Rifle Starts 2015-16 Season This Week

Wednesday, September 30

Oxford, Miss.

9 am CT

University of Memphis

Ole Miss Open

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Sep 29, 2015 | Rifle

Team to compete at Ole Miss Open, hosts Tiger Open.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis rifle squad begins its 2015-16 campaign with the Ole Miss Open and Tiger Open this week. The Tigers, ranked No. 10 in the preseason Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) poll, compete in the Ole Miss Open Wednesday, Sept. 30 and then shoots in their home opener, the Tiger Open, Sunday, Oct. 4.

Memphis starts its competition at the Ole Miss Open Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. (CT). Results of both tournaments will be available Sunday late afternoon.

"We'll be facing some really good competition this week," said head coach Butch Woolbright, who is in his 23^rd season at the helm of the program. "There will be several top-10 teams shooting both at Ole Miss and here, so we'll face some strong tests early."

Last year, the Tigers posted two top-five finishes in the season-opening events. Memphis placed fifth at the Ole Miss Open and second at the Tiger Open. The team's 4661 aggregate score at the Tiger Open was the program's highest in the home event.

2015-16 Preview
The 2015-16 Tigers have a good mix of veterans and newcomers, and it's a squad that Woolbright enjoys.

"I feel good about my team," Woolbright said. "I like the chemistry of this team. I'm looking forward to this season."

Leading the way in 2015-16 are senior Beth Lee and junior Amy Fister. Both were members of the 2013-14 Memphis squad that placed fourth at the NCAA Championships.

Lee posted a career-best aggregate score (1177) and placed in the top-10 in both smallbore and air rifle at the 2014 NCAA Championships. Last season, Lee had career-best averages for smallbore (573.4) and aggregate score (1160.1) and recorded an aggregate score of 1160 or higher eight times.

In addition to her 2014 NCAA Championships appearance, Fister also competed as an individual in smallbore at the 2015 national championship event. She placed 20^th in smallbore at the NCAA Championships and recorded career bests for air rifle (589) and aggregate score (1168) at the NCAA Sectional.

Sophomore Haylea Broughton made a name for herself early in her collegiate career. As a freshman, she set the school air rifle mark with a 596 against Kentucky. Broughton was one of the team's top-two shooters in seven matches and also posted eight top-five finishes in air rifle, including three first-place performances.

"Beth and Amy both are steady and dependable," said Woolbright. "We'll count on them as we have the past couple of seasons. Haylea gave us some solid performances a year ago, and we look to have more of the same this season."

Sophomores Makennon Doran and Eli Rischling showed improvement the second half of 2014-15. Doran raised his aggregate score seven points over the season's final six matches, and he and Rischling both set season highs in both disciplines and aggregate score in the last month of the campaign.

"Makennon has picked up where he left off last season," Woolbright said. "Eli's progress has been hampered due to an arm injury. The injury has affected his practice time. Eli's getting better, and I hope he's back at full strength by the end of October."

The Tigers added three newcomers to the 2015-16 squad in junior transfer Jack Berhorst and freshmen Sierra Czap and Leighton Dempster. Berhorst transferred to Memphis from Murray State, where he shot for two seasons. Berhorst has 13 collegiate matches under his belt and, although new to Memphis, he has valuable NCAA Division I experience.

Czap set two Air Force national records in precision class as a member of Franklin County High School's Air Force JROTC program, which competed in the U.S. Air Force National Championships in 2014 and 2015. Dempster won the 2015 Louisiana women's air rifle crown and was a member of championship teams with the West Feliciana Shooting Clovers, Louisiana Juniors and Tangipahoa Parish 4-H/Tangi Top Shots.

"Jack has been a pleasant surprise," said Woolbright. "Sierra and Leighton have turned it up in practice recently. They're both getting close to where I thought they could be."

After this week's Tiger Open, Memphis has three additional home matches. The Tigers host Army Oct. 18, three-time defending NCAA champion West Virginia Oct. 31 and Navy Nov. 14.