
Wolfpack Rifle Adds All-American Transfer Lauren Phillips
9/18/2015 1:09:00 PM | Rifle
All-American will have two years to compete for NC State
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State rifle head coach Keith Miller announced on Friday that Lauren Phillips, a former All-American as a member of the Nebraska rifle team, would join the program in the spring of 2016.
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Phillips will redshirt during the spring season and then have two years of eligibility to compete for the Wolfpack starting with the 2016-17 athletics season.
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The Seabeck, Wash., native will graduate from Nebraska in December with a degree in Child, Youth, and Family Studies. She will attend NC State beginning in January 2016 to pursue a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
"Lauren is a go-getter in every sense of the word," said Miller. "She earned 69 college credits while still in high school, thus enabling her to graduate from Nebraska in two and a half years. She excelled not only in the classroom, but on the rifle range as well - earning All America honors as a freshman."
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In her first season with the Cornhuskers, Phillips quickly moved into the starting lineup and remained there throughout the year. She won the Great America Rifle Conference (GARC) individual championship in smallbore and was the only member of her team to reach the finals in air rifle.
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For her efforts, she was named a Second Team All-GARC selection and was an Honorable Mention selection in air rifle. Phillips also earned a spot in the NCAA Championships where she helped Nebraska finish fifth at the event. Following such a strong season, she was awarded First Team All-America honors by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Third Team All-America by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA).
"We've seen quite a bit of Lauren over the last two seasons," Miller added. "As a member of a fellow conference opponent, we shot with her at both NC State vs. Nebraska matches and at two GARC Championships.Â
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"She was on the U.S. Shooting Team with Lucas [Kozeniesky] in September 2014, so they shot together in Spain at the World Championships. I also had the pleasure of seeing Lauren win the Gold Medal in smallbore rifle at the 2014 USA Shooting Junior Olympics. We love watching her compete at the highest level and are thrilled that she will begin the next phase of her athletic excellence here as a part of the Wolfpack Rifle Family!"
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Last season as a sophomore, Phillips turned in another successful season matching her personal best in the air rifle competition with a score of 593. She also garnered Honorable Mention All-GARC honors for combined (aggregate) score.
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Phillips earned numerous prep honors at Klahowya Secondary School, highlighted by capturing the Washington Junior Air Rifle Championship, Open Three-Position Air Rifle Sectional Championship and Washington Girl's Precision Junior Olympic Air Rifle Championship.
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NC State will open its 2015-16 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 26, when it travels to Lexington, Va., for the first South Eastern Air Rifle Conference (SEARC) match. VMI will host the event at its rifle range.
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