Devils Shoot NCAA Qualifier Match at Army

Brad Driscoll equaled his career best smallbore mark as the University of the Sciences rifle team competed in their NCAA Qualifier match at the Tronsure Marksmanship Center on the campus of the United State Military Academy in West Point, New York. 

The Devils shot 4300 for the match while Army shot 4643.  In determining the eight teams that qualify for the NCAA championship, this match counts as 50% towards the team's final average added to the average of three regular season match scores (with not more than one match at any given site).   The teams with the top eight averages will compete at the NCAA National Championships hosted by Columbus State University and held at Fort Benning in Georgia.  The Devils did not qualify while the Black Knights of Army did. 

Driscoll turned in a smallbore score of 577 (100, 99 prone; 95, 91 stand; 95,97 kneel) to finish as the Devils top smallbore shooter and have the third best score of the match behind Army's Kelly Buck (586) and Richard Calvin (578).   Sam Fowler was the Devils second high smallbore scorer, also recording a career high with a score of 556 (97, 98 prone; 89, 92 stand; 94, 86 kneel).  

The Devils three remaining designated scorers were Tim Wu, Nicole Churchill and Maura Andrews.   Wu shot 496 (92, 95 prone; 65, 73 stand; 84, 87 kneel) while Churchill shot 492 (86, 95 prone; 78, 75 stand; 77-81 kneel).   Andrews shot 464 (86, 89 prone; 66, 72 stand; 78, 73 kneel).  Only the top four scores amongst the five designated scorers count towards the final team score.   

Two other shooters on the Devils squad shot career highs in smallbore with Allen Whisler turning in a score of 509 (93, 95 prone; 77, 71 stand; 89, 84 kneel) and Kyle Leath a score of 497 (93, 91 prone; 68, 79 stand; 86, 80 kneel). 

Moving onto air rifle, Churchill and Wu shot career highs in the match.  Churchill shot 538 (85, 90, 90, 86, 95, 92) while Wu shot 514 (80, 86, 89, 93, 80, 86).  Driscoll and Fowler as the trend has been all season were the Devils top two finishers.   Driscoll shot 574 (94, 97, 95, 100, 95, 93) while fowler shot 553 (94, 93, 92, 90, 93, 91).  Andrews rounded out the Devils five designated air rifle scorers shooting 472 (80, 81, 80, 75, 79, 77). 

The mixed rifle team will be competing at the upcoming Mid Atlantic rifle Conference championships held at the United States Naval Academy on February 26, 2011.