Chezem Finishes Strong at World Championship Selection Match...
By Newt Engle, Rifle Head Coach (@ZipsRif) May 27, 2014, Rifle
The NCAA rifle season may be over, but for committed members of the Zips rifle program, the search for gold continues. The summer may be a time for rest and relaxation for many college students, but not for junior Matt Chezem. Focused on Rio in 2016, Chezem continues to train and go for the gold. As a member of the US Olympic Development Team, Chezem spent a week in Fort Benning, Ga., competing in a selection match against both current and past Olympic champions. This match consisted of competitions in Air Rifle, 3 Position Rifle, and Prone Rifle. At the conclusion of the matches, Chezem proved he is capable of running with the best of the best. He finished 12thoverall in 10 meter Air Rifle, ninth overall in 50 meter 3 Position Rifle and eighth overall in 50 meter Prone Rifle.
Matt Chezem
Keep in mind this was is not a simple weekend rifle match. This was a special match sponsored by USA Shooting who invited only the best of the best in the United States to come together and battle it out for a spot on the USA team to compete in the World Championships in Granada, Spain in September. Even though Chezem did not make the cut for the World Championship team, he did finish strong and represented himself and the Akron Zips in proud fashion.
As you can imagine, it does not stop here for Chezem. He will
now go to the US Olympic training center in Colorado Springs to
train for a few weeks before he returns to Fort Benning in late
June for the annual USA Shooting National Championships. Again,
Chezem will square off with hundreds of competitors from all across
the USA. Chezem will round up his summer at the NRA National
Championships in July where he finished as the No. 2 smallbore
athlete in the nation last year. Yes, that is No. 2 in the whole
country! Take a guess what he wants this year?
Chezem isn’t the only Akron team member on the move this summer. Teammate, junior Tim Hopkins was appointed as one of the prestigious camp counselors for the numerous programs sponsored across the nation by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). The CMP selects the top collegiate athletes from across the nation and has them present skill camps to upcoming junior rifle athletes at several locations across the country.
Tim Hopkins
The competition to get selected as a CMP counselor is fierce and only the best in the nation get the offer. Tim has worked very hard the last two seasons and will make an excellent addition to the CMP staff.
With the addition of some exciting new members to the rifle squad (more on that later) as well as the new skills learned by Chezem and Hopkins, Team Akron is looking forward to an exciting season starting in the fall of 2014.
New Rifle Member Succeeds at NRA Championships...
By: Sam Baldwin, September 3, 2013, Rifle
The 2013-14 Zips rifle season is just about a month away from the opener at the Mid-Atlantic Conference Open in Annapolis, Md., on Oct. 6. The team brings back 11 members of the 2012-13 roster, while also adding six newcomers.
One of the newest members of Zips rifle, sophomore Matthew Chezem, has already made a name for himself outside of shooting in the collegiate ranks. This summer, Chezem finished second in the nation at the NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships.
Shooting Sports USA recently published an in-depth article about the Championships, which can be seen here on page 27. Matthew is a strong addition to an Akron rifle team that looks to defend it MAC Smallbore Championship for the third year in a row.
