Rifle Picks Up Pair of Wins in NCAA Qualifier

Saturday, February 17

West Point, N.Y.

8:00 AM

Army West Point

4685

4347

NCAA Qualifer vs. MIT

Rifle Picks Up Pair of Wins in NCAA Qualifier

February 17, 2024 | Rifle

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point rifle team rolled to a pair of wins in its NCAA Qualifier in closing out its regular season 8-5 on Senior Day. It is the Black Knights' first winning season since a 7-6 showing in 2014-15, and their most wins in over ten years after rolling to a 10-3 mark in 2012-13.

The Army sharpshooters were dominant in both disciplines, outpointing the field with a 2323 score in smallbore, a 2362 showing in air rifle, tying its second-highest score of the season, for a 4685 aggregate outpointing both MIT's 4347 and Norwich's 4284.

Chris Jennings helped write the headlines in sending out Army's three seniors (Kyle Kutz, Anusha Pakkam and Claudia Sigel) on a winning note. Jennings was the overall top shooter of the match setting personal bests in air rifle (592) and aggregate (1176,) along with a 584 score in smallbore to claim the gold in each.

The Black Knights swept the top ten spots in the aggregate scoring and smallbore, along with claiming the first eight places in air rifle.

Kutz was second in smallbore (584) and the aggregate scoring (1172), along with posting a 588 mark to place fourth in air rifle. Briggs Moore earned the silver in air rifle (592), and the bronze in smallbore (579) and the aggregate scoring (1171).

In the aggregate scoring, Pakkam was fourth (1166), Ashton Arlington placed fifth (1156) followed by Sigel (1154) in rounding out the top six scorers.

Comprising the rest of the field in smallbore were Pakkam (576), fourth, followed by Arlington (575), Sigel (574), Bohan Yang (569), Gatlin James (568), Reagan Clark (565) and Ashton O'Connell (549).

Rounding out the rest of Army's final top eight in air rifle were Arlington fifth with a 581, followed by Sigel (580), O'Connell (579) and Clark (572).

Also setting personal bests today were James, both disciples along with aggregate, along with Yang in smallbore and aggregate.

"I am so proud of the underclassmen today," noted second-year head coach Leighton Dempster. "They brought great effort and intention to this match, and it resulted in multiple personal bests. "Even though the match didn't go the way we wanted, it was great to finish with a win for our Firsties who have contributed so much to the program's success, and to celebrate them was such a fun moment. They will be great officers upon graduation, and I am so thankful to be their coach!" "We have the GARC Championships at home next weekend, so we'll look to improve on some of our scores from today."

NEXT UP
Army is the host school for the GARC (Great America Rifle Conference) Championships Friday and Saturday at Tronsrue Marksmanship Center. The Black Knights (2-4in the conference) are among seven teams that include West Virginia (6-0), Kentucky (5-1), Ole Miss (2-4), Memphis (2-4), Navy (1-5) and Akron (3-3).