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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, February 22
Akron, Ohio
7:15 AM
Ole Miss
vs
GARC Championships
No. 8 Ole Miss Rifle Wraps Up Campaign at GARC Championships
2/21/2019 | Rifle
Conference competition takes place Friday and Saturday in Ohio
OXFORD, Miss. – Conference supremacy is on the line as No. 8 Ole Miss Rifle wraps up its 2018-19 campaign at the Great America Rifle Conference Championships, Feb. 22-23 in Akron, Ohio.
Live stats can be accessed via the link provided as well as in-match updates via the @OleMissRifle Twitter account.
SCHEDULE…
The GARC Championships will be split into two days of action at the University of Akron's Stile Athletics Field House. On Friday, three relays of smallbore followed by finals will take place. Saturday will conclude with air rifle, a final round and an awards program.
Friday relays: 7:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m., and 12:15 p.m. CT.
Saturday relays: 7:15 a.m., 8:45 a.m., and 11:30 p.m. CT.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION…
Four teams from the GARC advanced to the NCAA Rifle Championships and five are ranked in the top 10 nationally, the most of any conference in the country. The teams are loaded with returning talent and depth. 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Ginny Thrasher looks to defend her GARC smallbore and air rifle titles for West Virginia. Teammate Morgan Phillips should offer tough competition after winning the 2017 and 2018 NCAA smallbore titles. No. 1 West Virginia has claimed the last nine GARC Championships.
MARSHA'S MINUTE…
On overall format…
"Conference Championships are a great opportunity for Ole Miss. The competition is held on a 26-point mobile range in a large Field House. The format is similar to that used in major championships. One event is fired each day, whereas in the regular season air rifle is immediately after the smallbore event. Shooters from all nine teams compete on each of three qualification relays. Counters for each team fire on relays two and three. For the individual championships, the top eight shooters in the qualification return to the line for an Olympic style elimination final."
On path to success…
"Ole Miss just needs to focus on what we've been working on. This team has shown remarkable improvement this season. One or more of the team members have had PRs in almost every match and I'd love to see us continue that."
On Akron hosting…
"Akron hosted GARC in 2017. They run an excellent championship and we look forward to competing there again. This is the largest college tournament held each year."
On the tough competition…
"GARC teams Kentucky, West Virginia, Navy and Army were among the eight teams qualifying for NCAAs. In addition, individuals from Memphis, Akron and Nebraska will be competing at NCAAs."
On narrowly missing NCAA Championships…
"We were so close. I did think with so many teams so close it would take a very good day (i.e. a score well above the three-match qualifying score). We didn't get that done. But, I wouldn't have predicted either Army or Morehead State would be the ones setting school records to pass us."
On Jillian Zakrzeski being just short of an at-large bid…
"JZ's score (of 584) would have made it the past two years. I don't know numbers further back."
On Nevada's final representation at the national competition…
"Nevada has two individuals selected... they announced in December they were dropping Rifle at the end of the season. Very sad for the sport and the kids on the team."
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR…
Ole Miss finished fourth at the 2018 Great America Rifle Conference Championships, including then-freshmen Emily Cock and Kamilla Kisch advancing to the air rifle finals. Cock captured third place individually.
The Rebels finished with a two-day total of 4651. WVU (4699) won their ninth straight GARC Championship, Kentucky finished second overall with a total of 4686, and Navy took third with a 4663.
The Rebels fired a 2362 in air rifle, three off the school record. Cock equaled her personal best with a 592, including a perfect 100 on her last relay, while Kisch posted a 593 in both advanced to the final. Cock took third in the final with a total of 223.8 behind Thrasher and Phillips of WVU. Kisch finished seventh in the final with a total of 140.9.
This marked the third straight year for the Rebels to have someone in the air rifle finals and the third year in a row to have someone finish in the top three. Two-time All-American Alison Weisz finished third in 2016 and second in 2017 in air rifle.
Ole Miss fired a 2289 in smallbore, led by Harley Gardner's 576. Cock posted a 572, Randi Loudin a 571, and Abby Buesseler and graduate Jessica Haig each turned in a 570 to round out the Rebel counters.
NCAA QUALIFIER RECAP…
The Rebels recorded 4664 points at an NCAA Qualifier match inside the Gamecock Rifle Range in Jacksonville, Ala. on Feb. 19.
Ole Miss tied their second-highest NCAA Qualifier match score in program history, outshooting host No. 10 Jacksonville State, 4664-4642. It was the fifth consecutive season that the Rebels shot alongside the Gamecocks with an NCAA berth on the line, and one of 12 NCAA Qualifiers being held across the country.
However, the score of 4664 was not enough to make the top-eight team qualification. No. 12 Army tallied 4778 points and No. 13 Morehead State earned 4774 at other sites Saturday. Both teams surpassed the Rebels in the final rankings. The totals are determined by adding the NCAA Qualifier total with the top-three score average fired at three locations throughout the regular season.
Zakrzeski did not seem phased in her first NCAA Qualifier. The rookie led all shooters with a personal-best 584 in smallbore and 1174 aggregate total. Her 584 was a five-point personal improvement and she nearly qualified for Nationals as an individual in the event. Despite this, Ole Miss continues an impressive run of appearing as a team or having at least one individual compete at NCAAs in 12 of the past 14 seasons.
The Rebels recorded the second-highest mark of the season in smallbore, outshooting JSU, 2315-2306. Zakrzeski and fellow freshman Erin Walsh were top shooters in air rifle, each producing a 590.
ABOUT THE GARC…
In 1997, four schools came together with the goal of promoting the sport of rifle on the collegiate level. With an emphasis on ways to increase the awareness of shooting, those institutions – Jacksonville State, Kentucky, West Virginia and Xavier – took the first step by chartering the Great America Rifle Conference (GARC). League competition officially began with the 1997-98 season. Ole Miss became a member of the GARC in 2001-02, joining the four original schools in one of the strongest rifle conferences in the nation.
The sport has grown over time, with the GARC taking a lead on the national scene. Since its inception, the GARC has had 10 national champions – West Virginia with seven, Kentucky with two, and Army earning one.
A total of nine teams claim conference ties in 2018-19, including Ole Miss, Army, Akron, Kentucky, Memphis, Navy, N.C. State, Nebraska, and West Virginia.
For more information on Ole Miss Rifle, follow the Rebels on Facebook (OleMissRifle), Twitter (@OleMissRifle), Instagram (@OleMissRifle), and at olemisssports.com.
Live stats can be accessed via the link provided as well as in-match updates via the @OleMissRifle Twitter account.
SCHEDULE…
The GARC Championships will be split into two days of action at the University of Akron's Stile Athletics Field House. On Friday, three relays of smallbore followed by finals will take place. Saturday will conclude with air rifle, a final round and an awards program.
Friday relays: 7:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m., and 12:15 p.m. CT.
Saturday relays: 7:15 a.m., 8:45 a.m., and 11:30 p.m. CT.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION…
Four teams from the GARC advanced to the NCAA Rifle Championships and five are ranked in the top 10 nationally, the most of any conference in the country. The teams are loaded with returning talent and depth. 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Ginny Thrasher looks to defend her GARC smallbore and air rifle titles for West Virginia. Teammate Morgan Phillips should offer tough competition after winning the 2017 and 2018 NCAA smallbore titles. No. 1 West Virginia has claimed the last nine GARC Championships.
MARSHA'S MINUTE…
On overall format…
"Conference Championships are a great opportunity for Ole Miss. The competition is held on a 26-point mobile range in a large Field House. The format is similar to that used in major championships. One event is fired each day, whereas in the regular season air rifle is immediately after the smallbore event. Shooters from all nine teams compete on each of three qualification relays. Counters for each team fire on relays two and three. For the individual championships, the top eight shooters in the qualification return to the line for an Olympic style elimination final."
On path to success…
"Ole Miss just needs to focus on what we've been working on. This team has shown remarkable improvement this season. One or more of the team members have had PRs in almost every match and I'd love to see us continue that."
On Akron hosting…
"Akron hosted GARC in 2017. They run an excellent championship and we look forward to competing there again. This is the largest college tournament held each year."
On the tough competition…
"GARC teams Kentucky, West Virginia, Navy and Army were among the eight teams qualifying for NCAAs. In addition, individuals from Memphis, Akron and Nebraska will be competing at NCAAs."
On narrowly missing NCAA Championships…
"We were so close. I did think with so many teams so close it would take a very good day (i.e. a score well above the three-match qualifying score). We didn't get that done. But, I wouldn't have predicted either Army or Morehead State would be the ones setting school records to pass us."
On Jillian Zakrzeski being just short of an at-large bid…
"JZ's score (of 584) would have made it the past two years. I don't know numbers further back."
On Nevada's final representation at the national competition…
"Nevada has two individuals selected... they announced in December they were dropping Rifle at the end of the season. Very sad for the sport and the kids on the team."
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR…
Ole Miss finished fourth at the 2018 Great America Rifle Conference Championships, including then-freshmen Emily Cock and Kamilla Kisch advancing to the air rifle finals. Cock captured third place individually.
The Rebels finished with a two-day total of 4651. WVU (4699) won their ninth straight GARC Championship, Kentucky finished second overall with a total of 4686, and Navy took third with a 4663.
The Rebels fired a 2362 in air rifle, three off the school record. Cock equaled her personal best with a 592, including a perfect 100 on her last relay, while Kisch posted a 593 in both advanced to the final. Cock took third in the final with a total of 223.8 behind Thrasher and Phillips of WVU. Kisch finished seventh in the final with a total of 140.9.
This marked the third straight year for the Rebels to have someone in the air rifle finals and the third year in a row to have someone finish in the top three. Two-time All-American Alison Weisz finished third in 2016 and second in 2017 in air rifle.
Ole Miss fired a 2289 in smallbore, led by Harley Gardner's 576. Cock posted a 572, Randi Loudin a 571, and Abby Buesseler and graduate Jessica Haig each turned in a 570 to round out the Rebel counters.
NCAA QUALIFIER RECAP…
The Rebels recorded 4664 points at an NCAA Qualifier match inside the Gamecock Rifle Range in Jacksonville, Ala. on Feb. 19.
Ole Miss tied their second-highest NCAA Qualifier match score in program history, outshooting host No. 10 Jacksonville State, 4664-4642. It was the fifth consecutive season that the Rebels shot alongside the Gamecocks with an NCAA berth on the line, and one of 12 NCAA Qualifiers being held across the country.
However, the score of 4664 was not enough to make the top-eight team qualification. No. 12 Army tallied 4778 points and No. 13 Morehead State earned 4774 at other sites Saturday. Both teams surpassed the Rebels in the final rankings. The totals are determined by adding the NCAA Qualifier total with the top-three score average fired at three locations throughout the regular season.
Zakrzeski did not seem phased in her first NCAA Qualifier. The rookie led all shooters with a personal-best 584 in smallbore and 1174 aggregate total. Her 584 was a five-point personal improvement and she nearly qualified for Nationals as an individual in the event. Despite this, Ole Miss continues an impressive run of appearing as a team or having at least one individual compete at NCAAs in 12 of the past 14 seasons.
The Rebels recorded the second-highest mark of the season in smallbore, outshooting JSU, 2315-2306. Zakrzeski and fellow freshman Erin Walsh were top shooters in air rifle, each producing a 590.
ABOUT THE GARC…
In 1997, four schools came together with the goal of promoting the sport of rifle on the collegiate level. With an emphasis on ways to increase the awareness of shooting, those institutions – Jacksonville State, Kentucky, West Virginia and Xavier – took the first step by chartering the Great America Rifle Conference (GARC). League competition officially began with the 1997-98 season. Ole Miss became a member of the GARC in 2001-02, joining the four original schools in one of the strongest rifle conferences in the nation.
The sport has grown over time, with the GARC taking a lead on the national scene. Since its inception, the GARC has had 10 national champions – West Virginia with seven, Kentucky with two, and Army earning one.
A total of nine teams claim conference ties in 2018-19, including Ole Miss, Army, Akron, Kentucky, Memphis, Navy, N.C. State, Nebraska, and West Virginia.
For more information on Ole Miss Rifle, follow the Rebels on Facebook (OleMissRifle), Twitter (@OleMissRifle), Instagram (@OleMissRifle), and at olemisssports.com.
Players Mentioned
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