Legion alumni on top-20 college rifle teams
(Photo by Eldon Lindsay)

Legion alumni on top-20 college rifle teams

Jamie (Beyerle) Gray is a popular name for The American Legion Junior Shooting Sports program — she’s the Legion’s 2002 Junior 3-Position Air Rifle National Precision Champion, and she’s a 2012 Olympic gold medalist for the women’s 50-meter rifle three-position shooting competition. But the Legion’s Shooting Sports program has many other notable alumni who currently shoot for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rifle teams.

The Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association released a poll last month on the top 20 — out of 33 — NCAA air rifle teams for the 2013 season. And the following 12 American Legion Junior 3-Position Air Rifle National Championship alumni compete on several of the top 20 teams:

West Virginia University (ranked No. 1): 2012 precision finalist Patrick Sunderman of Farmington, Minn.

University of Kentucky (ranked No. 2): 2009 precision finalist Emily Holsopple of Wilcox, Pa.

Texas Christian University (ranked No. 4): 2010 precision champion Catherine Greene of Coventry, R.I., 2010 sporter champion Hannah Black of Yorktown, Va., and 2011 precision finalist Allie Tashuk of Andover, Minn.

U.S. Army (ranked No. 5): 2011 precision finalist Alyssa Gestl of Palmyra, Pa.

University of Nebraska (ranked No. 6): 2013 precision champion Rachel Martin of Peralta, N.M.

U.S. Air Force (ranked No. 7): 2011 precision finalist Tyler Rico of Tucson, Ariz., and 2011 precision finalist Mary Simonton of Sharpsburg, Ga.

Ohio State (ranked No. 10): 2012 precision finalist Kendal Elder of Waynesville, Ohio

University of Texas-El Paso (ranked No. 18): 2012 sporter finalists and 2013 precision finalist Rachael Schoenrock of Cortland, Neb.

See an updated list of NCAA air rifle rankings here.