Former WVU Rifle Standout Morgan Phillips Joins Memphis As Graduate Assistant Coach

by
posted on September 11, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
mp-3.jpg

Big news from the University of Memphis yesterday. The Wildcats announced that former West Virginia University (WVU) rifle team shooter and two-time NCAA smallbore champion Morgan Phillips has accepted a position with the rifle team as a graduate assistant coach.

Morgan Phillips
New Memphis rifle team graduate assistant coach Morgan Phillips. (Photo courtesy of WVU Athletic Communications)


Regular SSUSA readers will remember our first interview with Phillips in 2017, during her freshman year at WVU, where under head coach Jon Hammond, she helped the Mountaineers win the NCAA team rifle championship. She was also a member of the WVU rifle teams that finished as the NCAA rifle runner-up in 2018 and 2019. Additionally, Phillips was back-to-back NCAA individual smallbore rifle champion in 2017 and 2018.

She joins Memphis rifle team head coach Dan Hermsmeier, another member of the Jon Hammond coaching tree who helped the Mountaineers as a graduate assistant coach from 2014 to 2016.

"We have both spent considerable time in Morgantown under Mountaineers head coach Jon Hammond, so we will work very well together developing Memphis rifle into a championship-level team," said Hermsmeier.

Phillips is excited about her new role, particularly about sticking around competitive shooting, but this time as the teacher, rather than the student. In an interview with the Memphis Athletics website, she said:

"There is a great group of student-athletes here at Memphis," said Phillips. "I've only been here a few weeks working with them so far, and all the student-athletes work really hard and are very receptive to coaching. I see a lot of potential in them as they all are eager to learn. I'm excited to see where we can go."

As for the 2020-21 rifle season, the Memphis Tigers have more than new coach Morgan Phillips as an ace up their sleeve. Five student-athletes are returning to the team, which ranked No. 10 at the close of last season—the program's highest finish since 2016.

Lead photo courtesy of WVU Athletic Communications.


See more: The New Gold Standard: Ginny Thrasher

Latest

Mullers ARC July2025 1
Mullers ARC July2025 1

NRA Announces Dianna & Ryan Muller As Brand Ambassadors For America’s Rifle Challenge

NRA announces Dianna & Ryan Muller as brand ambassadors for America’s Rifle Challenge program, promoting AR-15 marksmanship, safety and training.

Eley’s New Trial Packs Let Competition Shooters Find Their Perfect Rimfire Match Ammo

Eley launches trial ammo packs to help shooters test and match precision .22 LR rounds to their firearms.

Ava Downs Captures Junior Olympic Trap Title On Home Turf

Hillsdale’s Ava Downs takes gold in women’s trap at the 2025 USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships hosted at the Halter Center.

Brandon Powell Claims 8th Georgia State Sporting Clays Title

Brandon Powell wins his eighth Georgia State Sporting Clays Championship, continuing his dominance with multiple top finishes at the 2025 tournament.

Vincent Hancock Claims 30th ISSF Medal As Team USA Dominates 2025 Lonato World Cup

Team USA shines at 2025 ISSF Lonato World Cup with golds from Vincent Hancock and Sam Simonton, plus silver for Dania Vizzi.

Jon Shue Clinches Third Straight NRA National Precision Pistol Championship Title

Shue continues his dominant streak in bullseye pistol shooting after 2025 NRA National Precision Pistol Championship victory.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.