Kutz Earns 4th Place Finish in Smallbore at NCAAs

Friday, March 12

Columbus, Ohio

9:30 AM

Army West Point

NCAA Championships

Kutz Earns 4th Place Finish in Smallbore at NCAAs

March 12, 2021 | Rifle

Results

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Army West Point freshman Kyle Kutz earned a fourth place finish in the smallbore portion of the NCAA Championship held at Ohio State's Converse Hall on Friday.

"We are so proud of Kyle. He absolutely crushed it today," said Army head coach Web Wright. "He led the entire pack coming out of kneeling and prone and his standing performance was really good."

Kutz shot a personal best mark of 590 to advance to the finals. His total was one shy of tying Army's program record and was tied for the third highest mark in the match.

"I am so pleased with how today's performance went," Kutz said. Everything felt right. I had a great mindset going in. I was so close to the podium, but I will be back next year!"

"Kyle has been working on his mental game quite a bit with Dr. (Nate) Zinsser, and it has really paid off," Wright noted.

The Darien, Conn., native was tied for the highest score in kneeling with a mark of 199. He next shot a 199 in slings, which was the highest mark of the match. He closed out the round with a 192 in standing.

"I know he wanted more, but he was in really good company in the final four," Wright said. "He was shooting against three Olympians as a freshman. That's an outstanding accomplishment."

In the finals, Kutz had a score of 437.8, which was 9.5 points more than the fifth place finisher and 11.3 behind third place. He had the second highest mark by freshman, trailing just Ole Miss's Lea Horvath.