Murray State University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Rifle Takes Home Bevy of Postseason Awards
3/12/2019 12:18:00 PM | Rifle
The Murray State rifle team was well represented in the 2019 collegiate rifle postseason awards including a top-award for student-athletes, two All-Americans and recognition for coaches and administrators, as well.
The first major award went to senior Barbara Schläpfer as she was named as the Rifle Athlete of the Year by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association. Schläpfer finished the regular season with highest smallbore average in the nation at 1182.3, while also posting the country's third-best air rifle average at 594.9. The senior also had the best aggregate average in the NCAA this season, shooting an 1182.3. Her final air rifle average of 594.3, which includes the NCAA Championship, will go down as a new school record.
In other individual honors, Schläpfer was also named as a first-team All-American by the CRCA, while fellow senior MacKenzie Martin earned second-team honors. In addition, both Racers were named as first-team Smallbore All-Americans, while Schläpfer was a first-team Air Rifle All-American as well.
With this year's honors, the MSU rifle team has had a student-athlete recognized as an All-American on 130 separate occasions. Of the 58 total student-athletes that have earned All-American recognition in Racer history, Schläpfer and Martin are now the 16th and 17th, respectively, to have done so in each year of their eligibility, thus earning the prestigious title of four-time All-American.
Academically, seven of this year's 10-person squad were also recognized as CRCA Scholastic All-Americans for achieving a GPA of at least 3.20. Seniors Alathea Sellars and Eric Sloan, juniors Shelby Huber and Meike Drewell, sophomore Dana Buesseler and freshmen Emily Fitzgerald and Anna Scheer all earned the award for the 2018-19 academic year.
Finally, head coach Alan Lollar and senior associate athletic director Matt Kelly were also honored for their continued service to the sport. Lollar was presented with the Distinguished College Coach Award, while Kelly received the Outstanding Service to Collegiate Shooting Sports award for his 15-plus years of service as a rifle team administrator and for his time on the NCAA rifle committee.
