Larsen Named GARC Shooter of the Year, Cats Receive Conference Awards

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Freshman Henrik Larsen has been named the Great American Rifle Conference Shooter of the Year, it was announced at the conference championship’s awards banquet Friday night.
 
“It’s always exciting when you have the Shooter of the Year, that’s a pretty cool deal,” head coach Harry Mullins said. “Making the All-Conference teams in our conference says a lot because you’re running with a bunch of All-Americans. It’s a very special thing for the folks that have achieved the goals and is a good reflection of the season. It makes you proud as a coach for your athletes to be able to be selected for that.”
 
In addition to being named First Team in all categories, Larsen also won Rookie of the Year for the conference. The Mysen, Norway, product led the GARC in smallbore (592.86), air rifle (596.86), and combined (1189.714) averages over the seven conference matches he competed in, which is at least one less than majority of the field. Larsen claimed the conference’s top honor over Olympic Gold Medalist Ginny Thrasher, who finished second in the combined standings a full seven points behind. Across First Team All-GARC smallbore, air rifle and combined, Larsen is the only individual from any school other than West Virginia to make the squads.
 
Wildcats made up most of the of the second team in combined with Hanna Carr (1172.667), Cathryn Papasodora (1167.750) and Billy Azzinaro (1166.375) claiming three spots. Carr was also named Second Team All-GARC in smallbore with a 582.50 average and air rifle with 590.17 despite missing two more matches than the others that nabbed the honor. Papasodora also received second-team honors in air rifle with her various performances this season that took her to a 590.75 average in the discipline.
 
Jason Spaude and Papasodora received honorable mention in smallbore while Azzinaro and freshman Hailee Sigmon received it in air rifle.

*Graphic credit to Erin Harville/UKAthletics
 
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