the school record of 587 to finish second in the smallbore. Wilson also tied Jennifer Lorenzen's school record of 590 in the air rifle earlier this season. She won the junior women's air rifle portion of the 3x Air and Top Gun Championships in December and competed with the U.S. National Development Team in the Bavarian Air Rifle Championships held in Munich, Germany.
"I am very proud of Shannon," said Ole Miss rifle head coach Valerie Boothe, who was named National Coach of the Year by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association. "She has worked very hard for this, and it is a great ending to a great season."
Ole Miss rifle had its most successful season ever in 2006. The Rebels earned their first ever appearance in the NCAA Championships, the program's first NCAA sectional victory and saw Ole Miss set or tie school records for team aggregate, air rifle and smallbore scoring, as well as individual air rifle and smallbore marks. In addition to Wilson, junior Jennifer Lorenzen picked up her second consecutive All-America honor.