Rifle Preview: Withrow Invitational

Saturday, January 26

Murray, Ky.

All Day

University of Memphis

Withrow Invitational

Photo by: Trey Clark

Jan 25, 2019 | Rifle

Tigers travel to state of Kentucky for a second-straight week.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis rifle team is back on the road to the state of Kentucky for a second-straight weekend, this time to Murray, Ky., for the annual Withrow Invitational.

The Withrow Invitational runs over the entire three-day weekend (Jan. 25-27), and the Tigers are scheduled to shoot Saturday. Memphis' relays begin at 7 a.m. (CT). The Tigers are joined in the Withrow Invitational field by host Murray State, Kentucky, Jacksonville State, North Georgia, UAB and UT Martin.

The Tigers already have faced five of the six opponents in the Withrow Invitational earlier this season. The lone squad Memphis has yet to compete against is Murray State. Memphis is 7-1 against the other five programs, with two wins over Jacksonville State, UAB and UT Martin in the Tiger Open and Gamecock Invitational. The Tigers defeated North Georgia in the Gamecock Invitational and lost to Kentucky in a dual-match.

Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Poll

Rank	Team	Rank	Team
1.	TCU	11.	Jacksonville State
2.	West Virginia	12.	Akron
3.	Air Force	13.	Ohio State
4.	Kentucky	14.	NC State
5.	Murray State	15.	Morehead State
6.	Alaska Fairbanks	16.	Army
7.	Ole Miss	17.	Nevada
8.	*Memphis*	18.	UTEP
9.	Navy	19.	North Georgia
10.	Nebraska	20.	UT Martin

Tigers Tidbits

If there is a "home-away-from-home" for the Tigers, it's Murray State's Pat Spurgin Rifle Range. Memphis shot its second-highest team aggregate score there in last season's NCAA Sectional Qualifier.
Prior to her marks this season, Leighton Dempster set her career-bests in both disciplines and aggregate in last year's NCAA Sectional Qualifier, which was held at Murray State's Pat Spurgin Rifle Range.
Amberlie Ezell also set personal-bests at the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range last year. She shot a career-high 1169 aggregate in the 2018 Withrow Invitational. Ezell posted a career-best smallbore score and was one point shy of tying her air rifle career-high.
Memphis placed fourth in last year's Withrow Invitational. The Tigers shot their third-highest team aggregate of 2017-18 in the event.
Leighton Dempster enters this weekend's Withrow Invitational on a roll. She has posted a 1175 or higher aggregate in the previous four outings. Dempster shot a career-high 584 in smallbore versus Akron Jan. 20.
This weekend's trip to Murray, Ky., is the final road competition of the regular season. Memphis returns home to host Nebraska Feb. 3 and Ole Miss Feb. 9 in dual-matches before postseason action starts Feb. 16.