Sept. 14, 2012
WEST POINT, N.Y. -
After closing out the 2011-12 campaign with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Rifle championships, to include runner-up honors in smallbore, Army's rifle team was picked fifth in the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association preseason poll for 2012-13.
Defending NCAA champion TCU received 275 points followed by Kentucky (261), West Virginia (257), Alaska Fairbanks (237) and Army (219) in rounding out the top five in a field of 20 ranked teams. The Wildcats, the Mountaineers and Black Knights are members of the Great America Rifle Conference, which has been well represented at the NCAA Championships over the past several years.
Army's service academy rivals, Air Force and Navy, placed 12th (136) and 15th (83), respectively.
Senior William Mengon, a two-time NCAA participant, provides the leadership for a talented crop of returnees as the Black Knights look to earn their 10th straight bid in to the national championships in 2013. Army returns eight letterwinners from last year's 9-3 squad, to include five of six who competed at the NCAA Championships. Graduation claimed three members of last year's squad, to include three-time All-American Kelly Buck.
Among the top returnees are juniors Michael Matthews and Joseph Todaro, who earned second-team NRA All-America honors in smallbore. Matthews garnered runner-up honors in that discipline at the NCAA Championships as Army took second behind Kentucky. The Black Knights won the GARC team title in smallbore after edging defending champion West Virginia.
Army ushers in the fall portion of its 2012-13 schedule hosting the three-time defending GARC champion Mountaineers on Sunday, Oct. 7, 9 a.m. at Tronsrue Marksmanship Center. West Virginia finished two spots behind Army at the NCAAs, placing sixth.
CRCA Preseason Rifle Poll
1. TCU
2. Kentucky
3. West Virginia
4. Alaska-Fairbanks
5. ARMY
6. Ole Miss
7. Jacksonville State
8. Murray State
9. Nevada
T10. Ohio State
T10. Nebraska
12. Air Force
13. UTEP
14. Memphis
15. Navy
16. Columbus State
17. Akron
18. NC State
19. Morehead State
20. Tennessee-Martin
Also receiving votes: Coast Guard, The Citadel
