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

2026 NRA ARC MD SUMMIT 1
2026 NRA ARC MD SUMMIT 1

NRA Announces 2026 America’s Rifle Challenge Match Director Summit

NRA launches the 2026 ARC Match Director Summit, a hands-on, three-day training experience designed to elevate competition leadership, safety and match quality nationwide.

How To Watch Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Biathlon Events

A complete viewer’s guide to Olympic biathlon at Milan Cortina 2026, including TV and streaming schedules, race formats, scoring rules and what makes each event unique.

Powell Leads Remington Podium Run at RC Cup

Team Remington swept the RC Cup Main Event and stacked podiums across multiple events as the NSCA season opened in Palm City, Florida.

Where Endurance Meets Precision: Olympic Biathlon at Milan Cortina 2026

Olympic biathlon merges rifle precision and endurance, where missed shots reshape races and Milan Cortina 2026 sets the stage for the sport’s ultimate test.

Milan Cortina 2026: Deedra Irwin Chasing Team USA’s First Olympic Biathlon Medal

Deedra Irwin enters Milan Cortina 2026 as one of Team USA’s top hopes for its first Olympic biathlon medal.

Review: TriStar Arms KR22 Rimfire

TriStar Arms enters the rimfire market with the KR22, a budget-friendly .22 LR rifle offering 10/22 magazine compatibility and modern features.

Interests



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