Lyons Reveals 2015-16 Rifle Schedule
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 15, 2015) – Four late-season matches at the WVU Rifle Range highlight the 2015-16 West Virginia University rifle schedule, revealed today by WVU Director of Athletics Shane Lyons.
The three-time defending NCAA champion Mountaineers will face five of the nation’s top-eight teams from last season, including matches in Morgantown against national championship runner-up Alaska-Fairbanks on Jan. 12 and Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) rival Kentucky on Feb. 6.
“I think this schedule will set the team up for another successful season,” said 10-year Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond. “We will face many familiar opponents this year, as well as some of the nation’s top teams, which will challenge us on a weekly basis.”
The Mountaineers open the season with a cross-country trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado, Oct. 10-11, for shoulder-to-shoulder matches against Air Force and Nebraska. WVU’s match against the Huskers will be its first GARC competition of the year; the Mountaineers are the six-time reigning conference champions.
“A lot of the student-athletes have traveled to Colorado before, but no one has shot at Air Force, so this will be a fun season-opening trip,” explained Hammond.
Following a two-week break, the squad returns to the road for a pair of GARC matches, shooting at Memphis on Oct. 31 and at Mississippi on Nov. 1. The team concludes its season-opening road trip with a shoulder-to-shoulder match against Murray State at the Akron Invitational on Nov. 7. The competition will serve as a preview for the 2016 NCAA Rifle Championships, as the Zips will hold the invite inside the Louis and Freda Stile Athletics Fieldhouse, the site of the national championships.
WVU closes its fall season with two matches at the WVU Rifle Range, opening the home slate against GARC foe Army on Nov. 14 before welcoming Ohio State on Nov. 21.
The Mountaineers open their spring season with the aforementioned match against the Nanooks. WVU and UAF split results in a pair of regular-season matches in Fairbanks last year before the Mountaineers secured their nation-best 17th NCAA title in UAF’s home venue on March 14.
Three of WVU’s final four regular-season matches will be at the WVU Rifle Range: Jan. 17 against Akron, Jan. 30 against NC State and Feb. 6 against UK. The squad also will travel to Navy on Jan. 23.
“Hosting Alaska and Kentucky at the WVU Rifle Range certainly gives the team an advantage, but we’d be just as happy facing both teams on the road, too,” said Hammond. “We’re always looking for challenges near the end of the season to prepare us for the NCAA Championships, and both of those matches will help us.”
The Mountaineers will play host to VMI in an NCAA qualifying match on Feb. 20 before traveling to Oxford, Mississippi, for the 2016 GARC Championships, Feb. 27-28, at Mississippi’s Patricia C. Lamar National Guard Readiness Center. The Mountaineers will then shoot for their fourth straight NCAA title in Akron March 11-12.
“The NCAA Championships will be held in our backyard this year, and we’re certainly looking forward to those logistical advantages,” Hammond said. “We’ve traveled to Akron several times over the last few years, and we’re familiar with the setting and the environment. Additionally, shooting at the Invitational in November will provide us with a unique preview of the competition environment we can expect at NCAAs. Hopefully, we’ll be able to take advantage of our opportunities.”
WVU went 11-1 last season and collected three titles: the GARC regular-season and championship titles, as well as the NCAA title. All six returning student-athletes have won at least one All-America honor, with senior Garrett Spurgeon owning a team-best eight awards.
2015-16 WVU Rifle Schedule
Date Opponent Place Time
Oct. 10 at Air Force Colorado Springs, Colo. All Day
Oct. 11 vs. Nebraska* Colorado Springs, Colo. All Day
Oct. 31 at Memphis* Memphis, Ky. All Day
Nov. 1 at Mississippi* Oxford, Miss. All Day
Nov. 7 vs. Murray State Akron, Ohio All Day
Nov. 14 Army* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Nov. 21 Ohio State Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Jan. 12 Alaska-Fairbanks Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Jan 17 Akron* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Jan. 23 at Navy* Annapolis, Md. All Day
Jan. 30 NC State* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Feb. 6 Kentucky* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Feb. 20 NCAA Qualifier Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Feb. 27-28 GARC Championships Oxford, Miss. All Day
March 11-12 NCAA Championships Akron, Ohio All Day
* - Great American Rifle Conference opponent
All home matches expected to begin at 8 a.m.
All match dates subject to change
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVURifle on Twitter.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 15, 2015) – Four late-season matches at the WVU Rifle Range highlight the 2015-16 West Virginia University rifle schedule, revealed today by WVU Director of Athletics Shane Lyons.
The three-time defending NCAA champion Mountaineers will face five of the nation’s top-eight teams from last season, including matches in Morgantown against national championship runner-up Alaska-Fairbanks on Jan. 12 and Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) rival Kentucky on Feb. 6.
“I think this schedule will set the team up for another successful season,” said 10-year Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond. “We will face many familiar opponents this year, as well as some of the nation’s top teams, which will challenge us on a weekly basis.”
The Mountaineers open the season with a cross-country trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado, Oct. 10-11, for shoulder-to-shoulder matches against Air Force and Nebraska. WVU’s match against the Huskers will be its first GARC competition of the year; the Mountaineers are the six-time reigning conference champions.
“A lot of the student-athletes have traveled to Colorado before, but no one has shot at Air Force, so this will be a fun season-opening trip,” explained Hammond.
Following a two-week break, the squad returns to the road for a pair of GARC matches, shooting at Memphis on Oct. 31 and at Mississippi on Nov. 1. The team concludes its season-opening road trip with a shoulder-to-shoulder match against Murray State at the Akron Invitational on Nov. 7. The competition will serve as a preview for the 2016 NCAA Rifle Championships, as the Zips will hold the invite inside the Louis and Freda Stile Athletics Fieldhouse, the site of the national championships.
WVU closes its fall season with two matches at the WVU Rifle Range, opening the home slate against GARC foe Army on Nov. 14 before welcoming Ohio State on Nov. 21.
The Mountaineers open their spring season with the aforementioned match against the Nanooks. WVU and UAF split results in a pair of regular-season matches in Fairbanks last year before the Mountaineers secured their nation-best 17th NCAA title in UAF’s home venue on March 14.
Three of WVU’s final four regular-season matches will be at the WVU Rifle Range: Jan. 17 against Akron, Jan. 30 against NC State and Feb. 6 against UK. The squad also will travel to Navy on Jan. 23.
“Hosting Alaska and Kentucky at the WVU Rifle Range certainly gives the team an advantage, but we’d be just as happy facing both teams on the road, too,” said Hammond. “We’re always looking for challenges near the end of the season to prepare us for the NCAA Championships, and both of those matches will help us.”
The Mountaineers will play host to VMI in an NCAA qualifying match on Feb. 20 before traveling to Oxford, Mississippi, for the 2016 GARC Championships, Feb. 27-28, at Mississippi’s Patricia C. Lamar National Guard Readiness Center. The Mountaineers will then shoot for their fourth straight NCAA title in Akron March 11-12.
“The NCAA Championships will be held in our backyard this year, and we’re certainly looking forward to those logistical advantages,” Hammond said. “We’ve traveled to Akron several times over the last few years, and we’re familiar with the setting and the environment. Additionally, shooting at the Invitational in November will provide us with a unique preview of the competition environment we can expect at NCAAs. Hopefully, we’ll be able to take advantage of our opportunities.”
WVU went 11-1 last season and collected three titles: the GARC regular-season and championship titles, as well as the NCAA title. All six returning student-athletes have won at least one All-America honor, with senior Garrett Spurgeon owning a team-best eight awards.
2015-16 WVU Rifle Schedule
Date Opponent Place Time
Oct. 10 at Air Force Colorado Springs, Colo. All Day
Oct. 11 vs. Nebraska* Colorado Springs, Colo. All Day
Oct. 31 at Memphis* Memphis, Ky. All Day
Nov. 1 at Mississippi* Oxford, Miss. All Day
Nov. 7 vs. Murray State Akron, Ohio All Day
Nov. 14 Army* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Nov. 21 Ohio State Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Jan. 12 Alaska-Fairbanks Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Jan 17 Akron* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Jan. 23 at Navy* Annapolis, Md. All Day
Jan. 30 NC State* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Feb. 6 Kentucky* Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Feb. 20 NCAA Qualifier Morgantown, W.Va. All Day
Feb. 27-28 GARC Championships Oxford, Miss. All Day
March 11-12 NCAA Championships Akron, Ohio All Day
* - Great American Rifle Conference opponent
All home matches expected to begin at 8 a.m.
All match dates subject to change
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVURifle on Twitter.
