The University of Akron Athletics
Rifle Claims Third Consecutive WIRC Championship
February 26 | Rifle
AKRON, Ohio - Fueled by a one-point victory in
the air rifle competition, the University of Akron rifle team
claimed its third consecutive Western Intercollegiate Rifle
Conference championship this weekend in Columbus, Ohio.
The Zips, who took top honors in the smallbore with a team score of
2,234 to edge Morehead State, slipped past Ohio State University by
the slimmest of margins. UA out-shot the host Buckeyes 1,514 to
1,513.
"In rifle, each shot is worth 10 points and each athlete shoots 40
shots," said UA head coach
Newt Engle. "Each team
consists of four pre-selected shooters, allowing for the
possibility of a total team score of 1,600 points. So, if just one
of those 160 shots fired by either team had been 1/16th of an inch
either way, the results may have been much different."
In the championship match, Akron brought home five of the to 10
slots, led by sophomore
Julie DeBrita (Scotia,
N.Y./Scotia Glenville), who finished in a three-way tie for first
place (566 out of 600) and settled in the number two position after
a tie breaker. The Zips also claimed four of the top 10 slots in
the air rifle and was paced by junior
Stephanie Elmore (Salem,
Ore./Blanchet), who finished second with a score of 386 out of
400.
Individually, the Zips captured five of the top 10 slots of the
smallbore season averages, led by senior
Laura Kuntz (Columbiana,
Ohio/South Range), who maintained a season average of 568.5 - good
for the top ranking in the WIRC.
Overall, six Zips shooters earned all-conference honors in the
smallbore with four shooters garnishing first-team accolades,
including seniors
Angie Engle (Mogadore,
Ohio/Firestone) and Kuntz, Elmore and DeBrita. Junior
Megan Reinking (Fort Wayne,
Ind./Concordia Lutheran) and freshman
Marybeth Brewer (Royal Oak,
Mich./Berkley) were named to the second team.
Six of the top 10 air rifle season averages went to the Zips, led
by sophomore
Melissa Lussier (Clinton,
Conn./Middletown), who finished second in the league with a 383.5
average. Three UA shooters were named to the all-WIRC air rifle
first team, Lussier,
Michael Tokarz (Lewisburg,
W.Va./Greenbrier East) and Brewer. Akron also placed an equal
number on the second team with Reinking and DeBrita earning those
honors.
The Zips, who compete in two conferences, will next prepare for the
Mid-Atlantic Conference championship on March 3 at the U.S. Naval
Academy.
All-WIRC Smallbore Teams
First Team
Julie DeBrita, Akron
Angie Engle, Akron
Stephanie Elmore, Akron
Laura Kuntz, Akron
Kevin Mulligan, Morehead State
Second Team
Marybeth Brewer, Akron
Dave Cloutier, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology
Matt Hanak, Morehead State
Megan Reinking, Akron
E. Williams, Univ.-Missouri-Kansas City
All-WIRC Air Rifle Teams
First Team
Marybeth Brewer, Akron
Kelly Lake, Ohio State
Melissa Lussier, Akron
Michael Tokarz, Akron
E. Williams, Univ.-Missouri-Kansas City
Second Team
Dave Cloutier, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology
Stephanie Elmore, Akron
Julie DeBrita, Akron
Steven Nozaki, Ohio State
Megan Reinking, Akron
WIRC CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM RESULTS |
|
| Smallbore Competition |
|
| 1. University of Akron |
2,234 |
| 2. Morehead State |
2,201 |
| 3. Grand Valley State |
2,188 |
| 4. Rose Hulman Institute of Technology |
2,186 |
| 5. Ohio State University |
2,162 |
| 6. Univ. of Missouri-Kansas City |
2,141 |
| 7. University of Michigan |
1,898 |
| 8. Purdue University |
1,690 |
| WIRC CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
RESULTS |
|
| Air Rifle Competition |
|
| 1. University of Akron |
1,514 |
| 2. Ohio State University |
1,513 |
| 3. Morehead State |
1,490 |
| 4. Univ. of Missouri-Kansas City |
1,484 |
| 5. Rose Hulman Institute of Technology |
1,471 |
| 6. Grand Valley State |
1,466 |
| 7. University of Michigan |
1,419 |
| 8. Purdue University |
1,038 |
