WVU Rifle Team Wins 10th Consecutive GARC Championship

by
posted on February 25, 2019
** 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. **
wvu1.jpg
With an aggregate score of 4715, the No. 4-ranked West Virginia University rifle team was crowned GARC (Great American Rifle Conference) champions for the 10th consecutive time at the University of Akron's Stile Athletics Field House in Akron, OH.

WVU won the smallbore title with a 2342 score, additionally winning air rifle with a score of 2373. This victory gives the team a conference-high 13 total GARC championships.

The undefeated WVU team was also the 2018-2019 GARC regular-season champions.

WVU rifle team wins GARC chapionship
The West Virginia University rifle team receiving the GARC team championship trophy.

The 2019 GARC Shooter of the Year, WVU rifle team senior and Olympic gold medalist Ginny Thrasher earned a third consecutive air rifle title with a score of 249.4. She will graduate with five career GARC championship titles under her belt.

"We're happy with the overall results," WVU rifle team coach Jon Hammond said, adding, "It probably wasn't our strongest air rifle showing, but that's okay because we now know where we can improve as we continue to prepare for the NCAA Championships."

Two-time NCAA smallbore rifle champion Morgan Phillips, a junior on the WVU rifle squad, won the GARC individual smallbore title with a score of 461. She is pictured at the top of this article.

Nebraska finished second with a two-day score of 4666, while No. 2 Kentucky placed third with a score of 4663. Host school University of Akron Zips finished in fourth place with a score of 4655. No. 6-ranked U.S. Naval Academy placed fifth with a score of 4652.

No. 10 Ole Miss finished in sixth place with a 4648 score, with No. 8-ranked Army (4647), Memphis (4643) and NC State (4622) rounding out the GARC Championship leaderboard.

WVU will host the 2019 NCAA Rifle Championship on March 8-9 at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, WV, utilizing the university's new mobile range. Tickets are on sale now at NCAA.com/tickets.

Photos courtesy of WVU Athletic Communications

Latest

AG Prsbag 1
AG Prsbag 1

Armageddon Gear’s Precision Rifle Case For Competition Shooters

A rifle case that transports suppressed bolt action rifles without disassembly, using 1/2 inch mil spec foam, heavy zippers and US made materials

SIG Sauer P322-COMP: Built to Dominate Steel Challenge

SIG Sauer’s P322-COMP is a factory race gun built for Steel Challenge

Lanny Barnes Defends High Lady Title at 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

Lanny Barnes wins High Lady at NRA World Shooting Championship for second year, finishing 14th overall

Results: 2025 NRA National High Power Rifle OTC Championship in Wisconsin

Kenny Lankford wins big at the 2025 NRA High Power OTC Championship with a Remington 700 bolt-action rifle chambered in .223 Wylde

What’s In Your Range Bag, Joey Sauerland?

Joey Sauerland shares what’s in his range bag and how he became a USPSA National Champion just 3½ years after first picking up a gun

Monsters and BB Guns: Daisy’s Smart Target System is Backyard Fun Reimagined

The Daisy Smart Target System fuses real BB gun shooting with augmented reality monster battles in your backyard. Welcome to the future of marksmanship

Interests



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