July 6, 2010
Columbus State University Named Site of 2011 NCAA Rifle Championships
Columbus, Ga. – Columbus State
University's inaugural rifle season garnered wide attention in 2010
when shooter Jonathan Hall won
the NCAA individual national championship. The program now
will gain attention on a much bigger scale.
The NCAA has awarded hosting rights for the 2011 NCAA National
Rifle Championship to Columbus State University. The event will be
held jointly at the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) at Fort
Benning and at the Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center on the Columbus
State campus. The event will take place the week of March
9-12, 2011, with the small-bore competition at USAMU and the
air-rifle competition at the Lumpkin Center.
"We are thrilled to award Columbus State University the
opportunity to host the 2011 Men's and Women's National Rifle
Championship," said Newt Engle, head rifle coach at Akron
University and chair of the NCAA Rifle Committee.
"Coming to the home of the Cougars and partnering with the
world famous U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit promises to bring us one
of the most exciting and eventful NCAA Championships ever. Every
member of the NCAA Rifle Committee is thankful to Columbus State
University for their willingness to host this significant event in
the lives of our nation's premier rifle athletes," he added.
This is the second time that Columbus State University has
hosted a team national championship event (Division II Golf
Championship, 1987) and the first time that Fort Benning and the
Army Marksmanship Unit have hosted an NCAA Championship.
"We heard the NCAA was looking for a host for this championship
for 2011 and it really caught our attention," said Jay Sparks, CSU
Athletic Director. "We weren't sure if they would seriously
entertain a bid from an upstart program like ours, but thought it
could be a great way to gain national attention for our university,
our rifle program, the Columbus community, and for Fort
Benning."
"We feel as if we have won a lottery with being chosen to host
this event," Sparks added.
Sparks, head rifle coach Mike Greene, USAMU's Sergeant Michael
Moore and assistant AD Mike Peacock began researching the event and
what it would take to host. CSU President Dr. Tim Mescon was fully
in support of the effort, and Greene worked with Fort Benning
officials – even meeting with Lieutenant General Benjamin
Freakley on a visit to Fort Benning in the early spring. Freakley
is the Commanding General of the U.S. Arm Accessions Command
– the unit in charge of the Army's recruiting efforts. That
meeting solidified the Army's support and partnership for the
championship.
"If it were not for the U.S. Army and the Army Marksmanship
Unit, we would not have this opportunity to host this event," said
Greene. "The Army is planning to make this a great event with some
great opportunities for the participants. It is a great opportunity
to showcase our university, our city, and the outstanding
facilities at Fort Benning."
Mescon echoed those sentiments. "The exceptional partnership
between Columbus State University and Fort Benning creates truly
world-class venues for the 2011 NCAA Rifle Championship. We have
already benefited from the alliance with the Army Marksmanship Unit
and look forward to building on the success of our
nationally-ranked rifle team."
The USAMU complex is one of the top competitive shooting
venues in the world, having hosted numerous competitions in all
aspects of shooting from shotgun to rifle to pistol at the local,
regional, national, and international levels.
"We are extremely happy and excited to co-host this great
event with Columbus State University," said Capt. Howard Rice of
USAMU. "We appreciate this opportunity and feel like it is a great
opportunity to showcase the Army and also to promote shooting as a
sport."
"We plan to make this a great event for the participants and
will have Army Experience Day on March 9 where the participants
will get to experience first-hand some of the training and
experiences of soldiers, including Striker vehicle rides, jumps on
the Ranger jump towers, and live fire exercises. We are looking
forward to making this a great experience for the competitors,"
Rice said.
CSU did not qualify for the 2010 championship as a team, but
Hall competed as an individual and brought home a national title in
the school's first season of competition.
"Jon Hall's championship was a good motivator for our team, but
to have the championship come here to our home is even more
motivation for our team to raise the bar and qualify this year.
This will be an unforgettable experience for all of us," said
Greene.
The week will include the small-bore competition on Friday,
March 11, at USAMU's Poole Complex, and then the air rifle
competition on Saturday, March 12, in the Lumpkin Center Arena.
Team and individual national champions will be crowned on each
day.
