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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, March 12
Columbus, Ohio
All Day
Ole Miss
at
NCAA Championships
Rifle Takes Aim at NCAA Championship
3/11/2021 | Rifle
Ole Miss Set to Compete at Rifle Championship for the First Time in 15 Years
OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 2 seed Ole Miss rifle team is set to compete in its first NCAA Rifle Championship in 15 years, March 12-13, on the Ohio State Campus in Columbus, Ohio.
It will mark the first time the Rebels have competed as a team for a national championship since the 2005-06 season, where they placed sixth overall. This season, Ole Miss earned its spot in the championship after putting together an impressive resume that included a share of the Great America Rifle Conference Championship and a program-best 11 wins during the regular season.
The Rebels completely rewrote the record books this season, setting school records in aggregate team score (4734), air rifle team score (2383) and smallbore team score of 2361, which was also an NCAA record. Ole Miss is one of four teams to post a score of 4730 or better in competition this season, proving that it can shoot with the nation's top programs. Additionally, its average aggregate score of 4707.9 was a 39.2-point improvement from last season's average (4668.7).
While it's already been a season to remember, Ole Miss is looking to cap off the 2020-21 campaign with some hardware at the NCAA Rifle Championships.
Through the regular season, freshman Lea Horvath paced the team. The Komarom, Hungary, native ranks third in the nation with an 1186.8 average. Sophomore Kristen Derting also sits inside the top 10 with an 1178.3 average. Juniors Erin Walsh and Jillian Zakrzeski also had solid seasons. The duo ranks in the top 25 individuals in the nation.
Abby Buesseler rounds out the Rebels counters. The Minnesota product and 2020 All-American qualified as an individual for the NCAA Rifle Championship last season in smallbore but was unable to compete when the championship contest was canceled. Now back at the event with her entire team, Buesseler and the Rebels look to take advantage of the opportunity to compete.
On Friday, the teams will compete in smallbore, a discipline that the Rebels have looked strong in all season. In fact, all five counters for Ole Miss received All-GARC Honors in smallbore as the team averaged a mark of 2336.3 this season. Horvath, Derting and Zakrzeski have all fired scores of 590 or better at some point this season, while Walsh and Buesseler have recorded season bests of 589 and 588, respectively.
The following day, the field will wrap up competition with air rifle, where Ole Miss owns an average of 2371.7. Horvath once again leads the Rebels in this discipline this season. She fired the 12th perfect score in NCAA history on Jan. 30 and has multiple 599s in recent weeks. All five counters in Buesseler, Derting, Walsh and Zakrzeski also have averages of 590 or better.
All five athletes from Ole Miss will compete on the second relay each day. The full event schedule is listed below:
Championship Schedule
Friday, Smallbore
Relay #1 – 8:15 a.m. CT
Relay #2 – 12:30 p.m. CT
Finals – 3:45 p.m. CT
Saturday, Air Rifle
Relay #1 – 8:15 a.m. CT
Relay #2 – 12 p.m. CT
Finals – 2:45 p.m. CT
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Led by a pair of athletes who qualified to represent Team USA in Tokyo, Mary Tucker and Will Shaner, Kentucky comes into the match as the No. 1 overall seed. Tucker leads the nation with an aggregate average of 1190.2, and Shaner ranks fourth with an 1185.0. The Wildcats have put together a strong season, finishing as GARC Co-Champions. Their lone loss on the season came at the hands of the Rebels in Oxford, 4727-4713.
Looking to defend their national title, the TCU Horned Frogs have established themselves as one of the top programs in the country. Making its 15th consecutive appearance at the national championships, the Frogs should not be counted out. Defending individual title holders Kristen Hemphill and Liz Marsh provide veteran experience, and sophomore standout Stephanie Grundsoee leads the team with an 1188.6 average. TCU also fired the top score in the NCAA earlier this season with a mark of 4738.
After not shooting in the fall, the Mountaineers are back searching for their nation-best 20th national championship in rifle. West Virginia has been one of the most consistent teams this season. The Mountaineers handed Ole Miss it's only regular season loss this year, after WVU posted the second-best score in the country with a 4737.
Alaska Fairbanks has been on the rise in the second half of the season. The Nanooks recently eclipsed the 4700 mark, firing an impressive 4720 at home in January. Ole Miss and Alaska Fairbanks shot in Oxford in the fall, with the Rebels winning on center shots after both teams turned in identical team scores of 4697.
Memphis is coming off a strong fifth-place finish at the GARC Championship match. The Tigers have been strong down the stretch, firing a season-best mark of 4698 in their qualifier. The Rebels squared off against Memphis twice this season, picking up victories in both matches.
Another GARC team in Nebraska will compete with the Rebels on the line. The Huskers have the seventh-best average in the nation, with a 4680.0, although they have come close to firing a 4700, turning in a 4699 at home.
Founding out the field of eight is Air Force. The Falcons finished as the Runner-Up at the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships, behind TCU. Air Force has consistently posted scores in the upper 4690s this season.
For more information on Ole Miss rifle, follow the Rebels on Facebook (OleMissRifle), Twitter (@OleMissRifle), Instagram (@OleMissRifle) and at OleMissSports.com.
It will mark the first time the Rebels have competed as a team for a national championship since the 2005-06 season, where they placed sixth overall. This season, Ole Miss earned its spot in the championship after putting together an impressive resume that included a share of the Great America Rifle Conference Championship and a program-best 11 wins during the regular season.
The Rebels completely rewrote the record books this season, setting school records in aggregate team score (4734), air rifle team score (2383) and smallbore team score of 2361, which was also an NCAA record. Ole Miss is one of four teams to post a score of 4730 or better in competition this season, proving that it can shoot with the nation's top programs. Additionally, its average aggregate score of 4707.9 was a 39.2-point improvement from last season's average (4668.7).
While it's already been a season to remember, Ole Miss is looking to cap off the 2020-21 campaign with some hardware at the NCAA Rifle Championships.
Through the regular season, freshman Lea Horvath paced the team. The Komarom, Hungary, native ranks third in the nation with an 1186.8 average. Sophomore Kristen Derting also sits inside the top 10 with an 1178.3 average. Juniors Erin Walsh and Jillian Zakrzeski also had solid seasons. The duo ranks in the top 25 individuals in the nation.
Abby Buesseler rounds out the Rebels counters. The Minnesota product and 2020 All-American qualified as an individual for the NCAA Rifle Championship last season in smallbore but was unable to compete when the championship contest was canceled. Now back at the event with her entire team, Buesseler and the Rebels look to take advantage of the opportunity to compete.
On Friday, the teams will compete in smallbore, a discipline that the Rebels have looked strong in all season. In fact, all five counters for Ole Miss received All-GARC Honors in smallbore as the team averaged a mark of 2336.3 this season. Horvath, Derting and Zakrzeski have all fired scores of 590 or better at some point this season, while Walsh and Buesseler have recorded season bests of 589 and 588, respectively.
The following day, the field will wrap up competition with air rifle, where Ole Miss owns an average of 2371.7. Horvath once again leads the Rebels in this discipline this season. She fired the 12th perfect score in NCAA history on Jan. 30 and has multiple 599s in recent weeks. All five counters in Buesseler, Derting, Walsh and Zakrzeski also have averages of 590 or better.
All five athletes from Ole Miss will compete on the second relay each day. The full event schedule is listed below:
Championship Schedule
Friday, Smallbore
Relay #1 – 8:15 a.m. CT
Relay #2 – 12:30 p.m. CT
Finals – 3:45 p.m. CT
Saturday, Air Rifle
Relay #1 – 8:15 a.m. CT
Relay #2 – 12 p.m. CT
Finals – 2:45 p.m. CT
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Led by a pair of athletes who qualified to represent Team USA in Tokyo, Mary Tucker and Will Shaner, Kentucky comes into the match as the No. 1 overall seed. Tucker leads the nation with an aggregate average of 1190.2, and Shaner ranks fourth with an 1185.0. The Wildcats have put together a strong season, finishing as GARC Co-Champions. Their lone loss on the season came at the hands of the Rebels in Oxford, 4727-4713.
Looking to defend their national title, the TCU Horned Frogs have established themselves as one of the top programs in the country. Making its 15th consecutive appearance at the national championships, the Frogs should not be counted out. Defending individual title holders Kristen Hemphill and Liz Marsh provide veteran experience, and sophomore standout Stephanie Grundsoee leads the team with an 1188.6 average. TCU also fired the top score in the NCAA earlier this season with a mark of 4738.
After not shooting in the fall, the Mountaineers are back searching for their nation-best 20th national championship in rifle. West Virginia has been one of the most consistent teams this season. The Mountaineers handed Ole Miss it's only regular season loss this year, after WVU posted the second-best score in the country with a 4737.
Alaska Fairbanks has been on the rise in the second half of the season. The Nanooks recently eclipsed the 4700 mark, firing an impressive 4720 at home in January. Ole Miss and Alaska Fairbanks shot in Oxford in the fall, with the Rebels winning on center shots after both teams turned in identical team scores of 4697.
Memphis is coming off a strong fifth-place finish at the GARC Championship match. The Tigers have been strong down the stretch, firing a season-best mark of 4698 in their qualifier. The Rebels squared off against Memphis twice this season, picking up victories in both matches.
Another GARC team in Nebraska will compete with the Rebels on the line. The Huskers have the seventh-best average in the nation, with a 4680.0, although they have come close to firing a 4700, turning in a 4699 at home.
Founding out the field of eight is Air Force. The Falcons finished as the Runner-Up at the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships, behind TCU. Air Force has consistently posted scores in the upper 4690s this season.
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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