Rifle Posts Improved Scores In Last Two Matches

FORT WORTH, Texas – University of Memphis rifle head coach Dan Hermsmeier called it.

After a couple of subpar performances in early October, the Tigers first-year mentor said that his shooters were going through some growing pains with the new training techniques, and he was beginning to see some fruit from that in the team's practices. He also said he expected the scores to "pop" pretty soon.

Hermsmeier, a seven-time All-America performer himself, was correct in his assessment as the Tigers showed drastic improvement score-wise at their most recent matches against TCU and Nebraska. Memphis shot a season-high 4663 aggregate against the Horned Frogs and followed that with a 4640 versus the Cornhuskers.

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The Tigers hope to carry their hot shooting into their next match Nov. 11 when they welcome top-ranked and defending NCAA champion West Virginia to the Bluff City. Memphis and the Mountaineers square off at 8 a.m. (CT) at the Memphis Rifle Facility.

Head coach Dan Hermsmeier
"We were really pleased with the road trip. We had some good performances, and we're starting to see that carry-over from the training. Everybody contributed in both matches."

(On jump in the national poll)
"It was good to see us move up in the rankings. The move to No. 8 has given the team both a little satisfaction that all of their hard work is paying off and also a little motivation that they can do even better. The season is not close to halfway done, so we'll have other opportunities to raise our scores so they we can qualify for the postseason in March."

Tigers Tidbits

With their scores in Fort Worth, the Tigers jumped from No. 18 to No. 8 in this week's Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) poll.
Memphis' 4663 aggregate against TCU was the squad's best since it shot a 4667 at the Jacksonville State Gamecock Invitational last November.
The Tigers' 4663 aggregate blew away their previous season-best of 4612 in the Ole Miss Open.
Sophomore Levi Clark tied a career-best in smallbore with a 584 vs. TCU. He also shot a 584 vs. West Virginia last season.
Clark shot a 1166 aggregate vs. TCU, marking the sixth time in his career he shot a 1165 or better. His career-high is 1171 vs. West Virginia in 2016-17.
Senior Haylea Broughton shot a 578 smallbore score vs. TCU, which was her highest in the discipline since she shot a 579 at last season's Jacksonville State Gamecock Invitational.
Broughton also posted an aggregate score of 1165, her best performance since she shot a 1166 at Navy last season.
Junior Leighton Dempster posted a career-high 593 air rifle score vs. TCU. Her previous-best was a 591 in the Tiger Open earlier this season.
Dempster also recorded a 1159 aggregate score vs. TCU. The aggregate result was her best since she posted a 1166 at last season's Withrow Invitational at Murray State.
Senior Makennon Doran logged a 588 air rifle score, which was his best since he shot a career-high 590 at the 2017 NCAA Sectional Qualifier.
Freshman Adriana Hickerson shot a season-best air rifle score vs. Nebraska (593). A day earlier vs. TCU, Hickerson logged a 590 score, which was her season-high at the time.
Freshman Matt Dorey posted season-highs in both disciplines. He shot a 573 in smallbore vs. TCU and followed with a 582 in air rifle vs. Nebraska.

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Players Mentioned

Haylea Broughton

Levi Clark

Leighton Dempster

Makennon Doran

University of Memphis Athletics