WVU Sports Information Release:
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (June 7, 2013)– West Virginia University rising senior Chance Cover finished first in the class A men’s 50m rifle prone competition, yesterday, at the 2013 USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle and Pistol, at the Shooting Range of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit in Fort Benning, Ga.
The Ardmore, Okla., native finished first in his class, 36th overall, with a two-day aggregate total of 1231.0. Cover shot 613.7 on Wednesday and 617.3 on Thursday.
Cover’s title was his second of the week, as he also won the class A men’s 3 positions competition with an aggregate score of 2284.
Rising sophomore Garrett Spurgeon placed fifth in the junior men’s division, 23rd overall, with a score of 1236.2 (617.1, 619.1). Rising junior Thomas Kyanko shot 1224.0 (610.3, 613.7) and finished 47th.
Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond earned his second straight visitor title, as he placed 10th with a score of 1244.6 (621.9, 622.7). Hammond, ineligible to shoot in the discipline finals, also finished as the high visitor and 10th overall in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions on Tuesday with a score of 2320.
Former Mountaineer Eric Uptagrafft, a two-time Olympian for the United States, placed fourth overall with an aggregate score of 1250.8. Uptagrafft shot 624.1 on Wednesday and finished third with a 183.5 score, earning him six extra points. He shot 620.7 on Thursday.
Additionally, 2010 WVU graduate Bryant Wallizer finished 31st with a score of 1233.8 (615.3, 618.5).
USA Shooting is utilizing new National Championship and U.S. Team selection procedures for the championships, and finals will be held for the Olympic events. New relays will be held each day, as well as a separate finals, and the national champion will be crowned on the basis of an aggregate of the two-day scores plus additional points for placing in each day’s final (eight points for first, seven points for second, six points for third and so on for all final positions).
Competition continues today with the men’s 10m air rifle.