Head Coach Jon Hammond

17TH SEASON • ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND

Making good on a promise put in place upon his hiring, Jon Hammond, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, has returned the West Virginia University rifle team to national glory, implementing a strategy for success that has seen six national championships in 16 seasons, 10 individual nCAA titles, 12 great America Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships, six undefeated seasons, 188 All-America honors and 19 CoSiDA Academic All-America recognitions Additionally, Hammond has overseen the careers of multiple olympians, including 2016 gold Medalists ginny thrasher and nicco Campriani

THE 2020S DECADE

Despite a challenging year brought on by the CoViD-19 pandemic, West Virginia continued to maintain its level of excellence, even if it meant starting Hammond’s 15th season a few months later than normal facing new types of challenges on a daily basis, the Moutaineers qualified for their 14th consecutive NCAA Championships and ranked No. 4 nationally to conclude the 2020-21 campaign WVU also took home its conference-best 14th GARC title, including its 11th in a row, scoring a two-day total of 4727. A program-record nine shooters also took home a combined 22 All-America honors from the College Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA), marking the third time since 2016 and the second year in a row the team has accomplished the feat in addition, those nine shooters also earned 21 All-gARC Honors At the nCAA Championships, WVU amassed a twoday total of 4704 to finish in fourth place. in the classroom, Verena Zaisberger became the fourth Mountaineer since 20211-12 to win the NCAA’s Elite 90 Award after achieving a 4.0 gradepoint average the Hohenems, Austria, native also was named the gARC Scholar-Athlete of the Year At year’s end, five student-athletes were named to the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 At-Large first team the Mountaineers returned to normalcy for the 2021-22 campaign, which saw them finish the regular season with a 12-1 record, including a 7-1 mark in the gARC WVU also claimed a share of the gARC regular season crown in 2021-22 on the range, West Virginia continued its tradition of excellence, defeating eight top-10 opponents, including a pair of top-five teams. Additionally, the Mountaineers’ 12 wins in 2021-22 marked the 12th time the team has eclipsed 10 wins during Hammond’s tenure Eight student-athletes brought home 40 postseason awards in 2021-22, including natalie Perrin, who was selected as the gARC Rookie of the Year – WVU’s first recipient of the award since 2017.

2015-20 SEASONS

In Hammond’s 14th season at WVU, the Mountaineers competition was cut short due to the CoViD-19 pandemic just before the 2020 nCAA Rifle Championships. At seasons end, eight shooters earned a combined 21 National Rifle Association (NRA) and CRCA All-America honors. It’s the first time WVU had over 20 All-America honors in one season since 2016 Milica Babic, who graduated from WVU with 11 All-America awards, was the only shooter named to all three first teams. Babic also finished her four-year career with the gARC outstanding Senior title, becoming the 11th Mountaineer to claim the conference’s top senior award of note, a WVU student-athlete has earned the honor every season but two since 2015 West Virginia finished second at the 2020 GARC Championship, held in Memphis, tennessee, with a two-day total of 4963. WVU finished second in smallbore (2323) and second in air rifle (2370). Sarah osborn completed the conference championships with the second-best combined score, earning 583 smallbore and 597 air rifle for an aggregate score of 1180 The Mountaineers finished the regular season with a 9-1 mark, including a 7-1 record in conference action, and completed the year ranked No. 3 nationally Academically, seven Mountaineers were named to the 2020 Academic All-Big 12 At-Large first team, while Malori Brown and Calista Smoyer landed on the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie team David Koenders earned his second straight Academic All-America honor, landing on the men’s first team after receiving third team recognition the year before. He also was one of 49 students named to the WVU foundation’s outstanding Seniors list Additionally, the Mountaineers participated in their second foreign training trip, traveling to tokyo, Japan last winter, as all 10 members competed in a friendly shooting competition against the All-Japan University team the Mountaineers enjoyed a strong showing in 2018-19 Hammond played an instrumental role in helping the Mountaineers host the first-ever NCAA Championships in Morgantown last season, as a record two-day crowd of 2,215 fans were in attendance WVU finished second at the NCAA Championships with a 4692 mark at the WVU Coliseum. West Virginia won its 10th consecutive gARC Championship title with a 4715 aggregate score that same season the title was the team’s conference-best 13th, and WVU swept the smallbore and air rifle team titles for the 10th time since 1998. the Mountaineers also won the gARC regular-season crown for the sixth year in a row with an 8-0 record thrasher capped her brilliant four-year career with her fifth GARC title, successfully defending her air rifle title for the third consecutive season, while rising senior Morgan Phillips won the smallbore title Additionally, thrasher was named the gARC Shooter of the Year, her second career award, and outstanding Senior The Mountaineers finished the season at 13-0, the team’s fourth consecutive undefeated season and fifth unblemished record in six years. A total of five shooters collected 11 All-America honors, and Hammond was named the CRCA co-Coach of the Year Academically, seven Mountaineers were named to the CRCA All-Academic Honor List, and Koenders was named to the CoSiDA Academic All-America Men’s At-Large third team Thrasher was the first WVU student-athlete to be selected as a finalist for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year award, an honor that recognizes graduating female college athletes who have distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers She also was selected as one of 10 nCAA student-athletes across all sports and all divisions to be honored as the 2020 today’s top 10 Award winners the award recognizes former student-ath-

letes for their successes in athletics competition, in the classroom and in the community Additionally, the Mountaineers participated in a foreign training trip for the first time in program history, traveling to Magaliesburg, South Africa, from Dec 28 – Jan 8, to train at the Eagle Eye Shooting Center At the 2018 nCAA national Championships, Phillips defended her smallbore title and became just the second WVU student-athlete to win two straight nCAA smallbore crowns Phillips was the second Mountaineer under Hammond to win back-to-back NCAA titles and the first since Petra Zublasing (air rifle, 2012-13). The Mountaineers finished second overall at the nCAA Championships at the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, with a 4708 aggregate total and claimed first in air rifle, their sixth straight title, with a 2381 total. WVU continued its dominance in the gARC, winning its fifth straight and 11th overall regular-season title, as well as its ninth consecutive championship title, shooting a winning 4699 score at the newly unveiled Bill McKenzie Rifle Range, at the WVU Shell Building thrasher swept the individual championships, winning her second career smallbore title and first career air rifle title, and Elizabeth gratz was named the gARC outstanding Senior At season’s end, five Mountaineers earned 15 All-America honors and 18 All-gARC selections gratz repeated as the nCAA Elite 90 Award winner and became the first WVU student-athlete to win two career honors Additionally, she was named to the CoSiDA Academic All-America first team for the second straight season, her third career accolade, and thrasher was named to the second team for the second consecutive year gratz was the fourth Mountaineer in program history to receive a first-team honor and the first to snag two career awards The Mountaineers finished the 2017-18 season at 13-0 (9-0 GARC), the team’s third straight undefeated season and fourth unblemished record in five years. Additionally, WVU set the NCAA records for aggregate score (4742) and smallbore score (2356) in a win at Murray State on Nov. 12, 2017. The WVU rifle program was thrust into the spotlight months before the start of the 2016-17 season, as Thrasher (United States) and Campriani (Italy) combined for three Gold medals at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. Thrasher claimed the first gold of the games, winning the women’s 10m air rifle, while Campriani won gold in the men’s 10m air rifle and 50m 3 positions. fueled by the summer success, the Mountaineers deftly navigated their season on the strength of four returning letterwinners and three skilled freshmen and claimed their nation-best 19th nCAA National Championship. WVU earned its fifth straight national title with a championship-record 4723 score, shot at Ohio State’s French Field House. The team score was 17 shots better than runner-up tCU WVU swept the discipline titles for the third time in four years, finishing with marks of 2336 smallbore and 2387 air rifle. The team’s five-peat was the third in the sport since 1980 Babic and Phillips won the smallbore and air rifle titles, respectively, marking the second straight season WVU freshmen claimed the individual championships Six different Mountaineers have claimed nCAA titles under Hammond following the championship, five Mountaineers earned a combined 14 All-America honors, and Phillips was named the nCAA Championships’ top Performer The Mountaineers finished the season at 12-0, the program’s second straight undefeated season the squad then claimed its eighth straight gARC Championship with a 4725 total. Thrasher, the 2017 GARC air rifle champion, was named the gARC Shooter of the Year, while Babic claimed the gARC Rookie of the Year honor Hammond also was named the gARC Coach of the Year for the second straight season and the fourth time in his career gratz led the Mountaineers academically, as she became the first WVU rifle student-athlete to earn the nCAA Elite 90 Award She also was named to the CoSiDA Academic All-America first team, while thrasher was named to the second team A combination of senior leadership and rookie skill helped the Mountaineers push their nCAA title streak to four straight with a commanding performance at the 2016 nCAA Championships, as WVU shot 4703 for its 18th title in Akron, Ohio. for only the second time under Hammond, WVU won the NCAA smallbore and air rifle titles, shooting 2338 smallbore and 2365 air rifle. Additionally, Thrasher became the first freshman in NCAA history, and the first since Mountaineer Petra Zublasing did so in 2013, to sweep the individual titles, winning air rifle and smallbore. The Mountaineers also earned 20 All-America honors WVU’s build-up to the nCAA victory was nothing short of spectacular, as the squad completed an undefeated 12-0 season and won its seventh straight GARC title with a 4702 showing. Thrasher, the gARC Rookie of the Year, captured the conference smallbore title, and garrett Spurgeon was named the gARC Shooter and Senior of the Year Additionally, Hammond was named the gARC Coach of the Year for the third time

2012-15 SEASONS

the Mountaineers extended their nCAA title streak to three straight with a comeback victory at the 2015 NCAA Championships, scoring 4702 and winning their nation-best 17th title in Fairbanks, Alaska Down 12 points entering the final day of competition, having shot 2319 in smallbore, WVU overcame the deficit with a 2383 air rifle score. Three Mountaineers finished on the air rifle podium, including nCAA Champion Maren Prediger Michael Bamsey placed second, and Spurgeon finished third. WVU won its sixth straight GARC title with a 4709 showing at the conference championships Spurgeon finished first in air rifle, while Ziva Dvorsak was named the gARC Shooter and Senior of the Year gratz was named the gARC Rookie of the Year The Mountaineers finished the year with 23 All-America honors and 28 All-gARC awards Hammond was named the Rifle Winter 2015 CaptainU Coach of the Year for the second straight season Despite the graduation of Zublasing, a three-time nCAA Champion for the Mountaineers, West Virginia did not skip a beat in 2013-14, as Hammond led his squad to its second straight national Championship and a perfect 10-0 record Ranked no 1 for most of the season, there was little doubt WVU would successfully defend its national title, as the team owned a 17-shot lead after the first day of competition, winning its first smallbore title under Hammond with a 2338 score. the Mountaineers secured the nCAA title with a first place, 2367 air rifle score, giving them a twoday total of 4705. Three Mountaineers shot in each discipline final, with Prediger and Spurgeon finishing second in air rifle and smallbore, respectively. Prior to the team’s national title victory, the squad scored its fifth straight GARC Championship, shooting 4700. Prediger won the GARC air rifle title, and the Mountaineers claimed 14 All-GARC honors. WVU collected 14 All-America honors, and Hammond was named the Rifle Winter 2014 CaptainU Coach of the Year thomas Kyanko also was named to the CoSiDA Academic All-America Men’s AtLarge Second team Hammond rallied his 2012-13 squad around 2012 olympian Zublasing and a core of young, talented shooters. The Mountaineers navigated a difficult schedule and earned the program’s second national Championship in five years. Ranked no 1 nationally throughout the duration of the season, the Mountaineers overcame a one-shot smallbore deficit and a third-place finish at the nCAA Championships en route to winning the air rifle team title and bringing the National Championship trophy back to Morgantown for a nation-best 15th time Zublasing was instrumental in securing WVU’s victory, as she swept the individual titles and earned the tag as the CRCA Shooter of the Match She became the first shooter to win both NCAA titles

at one championship since 2001, and the second WVU student-athlete to win three career national titles in any sport Hammond was named the CRCA Coach of the Year, his second career honor WVU scored 12 nRA All-America honors, including seven combined first-team accolades. WVU also won its fourth straight gARC title Zublasing was named the gARC Shooter and Senior of the Year, and Spurgeon earned the gARC Rookie of the Year honor

2009-12 SEASONS

tasked with maintaining the Mountaineers’ level of success with a young team recovering from the loss of seven seniors, Hammond rose to the challenge in 2011-12 nationally ranked in the top three all year, WVU bounced back from a regular-season loss to Kentucky to grab its third straight gARC title the Mountaineers, winners of the gARC Sportsmanship Award, also won the air rifle title and were paced by Zublasing, the discipline champion and gARC Shooter of the Year Additionally, Kyanko was named the gARC Rookie of the Year, and the squad earned 12 AllgARC honors the team, boasting a 12-2 record, including a 5-1 mark in conference action, advanced to the nCAA Championships for the sixth straight season and placed sixth. Zublasing won the air rifle title, becoming the second Mountaineer to win the discipline title in as many years As a team, WVU finished second in air rifle and eighth in smallbore. following the national championships, six Mountaineers earned eight nRA All-America honors, including first team air rifle and smallbore marks for Zublasing, while Hammond was named the nRA Distinguished College Coach for the second time Leading a team that boasted seven seniors, five of whom comprised his first Mountaineer recruiting class, the 2010-11 season was another championship year for Hammond though narrowly edged by gARC rival Kentucky at the 2011 NCAA Rifle Championships, the Mountaineers, ranked no 1 in the nation throughout the season, won the air rifle team title and finished second overall in smallbore. Additionally, Campriani won the NCAA air rifle title, the first WVU shooter to earn a national championship since 1997. Campriani also finished second in the smallbore competition All told, the Mountaineers earned a combined five top-five air rifle and smallbore finishes, and six shooters scored eight NRA All-America honors Posting an 11-2 overall record and a 5-1 conference mark, the Mountaineers successfully defended their GARC title and swept the air rifle and smallbore titles. WVU was the first conference team to repeat as champions since nebraska (2006, ’07). Campriani, the individual air rifle, smallbore and combined score champion, was named the gARC Shooter and Senior of the Year Hammond coached a talented, upperclassmen squad to an 11-0 record in 2010, the team’s first undefeated season since 2001, and a GARC regular-season title the Mountaineers followed their unblemished regular season with a win at the gARC Championship and a sweep of the discipline titles the victory was the program’s fourth overall and first since 2000. At his first GARC Championship, transfer Campriani won the smallbore, air rifle and combined score titles, and the Mountaineers earned 18 All-GARC honors, including eight firstteam awards Hammond was named the gARC Coach of the Year, his second distinction in three seasons WVU concluded the 2010 campaign with a thirdplace finish at the NCAA Championships; the Mountaineers, ranked no 1 in the nation for most of the season, finished third in smallbore and fifth in air rifle. WVU placed two in the smallbore finals, and following the championships, seven student-athletes earned 12 All-America honors

THE EARLY YEARS

Hammond made a name for himself in the coaching ranks in 2009, as he took a young, rising WVU squad to the nCAA Championships and returned with the program’s 14th trophy. A season that was built on momentum, WVU went 11-1 overall, earned its first No. 1 CRCA ranking in over a decade, had seven student-athletes garner nRA All-America honors, improved its GARC standing and finished second at the league championship, captured the nation’s air rifle championship and won the aforementioned nCAA title the Mountaineers’ 2009 national-title run was especially noteworthy given the pressure the team overcame After a poor smallbore showing on the championships’ first day, WVU found itself in sixth place Hammond’s team regrouped and put forth a strong air rifle showing, with all four competitors finishing in the top 10. Additionally, Hammond’s squad was strong at the 2009 gARC Championship, as tommy Santelli finished first overall, second in air rifle and fifth in smallbore. In total, WVU had seven top-10 finishes between the two disciplines for his efforts all season, Hammond earned his first CRCA Coach of the Year honor. in only his second year as head coach, Hammond led the 2007-08 rifle squad to an 8-3 record, a third-place finish at the GARC Championship and a sixth-place standing at the nCAA Championships, the Mountaineers’ first appearance in six seasons Hammond guided five Mountaineers to NRA smallbore All-America honors that season and also earned individual recognition, as he was named the gARC Coach of the Year and listed as the 2008 nRA Distinguished College Coach Hammond took over the Mountaineer rifle program upon the retirement of long-time coach Marsha Beasley in 2006 that season, he guided the 2006-07 team to its first winning record (6-4) since 2003.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

A strong proponent for achievement at the range and in the classroom, Hammond’s shooters have proven to be well-rounded student-athletes Since his arrival in the fall of 2006, 99 Mountaineers have earned a spot on the annual CRCA All-Academic Honor List, including a program-best eight student-athletes in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021 the Mountaineers also have been well represented on the annual CoSiDA Academic All-America At-Large teams, with at least one student-athlete earning an honor in 12 of the last 13 seasons. Gratz became the first Mountaineer to earn two career first-team accolades, as she was named to the Women’s At-Large First Team in 2017 and 2018 five different Mountaineers have claimed first-team honors. In 2020, Koenders earned his second straight Academic All-America honor, landing on the men’s first team after receiving third team recognition the year before Gratz also was honored by the NCAA in her final two seasons, as she won back-to-back nCAA Elite 90 Award honors, the program’s first recognitions. the award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the nCAA’s championships In 2019, Thrasher was the first WVU student-athlete to be selected as a finalist for the 2019 nCAA Woman of the Year award, an honor that recognizes graduating female college athletes who have distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers During the 2020-21 campaign, Zaisberger became the fourth Mountaineer to win the nCAA Elite 90 Award since 2011-12, after achieving a 4.0 gradepoint average Zaisberger helped lead the way for West Virginia yet again in 2021-22, as she was selected as the team’s gARC Scholar-Athlete Representative while also earning a spot on the CRCA Scholastic All-America team Zaisberger also won her second consecutive nCAA Elite 90 Award in 2021-22, and also was named to the CoSiDA Academic All-America