Scholastic Pistol Program Sets Record with Collegiate Nationals
OutdoorHub 03.21.14
The Scholastic Pistol Program (SPP) continues its pattern of record-setting events with the 2014 SPP Collegiate National Championships hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) on March 14-16. As part of the 4th Army Strong Experience at Fort Benning, Ga., this match became the largest college action-shooting match in the country.
The Collegiate Championships saw nearly 100 shooters from 24 squads compete for national titles in both Centerfire and Rimfire divisions. Student athletes from Eastern Kentucky University, University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, U.S. Military Academy (West Point), University of Vermont (UVM), University of Wisconsin – Platteville, and Yale participated in the match.
In the Centerfire division, the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit (CCMU) Maroon Squad took home its first SPP National Championship Trophy with a record-setting score of 186.57. Last year’s champions from the University of Kentucky took 2nd over the USMA-West Point Black Squad, which placed 3rd in Centerfire.
The Rimfire division was closely contested, with less than 10 seconds separating 1st and 3rd places. The Kentucky Rimfire Squad A took home the Gold medal. The Texas A&M CCMU Maroon A Squad won Silver, and taking the Bronze medal was UVM Squad B.
Beginning in 2014, SPP is awarding individual recognition with High Over All (HOA) and High Lady in both divisions at national and regional matches. Centerfire HOA was Matt Hawes of Texas A&M Corps of Cadets with a score of 41.88. Rimfire HOA was Simon Miller – University of Kentucky at 46.40. High Lady Centerfire was Laura Michalak – UVM with 57.78, and High Lady Rimfire was Andrea Abed – Florida State at 53.45.
This is the second year SPP Collegiate National Championships have been the guest of the USAMU. The Unit’s Commander, LTC Don King, Jr., and Action Team members SFC Todd Pace, SSG Lee Dimaculangan, SSG Brandon Welch, and SGT Curtis Yetman were on hand to ensure the college teams had a great national championships.
Assisting with this year’s record-setting College Nationals were Team GLOCK members KC Eusebio and Tori Nonaka, GLOCK employees Bryan Murphy and Carlie Winegar, as well as Ed Fitzgerald, Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) Board of Trustees member and GLOCK SPP liaison. Local Safety Officers Jerry Bland, Jack Taft, and Anthony Winegar joined SPP staffers Scott Moore and Tammy Mowry, completing the match crew.
