LEXINGTON, Ky. — After shooting a school-record 597 in air rifle to lead No. 1 Kentucky to a NCAA-record breaking win over Memphis on Sunday, UK sophomore Emily Holsopple has been selected the UK rifle performer of the week, head coach Harry Mullins announced Tuesday.
“Overall, I was tickled pink for her,” Mullins said. “She deserves it. She deserves to have great days, just because of the hard work she gives on a day-in and day-out basis. The spirit of competition that she brings to events is very rewarding to see. We are so proud of Emily.”
Holsopple fired a school-record 597 in air rifle to help UK set an NCAA record with a 4711 total team score on Sunday vs. Memphis. The native of Wilcox, Pa., fired three 100s in air rifle, with three 99 scores.
“In air rifle, she was still in some excruciating pain on Sunday,” Mullins said. “It was a very solid performance for her all the way around, from start to finish. For her to stay focused when she came off the line with a 200 and then to stay focused and get back out there and shoot more 10s is great. Some people are scared when they come off the line with a 200, but she wasn’t. To give every shot the effort that it deserves is a tremendous accomplishment.”
In smallbore, Holsopple fired a 587 in smallbore, the second-best score on the club on Sunday. Holsopple fired a 200 in prone to get her day started. Henri Junghänel set the school record with his smallbore score on Sunday, firing a 589.
“I was very excited for Emily,” Mullins said. “A 587 in smallbore is her high in collegiate competition, probably a personal best for her. She has had two months worth of rehab working with her muscles, hips and lower back. She has been doing sometimes three hours worth of rehab a day and fight through some pain in order to shoot. And for her to be able to do that in smallbore is great.”
On the year, Holsopple has totaled a 593.50 average in air rifle and a 583.33 average in smallbore.
“If you talked to her she would probably say she left some points out there, but she should be excited,” Mullins said. “She is that quality of a shooter. I wouldn’t be shocked to see her with that score of higher this year. She is a top-notch shooter in the nation and this was one of those days that she kept control of herself. It is now just a matter of continuing to show this and push herself into an even more elite level.”
Kentucky (3-0, 3-0 Great American Rifle Conference) returns to action on Nov. 12, traveling to Columbus, Ohio, for a pair of matches against Ohio State and Murray State.
