Team News

Liberty University’s rifle team placed second among collegiate club teams in both the Air Rifle and Smallbore competitions at last month’s Zippy Open hosted by the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio.

Senior Kristen Gagne finished second individually in the Air Rifle event as both she and sophomore Claudia Weber shot above their average from last season in that event.

In a field of 164 shooters, Gagne finished 29th overall and second among collegiate club competitors with a total of 582, firing rounds of 99, 97, 96, 95, 96, and 99 to finish just four points behind Akron’s winning Logan McClimans (586).

Akron won the collegiate club team competition with 2,306 points, 52 more than Liberty (2,258).

Lady Flames freshman Elizabeth Gilroy and Erica Cruz, a graduate student, both fared well in their first collegiate events.

McClimans (571) also edged Gagne (566, 36th out of 142 overall competitors) to claim the individual collegiate club title in Smallbore, with Weber shooting a 556 total (63rd best). Liberty posted a 2,185 team score in the Smallbore event for an aggregate total of 4,443.

“I am very pleased with the team’s results at the Zippy Open,” Head Coach Marlene Gray said. “The team’s overall score is a good place to start the season. They know what areas they need to work on to prepare for our first Western Intercollegiate Rifle Conference (WIRC) monthly postal match this month.”

The first Smallbore postal event is set for Oct. 13 at Liberty home rifle range at Safeside Tactical, where newcomers Victoria Sangston, a sophomore, and freshmen Eddie Rea, Nicholas Golia, and William Gritton, will make their Liberty debuts. The first Air Rifle Postal will be held Oct. 27 at Liberty’s Air Rifle Range in the Club Sports Olympic Practice Facility, formerly the Liberty Mountain Skate Park in Candlers Station.

Video edited by Kylee Lilge/Club Sports Video & Media Coordinator