WVU Rifle Club member, Nicole Allaire, was named a 2004 All-American in both smallbore and air rifle by the National Rifle Association. The honorees were announced this week in Murray, Ky., at a ceremony following the NCAA Rifle Championships.
Allaire, who was in attendance for the All-American reception, said,I’m really happy to be a four year All-American. In some ways this year means a little bit more since I had to work a whole lot harder just to be able to compete. On the other hand, it was sad to be on the sidelines at the NCAAs when for the first time in history West Virginia was not competing in the NCAA rifle championships.
The NRA chooses All-Americans primarily on season average and considers student-athletes who compete on club teams as well as students-athletes from NCAA teams. The NRA began naming collegiate rifle All-Americans in 1936 and remains the only organization that publishes a list of All-Americans. Allaire, a sport psychology major from Kearny, N.J., was recognized as first team All-American in smallbore rifle and second team in air rifle. Total All-American honors for her collegiate career include five first team and and three second team selections. Allaire transferred to WVU in 2001 after competing two years at Nebraska. In 2000, her freshman year, she won the NCAA National Individual Smallbore Championship.
Former WVU Rifle Coach and now WVU Rifle Club Advisor, Marsha Beasley, said,I am so glad to see Nicole honored. I find it very impressive she was able to keep her scores among the best in the country given the difficulties faced this year. Not only did Nicole have to come to terms with the University dropping her sport from NCAA status, she invested a lot of time and energy in forming and leading the WVU Rifle Club.
Nicole was involved in every facet of club operations. She scheduled competitions and handled travel arrangements, everything from making reservations and picking up rental vehicles to driving on trips and paying bills. She became the primary club spokesperson and responded to dozens of media requests. She spent weekends at gun and outdoor shows passing out gun safety literature and raising money,Beasley continued.
In 2003 Allaire became the 65th WVU Rifle Team member to earn All-American honors while at WVU . The first was Bruce Meredith who was named to the first team in 1960 and 1961. A total of 294 All-American selections have been earned by WVU rifle shooters. Meredith, who went on to compete on four Olympic Teams, is one of 12 WVU rifle team alumni who have competed in the Olympics.
Allaire, who will graduate from WVU this summer, has already been selected to be a member of the U.S. Army Shooting Team. She plans to sign her enlistment papers this month. She will join WVU rifle team alumni Mike Anti, Trevor Gathman and Tim Manges at Fort Benning, Ga., after completing required Army training.
2004 National Rifle Association Collegiate All-American Rifle Teams
Smallbore First Team Matthew Albright
U.S. Naval Academy
Junior Nicole Allaire
West Virginia University
Senior Joseph Hein
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Junior Morgan Hicks
Murray State University
Senior Hannah Kerr
Xavier University
Junior Karl Olsson
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Senior Matthew Rawlings
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Freshman Ryan Tanoue
University of Nevada at Reno
Junior Matthew Wallace
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Junior Bradley Wheeldon
University of Kentucky
Seniorp.
* Smallbore Second Team
Misty Chanek
University of Nebraska
Sophomore
Paul Charbonneau
United States Military Academy
Junior
Vicki Goss
University of Kentucky
Sophomore
James Hall
Jacksonville State University
Sophomore
Christopher Hill
U.S. Air Force Academy
Sophomore
Jason LaBella
Rose-Hulman University
Senior
Michael Miller
U.S. Naval Academy
Junior
Jason Nutter
Norwich University
Senior
Robert Purdy
Murray State University
Junior
Kevin Simon
Jacksonville State University
Senior
p.
* *Smallbore Honorable Mention
Kristina Fehlings
University of Nebraska
Freshman
Richard Gauvin, Jr.
Xavier University
Sophomore
Jeffrey Hamberg
University of Kentucky
Junior
Melissa Downsborough
University of Nebraska
Senior
p.
* *Air Rifle First Team
Matthew Albright
U.S. Naval Academy
Junior
Paul Charbonneau
U.S. Military Academy
Junior
Kristina Fehlings
University of Nebraska
Freshman
James Hall
Jacksonville State University
Sophomore
Joseph Hein
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Junior
Morgan Hicks
Murray State University
Senior
Hannah Kerr
Xavier University
Junior
Matthew Rawlings
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Freshman
Ryan Tanoue
University of Nevada at Reno
Junior
Bradley Wheeldon
University of Kentucky
Senior
p.
* *Air Rifle Second Team
Nicole Allaire
West Virginia University
Senior
Kari Baldwin
Jacksonville State University
Sophomore
Kate Benjamin
University of Memphis
Freshman
Sarah Bergman
U.S. Naval Academy
Freshman
Misty Chanek
University of Nebraska
Sophomore
Vicki Goss
University of Kentucky
Sophomore
Karl Olsson
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Senior
Robert Purdy
Murray State University
Junior
Christopher Schneider
U.S. Naval Academy
Freshman
Elizabeth Tidmore
University of Memphis
Sophomore
p.
* *Air Rifle Honorable Mention
Holly Caraway
University of Nevada at Reno
Sophomore
Melissa Downsborough
University of Nebraska
Senior
Marta Jung
U.S. Naval Academy
Senior
Brian Watson
Xavier University
Freshman
*Season Averages of Honorees:
Smallbore
First Team
1179.451167.50
Second Team
1167.091158.60
Honorable Mention
1157.901156.67
Air Rifle
First Team
397.62389.55
Second Team
389.20387.09
Honorable Mention
386.56386.10
* NRA Distinguished College Coach* Gary Deboy, Rifle Coach, Jacksonville State University James Sweeney, Pistol Coach, The Ohio State University
Outstanding Service to Collegiate Shooting Sports Duston Saunders, Pistol Coach, U.S. Military Academy James Thorp, Rifle Coach, Virginia Military Academy