Rifle has first ever NCAA participant!

[zippyrifle32]

The NCAA sectionals were shot on the weekend of February 14 & 15 and the selections were announced today. I would estimate that the team finished around #15 like they have for several years in a row now, but freshman Jenna Compton had an amazing qualifier and has been invited as an individual. NCAA Rifle Selections (teams and individuals)

Feb. 24, 2009INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Rifle Committee announced today the team and individual qualifiers for the 2009 National Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Rifle Championships.Texas Christian University will host the championships, which will be held March 13-14 in Fort Worth, Texas at the TCU Rifle Range and the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.A total of 48 competitors were selected for the championships. The top eight teams in both the smallbore three-position and air rifle events were selected based on the average of the three highest regular-season aggregate scores with no more than one match at any given site. The average of the three highest scores was added to the aggregate scores from the designated qualifiers to determine the top eight teams.Team Qualifiers (Smallbore Three-Position and Air Rifle)University of Alaska FairbanksJacksonville State UniversityUniversity of KentuckyUniversity of Nevada, RenoTexas Christian UniversityU.S. Military AcademyU.S. Naval AcademyWest Virginia UniversityIndividual Qualifiers (Smallbore Three-Position)Thomas Chandler, U.S. Air Force AcademyLayne Lewis, University of Alaska FairbanksJen Pason, University of KentuckyKyle Smith, West Virginia UniversityIndividual Qualifiers (Air Rifle)Josie Burzynski, University of Texas at El PasoJenna Compton, University of AkronMeredith Holman, University of MississippiAlix Moncado, University of Texas at El PasoColleen Tillson, University of MississippiIndividual and team competitions in smallbore three-position (60 shots) will be held Friday, March 13. Individual and team competitions in air rifle (60 shots) will be held Saturday, March 14. The overall team champion will be determined by combining the smallbore and air rifle team totals into one aggregate score for each institution.The Alaska Nanooks rifle team came back from a 6-point deficit to post a 10-point win over second-place finisher Army at the 2008 rifle championships in West Point, New York. This was the Nanooks 10ty title victory, but the trophy wasn’t all they took home as six different Alaska shooters claimed eight All-American honors. For more information about the 2009 rifle championships, go to www.ncaa.com.

[RifleBusDriver]

Not really the first ever, but certianly the first in quite a long time.Compton Earns Invite to NCAA’sZips freshman hotshot, Jenna Compton has earned an invitation to the NCAA national rifle championships held at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth Texas on March 13 and 14. Less than two weeks ago, Compton captured a gold medal by finishing in first place with the air rifle at the NCAA qualifier held at The Ohio State University. Her score of 587 was not only good enough to earn gold, but has ranked her as one of the top 15 collegiate air rifle athletes in the nation. Compton has two weeks to tune up and prepare for the trip to Texas being the first to represent Akron at the NCAA’s since 1979. “This could not be happening to a more deserving athlete,” states head rifle coach Newt Engle, “Jenna works very hard for each and every point and is completely dedicated to the success of the team.” The good news about Compton’s invitation is amazingly timed only days before the Varsity A Association is holding the Varsity A Sports Hall of Fame banquet where rifle alum Mark Beres will be inducted as the latest Zips rifle member to enter the prestigious Hall of Fame. Complete story in the attachment. GO ZIPS!

P090224_NCAA.pdf

[Zipmeister]

When are we going to get a new firing range so that we can recruit the type of shooters we need to capture an NCAA title? Do you think it would be possible to convert the new football stadium into a firing range and move those big lunks back to the Rubber Bowl?

[zippyrifle32]

lol... I think it was mentioned at one time to put a new range in there, but then they ran out of space and it was nix'ed. Akron held a national junior air rifle in the field house a couple years back, so there would be no question as to what a new range (if built right) could bring to campus. BusDriver could give you better specifics... especially if you were willing to be a financial backer

[zippyrifle32]

Not really the first ever, but certianly the first in quite a long time.

hmm... maybe I am mistaken. The NCAA rifle history page only goes back to 1980, and I read elsewhere that that it was in 1980 when the NCAA officially took over the championship.

[RootforRoo44]

This is awesome...good luck to Jenna!

[Z.I.P.]

This is awesome...good luck to Jenna!

Woo-Hoo! Way to go SuperFrosh. She's the Zeke Marshall of Air Rifle. Armed and Dangerous.

[Zipsrifle]

This is really great news! I feel that the team has been on the cusp of getting into the National Championship matches for about the past 5 years now, but can never get a break. I think that Jenna is just the beginning! As for the range, I too would love to see a new one, but don't see this happening any time soon given all the recent construction. Newt has been doing a really amazing job of upgrading the existing range with what little funds he has.