Murray State University Athletics
Friday, March 10
Columbus, Ohio
8:45 a.m.
Murray State
vs
Smallbore
Players Mentioned
Rifle Sets Sights On NCAA Championship This Weekend
3/9/2017 1:48:00 PM | Rifle
The Murray State rifle team will begin its quest for a third NCAA national championship on Friday when it opens competition at the 2017 NCAA Rifle National Championship at the French Field House in Columbus, Ohio. The smallbore portion of the event will take place on Friday, followed by air rifle and the declaration of a champion Saturday.
The third-ranked Racers will be making their 31st appearance at the championship and third in as many years. They currently sit in second, along with Alaska-Fairbanks, in all-time appearances with West Virginia leading the way at 34.
Joining Murray State in the field of eight teams this season will be the four-time defending national champions West Virginia, Alaska-Fairbanks and TCU. MSU's in-commonwealth rival Kentucky was also one of eight teams selected to the championship with Air Force, Nebraska and the host Buckeyes rounding out the field.
The Racers have claimed the NCAA national title on two different occasions, in 1985 and 1987, and finished as runners-up in 1986 and 1988. Outside of that four-year span, the best finish for Murray State as a team is third, a feat which it accomplished in 1992, 2003 and last season in 2016.
While the ultimate prize is the team championship, there are individual national titles on the line as well, with the Racers having seven stored in their trophy case. Pat Spurgin is the only Racer to win both the smallbore and the air rifle titles, capturing the former in 1984 and the latter in 1985. Since then, no other MSU shooter has ever won the smallbore title, but five have won the air rifle crown, with the last being Morgan Hicks in 2004.
This season has been one for the ages for Murray State as it claimed its 12th OVC championship and second in a row last month. Throughout the season, the Racers broke or tied a school team or individual record nine times, including setting the NCAA Smallbore record on Oct. 30 with a score of 2353.
Three juniors and two sophomores will comprise Murray State's squad in their quest for a third national title in 2017. This year's OVC Smallbore Athlete of the Year junior Ivan Roe leads the way for MSU as he currently averages team highs in all three scores with a 588.1 in smallbore, a 594.2 in air rifle and an 1182.0 aggregate. All three of those averages are on pace to be school records at the end of the season.
Sophomore MacKenzie Martin and junior Ben Estes follow Roe with aggregate averages of 1175.8 and 1171.0, respectively. Meanwhile junior Robert Broadstreet is currently averaging an aggregate score of 1167.8 with sophomore Barbara Schläpfer not far behind at 1167.6.
Live scoring, provided by the Civilian Marksmanship Program, and live video, provided by the NCAA, will be available throughout the event with links posted at GoRacers.com.
The third-ranked Racers will be making their 31st appearance at the championship and third in as many years. They currently sit in second, along with Alaska-Fairbanks, in all-time appearances with West Virginia leading the way at 34.
Joining Murray State in the field of eight teams this season will be the four-time defending national champions West Virginia, Alaska-Fairbanks and TCU. MSU's in-commonwealth rival Kentucky was also one of eight teams selected to the championship with Air Force, Nebraska and the host Buckeyes rounding out the field.
The Racers have claimed the NCAA national title on two different occasions, in 1985 and 1987, and finished as runners-up in 1986 and 1988. Outside of that four-year span, the best finish for Murray State as a team is third, a feat which it accomplished in 1992, 2003 and last season in 2016.
While the ultimate prize is the team championship, there are individual national titles on the line as well, with the Racers having seven stored in their trophy case. Pat Spurgin is the only Racer to win both the smallbore and the air rifle titles, capturing the former in 1984 and the latter in 1985. Since then, no other MSU shooter has ever won the smallbore title, but five have won the air rifle crown, with the last being Morgan Hicks in 2004.
This season has been one for the ages for Murray State as it claimed its 12th OVC championship and second in a row last month. Throughout the season, the Racers broke or tied a school team or individual record nine times, including setting the NCAA Smallbore record on Oct. 30 with a score of 2353.
Three juniors and two sophomores will comprise Murray State's squad in their quest for a third national title in 2017. This year's OVC Smallbore Athlete of the Year junior Ivan Roe leads the way for MSU as he currently averages team highs in all three scores with a 588.1 in smallbore, a 594.2 in air rifle and an 1182.0 aggregate. All three of those averages are on pace to be school records at the end of the season.
Sophomore MacKenzie Martin and junior Ben Estes follow Roe with aggregate averages of 1175.8 and 1171.0, respectively. Meanwhile junior Robert Broadstreet is currently averaging an aggregate score of 1167.8 with sophomore Barbara Schläpfer not far behind at 1167.6.
Live scoring, provided by the Civilian Marksmanship Program, and live video, provided by the NCAA, will be available throughout the event with links posted at GoRacers.com.
Coach Rechelle Turner | Women's Basketball Press Conference | 9/29/2025
Monday, September 29
Players Briley Pena & Haven Ford | Women's Basketball Press Conference | 9/29/2025
Monday, September 29
Coach Jody Wright | Racer Football Press Conference | 9/29/2025
Monday, September 29
Conlee Crossno Bye Week Press Conference
Tuesday, September 23
