The University of Akron Athletics
Rifle Wins Sixth-Straight WIRC Title
February 22 | Rifle
The Akron Rifle team has earned its sixth consecutive Western Intercollegiate Rifle Conference Championship, edging favorite Ohio State and Morehead State to earn the title.
In the air rifle Ohio State gunner Amanda Furrer (392) took top gun award but Akron stole the show. Furrer was trailed by Akron's finest, including sophomores Ryan Stein (391) and Sarah Benjamin (390) as well as junior Brittany Jones (388). The performance by Stein equals the school record in the 40 shot competition and is a career-high score for Stein. Two other Zips, including freshman Adam Auclair (373) and sophomore Allisa Martin (375) also fired career high marks. The Zips fired 1552 in the air rifle, shattering the previous school record by 15 points (1537 in 2008).
The smallbore rifle division belonged to the favored OSU squad which saw the Buckeyes finish first (2288). OSU's Furrer maintained top gun honors with a score of 589 ahead of Morehead State junior Elizabeth Lyon (575). UA's Benjamin would pace the Zips, firing 573 to earn the number three slot. Morehead State captured second place (2258) while the Zips finished third (2248).
The All-Championship teams were announced with Benjamin and Stein garnered spots among the First Team All-WIRC Air Rifle honorees while sophomore Zachary Szabo was named to the second team All-WIRC Air Rifle squad. The trio were also recognized in the smallbore division with Benjamin taking a spot on the First Team while Gerevics and Stein were both named to the second team.
"This is Olympic rifle the likes of which our school has never witnessed," states head coach Newt Engle, "The team has been working very hard to put up some big numbers and that all paid off at the right time this weekend."
The Zips are absent from the range this week but return on March
6th as they travel to the United States Coast Guard Academy in New
London, Conn. to compete in the Mid Atlantic Rifle Conference
Championships.
WIRC Championship Team
First Team All-WIRC (Air Rifle)
Sarah Benjamin
Ryan Stein
Second Team All-WIRC (Air Rifle)
Rebecca Gerevics
First Team All-WIRC (Smallbore)
Sarah Benjamin
Second Team All-WIRC (Smallbore)
Ryan Stein
Zachary Szabo
