FORT BENNING, Ga. —Tom Csenge continued his impressive summer, as the UK freshman shooter captured the junior air rifle and smallbore titles at the USA Shooting National Championships, held last week in Fort Benning, Ga.
?This was an excellent opportunity for the team to get some good competitive experience,? Kentucky head coach Harry Mullins said. ?The USA Shooting National Championships always attract some of the best shooters in the world and to have our team perform so well says a lot about the talent level of the squad. Tom Csenge continues to develop into one of the best shooters in the world and his performances in Fort Benning is another testament to his hard work and dedication.?
Csenge claimed the junior air rifle title and the junior smallbore title with impressive finishes, good enough to notch a second place finish in the grand overall division. The Keene, N.H. native, posted an impressive 1275.6 air rifle total and an equally excellent 2397.7 smallbore total. Despite winning both gun categories, Csenge lost the tiebreaker in the grand overall division, finishing second.
Joining Csenge in Georgia were several Wildcat teammates, including sophomore Andrew Roland. Roland finished with a respectable fifth-place finish in smallbore with a 2385.8 total and a 14th-place finish in air rifle with an 1152 total score.
?Andrew Roland had an excellent showing, along with Jen Pason, Ashley Jackson, and Leslie Angeli,? Mullins said. ?Pason, Jackson, and Angeli are all becoming really excellent shooters who are starting to figure out what it takes to become great shooters. I am very proud of all of them and am excited for the upcoming season.?
Freshmen shooters Jen Pason, Ashley Jackson, and Leslie Angeli also represented UK in the competition. Pason, the reigning Great American Rifle Conference Rookie of the Year, tallied a 17th-place smallbore finish and a 27th-place air rifle finish. Jackson finished a team high 11th in air rifle (773) and came in 20th in smallbore with an 1132. Angeli, a Hersey, Pa. native, finished in 20th in air rifle and 24th in smallbore.
?This competition will provide us an excellent learning opportunity for the upcoming season,? Mullins said. ?I am very proud of the team and I know that they will utilize this experience to make the team better. The hard work that they put in will pay direct dividends towards the upcoming season.?
