Murray State University Athletics
Racers place third at OVC Champs
2/20/2005 6:00:00 AM | Rifle
Murray State was second in the smallbore competition with a 2300 score out of a possible 2400 and third in air rifle with a 2299 out of a possible 2400.
Jacksonville State won the conference title with a 4656 aggregate (smallbore and air rifle combined) score. Tennessee Tech was second at 4609, followed by Murray State at 4599, Tennessee-Martin's Men's Team at 4512, Tennessee-Martin's Women's Team at 4440, Morehead State's Men's Team at 4419 and Morehead State's Women's Team at 4309.
Jacksonville State won both the smallbore (2330) and air rifle (2236) competitions. Tennessee Tech was second in air rifle (310) and third in smallbore (2299).
Individually for Murray State, junior Alex Culbertson and freshman Cameron Hicks tied for fifth in the smallbore competition with scores of 580 out of a possible 600, while freshman Dan Belluzzo was tied for eighth with a 574.
In air rifle, senior Robert Purdy was fifth with a 584 out of a possible 600, while Hicks was ninth at 576 and Culbertson was 10th at 574.
Hicks finished with an aggregate of 1156 out of a possible 1200, firing a 580 in smallbore and a 576 in air rifle, while Culbertson finished with an 1154, shooting a 580 in smallbore and a 574 in air rifle, and Belluzzo had an 1139, firing a 574 in smallbore and a 565 in air rifle. Purdy shot a 584 in air rifle, while senior Mike Gardner shot a 566 in smallbore.
Joseph Hall of Jacksonville State had the highest aggregate at 1180 out of a possible 1200, winning the air rifle competition with a 593. James Hall of JSU won the smallbore competition with a 590. Each won Athlete of the Year honors in their competitions, while Ron Frost of JSU won OVC Coach of the Year.
Earning All-OVC recognition were James Hall (590), Joseph Hall (587), Ryan Headlee of Tennessee Tech (583) and Chris Dautel of Tennessee Tech (581) in smallbore and Joseph Hall (593), Kari Baldwin of JSU (586), Jaymi Collar of Tennessee-Martin (586) and Daultel (585).
Murray State now waits to see if it will take part in the 2005 NCAA Rifle Championships on March 10-12 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
