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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, January 30
Morgantown, W. Va.
7 AM
Ole Miss
vs
Akron
Rifle Treks To Morgantown For Trio Of GARC Matches
1/29/2021 | Rifle
Rebels Look to Continue Sharpshooting on the Road
OXFORD, Miss. – After a week of training, No. 3 Ole Miss rifle looks to wrap up its busy January schedule with a trio of GARC matches against Akron, Navy and West Virginia in Morgantown, West Virginia, this weekend.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for head coach Marsha Beasley and assistant coach Jean-Pierre Lucas. Beasley coached at WVU, leading the Mountaineers to eight National Championships in her 16-year tenure. A two-time national champion and nine-time All-American at West Virginia, Lucas competed with the squad from 2014-17.
The Rebels enter the weekend with a 4-0 Great American Rifle Conference record after thrilling wins over NC State and No. 2 Kentucky two weeks ago. They sit atop the conference standings with their sights set on the first regular season GARC Championship in program history.
With four teams in attendance, Ole Miss will shoot against No. 12 Akron and No. 14 Navy on Saturday, Jan. 30, and No. 4 West Virginia the following day. This will close out a busy month in which the Rebels have competed in seven matches.
Heading into the matches, the Rebels own the fourth-best team smallbore and air rifle averages, with marks of 2335.1 and 2369.4, respectively. Led by five individuals ranked in the top-25, Ole Miss is well equipped for another weekend of elite shooting.
Coming off her best performance of the season and a career-high 1190 aggregate score, freshman Lea Horvath paces the Rebels and ranks third in the NCAA with a blistering average of 1186.8 (590.2 in smallbore and 596.6 in air rifle). Just behind her in the national rankings is Kristen Derting in sixth. The sophomore is just tenths shy of averaging an 1180.0.
While every Rebel has made great strides from last season, one of the biggest risers has been junior Jillian Zakrzeski. The Constantia, New York, native boasts an aggregate average of 1174.9 on the season, an 18.8-point improvement from last year.
Rounding out the top-25 individual shooters in the country are Claire O'Neel and Erin Walsh. O'Neel has consistently been in the 1172 range as a counter this season, and Walsh is coming off a career-high air rifle score of 595 from two weeks ago. Both will look to be difference makers for the Rebels this weekend.
Also making the trip is senior Abby Buesseler and freshman Martina Gratz. Buesseler was dialed in for smallbore against the Wolfpack and Wildcats, firing scores of 586 and 587 in back-to-back days of competition. Gratz will be shooting in her fourth collegiate match but has yet to be phased by the big stage.
The Zips last competed against Army on Jan. 23, falling 4682-4663, while the Midshipmen will be shooting for the first time in 2021. Saturday's matches with both teams will go on simultaneously, with the Rebels' score counting for each GARC match. The start time is set for 6:45 a.m. CT.
Sunday's matchup with West Virginia will be shot in one relay beginning at 7 a.m. CT. The Mountaineers are one of the most consistent teams in the nation so far this season. In three matches since beginning competition in January, they have fired scores of 4712, 4715 and 4712, respectively.
Fans are encouraged to follow along both days on social media for live updates.
For more information on Ole Miss rifle, follow the Rebels on Facebook (OleMissRifle), Twitter (@OleMissRifle), Instagram (@OleMissRifle) and at OleMissSports.com.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for head coach Marsha Beasley and assistant coach Jean-Pierre Lucas. Beasley coached at WVU, leading the Mountaineers to eight National Championships in her 16-year tenure. A two-time national champion and nine-time All-American at West Virginia, Lucas competed with the squad from 2014-17.
The Rebels enter the weekend with a 4-0 Great American Rifle Conference record after thrilling wins over NC State and No. 2 Kentucky two weeks ago. They sit atop the conference standings with their sights set on the first regular season GARC Championship in program history.
With four teams in attendance, Ole Miss will shoot against No. 12 Akron and No. 14 Navy on Saturday, Jan. 30, and No. 4 West Virginia the following day. This will close out a busy month in which the Rebels have competed in seven matches.
Heading into the matches, the Rebels own the fourth-best team smallbore and air rifle averages, with marks of 2335.1 and 2369.4, respectively. Led by five individuals ranked in the top-25, Ole Miss is well equipped for another weekend of elite shooting.
Coming off her best performance of the season and a career-high 1190 aggregate score, freshman Lea Horvath paces the Rebels and ranks third in the NCAA with a blistering average of 1186.8 (590.2 in smallbore and 596.6 in air rifle). Just behind her in the national rankings is Kristen Derting in sixth. The sophomore is just tenths shy of averaging an 1180.0.
While every Rebel has made great strides from last season, one of the biggest risers has been junior Jillian Zakrzeski. The Constantia, New York, native boasts an aggregate average of 1174.9 on the season, an 18.8-point improvement from last year.
Rounding out the top-25 individual shooters in the country are Claire O'Neel and Erin Walsh. O'Neel has consistently been in the 1172 range as a counter this season, and Walsh is coming off a career-high air rifle score of 595 from two weeks ago. Both will look to be difference makers for the Rebels this weekend.
Also making the trip is senior Abby Buesseler and freshman Martina Gratz. Buesseler was dialed in for smallbore against the Wolfpack and Wildcats, firing scores of 586 and 587 in back-to-back days of competition. Gratz will be shooting in her fourth collegiate match but has yet to be phased by the big stage.
The Zips last competed against Army on Jan. 23, falling 4682-4663, while the Midshipmen will be shooting for the first time in 2021. Saturday's matches with both teams will go on simultaneously, with the Rebels' score counting for each GARC match. The start time is set for 6:45 a.m. CT.
Sunday's matchup with West Virginia will be shot in one relay beginning at 7 a.m. CT. The Mountaineers are one of the most consistent teams in the nation so far this season. In three matches since beginning competition in January, they have fired scores of 4712, 4715 and 4712, respectively.
Fans are encouraged to follow along both days on social media for live updates.
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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