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Kentucky Rifle impresses at USA Shooting National Championships
By Julia Dyer, UK Media Relations
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The
Kentucky rifle team’s seven representatives shined at the USA Shooting
National Championships for Rifle/ Pistol in Bennington, Ga., this past
weekend. The Wildcats finished with one national champion and multiple
top-10 finishers in both open and junior events.
“Overall I
thought we did really well for the week,” UK head coach Harry Mullins
said. “We competed very well during the finals. I think that is a
tribute to the hard work the team has put in through the past few
months leading up to this event. I feel that it is a great place to
start the summer and gives us a little fuel for the fall.”
Sophomore
Connor Davis soared, taking gold in the Men’s Open National
Championships with a score of 1263.9. He also took the title of Junior
National Champion in Air Rifle with a score of 1255.9. The 20-year-old
native of Shelbyville, Ky., earned a spot on the USA Shooting National
Team for air rifle thanks to his success.
Another impressive
outing in men’s air rifle came from junior Cody Manning, who placed
third in 10m Junior’s Air Rifle with a score of 1236.8 and eighth in
Men’s Open Air Rifle with a score of 1232.8.
“I had a bunch of
performance goals and score goals, and I met all of them,” said
Manning. “I was pleased to perform on a big stage the way I wanted to.
It was nice to see the extra work, after the NCAA season that I put in,
pay off.”
Assistant coach Amy Sowash and senior Emily Holsopple
had stellar performances, as well. Sowash finished second overall in
Women’s 10m Air Rifle with 840 scoring average. Holsopple was close
behind with a score of 823.2, putting her in fifth place. Holsopple
scored 1180 to take second place at the Women’s 50mThree Position,
while Sowash finished fourth overall at 1178.
“We had a big
group down there,” assistant coach Amy Sowash said. “It’s one of the
biggest groups we’ve sent down there in a long time, and they all did
excellent. We had lots of [personal records], lots of people in finals,
people winning finals and making world cup teams, lots of blue on the
podium. I think that’s something special, when you send that many
people, to see success across the board.”
Sowash, Holsopple and
Davis all qualified to compete in the fourth and final ISSF World Cup
Stage in Granada, Spain, in July due to their strong finishes.
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