Clark Joins U.S. Team For World University Games

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Levi Clark, a junior on the University of Memphis rifle team, has been selected as a member of the United States squad that will compete in the 2019 World University Games, Army West Point head coach Web Wright announced Wednesday.

Wright is the U.S. team's head coach, and the squad shoots in the World University Games in Naples, Italy, July 3-14. The Shooting Sport portion of the Games is set for July 4-9. The Naples Shooting Center/Via Campegna is the host site for the Shooting Sport.

Clark, who placed sixth in smallbore at the NCAA Championships for a second-straight year in early March, was chosen as a result of his performance at the NCAA event. Clark is a member of a four-person team that also includes Georgia Southern's Rosemary Kramer, TCU's Elizabeth Marsh and Kentucky's Will Shaner.

"The athletes were selected on their performance at the 2019 NCAA Rifle Championships," said Wright. "They are the best collegiate shooters in the country and will make a formidable US team to compete in Naples. I selected the top eligible athletes, both male and female, from each of the disciplines at the NCAA Championships. Each of these athletes excelled in one or more of the rifle disciplines in Morgantown this year. They will be competing in both the air rifle and smallbore 3x40 competitions.

"Levi was the high scoring athlete in the men's smallbore qualification event, and then shot an impressive final to earn the spot on the team. I'm looking forward to working with him on this trip."

Clark is the first shooter in Tigers rifle program history to be selected for the World University Games. Clark is the first Memphis student-athlete to be chosen for the World University Games since women's track and field's Ashley Pryke represented Canada and men's tennis' Joe Salisbury represented Great Britain at the 2017 Games. He is also the seventh Tigers student-athlete to compete in the World University Games in the 21^stcentury. In addition to Clark, Pryke and Salisbury, other Tigers selected for the Games were: Courtney Collins (women's tennis) and Pauls Pujats (men's track and field) in 2011; Sivan Aballi (women's track and field) in 2007; and Earl Barron (men's basketball) in 2001.

Clark is the first Tiger to compete in the World University Games in Italy, as the country last hosted the event in 1997. The other 21^stcentury Tigers in the World University Games participated in Beijing, China (Barron, 2001); Bangkok, Thailand (Aballi, 2007); Shenzhan, China (Collins, Pujats, 2011); and Chinese Taipei (Pryke, Salisbury, 2017).

The World University Games selection continues an incredible 2018-19 for Clark. After his sixth-place finish in smallbore at the NCAA Championships, Clark was named a National Rifle Association (NRA) All-America second team pick. At the Great America Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships, Clark received All-GARC honorable mention recognition in both disciplines (smallbore, air rifle) and aggregate.

Clark, a Clackamas, Ore., native, led the Tigers in smallbore with a 581.4 average and shot a career-high 588 at the NCAA Sectional Qualifier. He recorded 1170 aggregates or higher four times in 2018-19, including a career-best 1179 in a home win over Nebraska Feb. 3. Clark finished the campaign with a 1169.1 aggregate average.

Clark helped lead Memphis to one of its best seasons under second-year head coach Dan Hermsmeier. The Tigers set team school records in smallbore (2332) and aggregate (4689) in winning Jacksonville State's Gamecock Invitational in late November. Memphis also posted its highest team aggregate at the GARC Championships since 2012.

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