North Carolina State University Athletics
#STATEMENT! Kozeniesky Wins USA Shooting National Championship
6/28/2016 8:29:00 PM | Rifle
Wolfpack rising senior wins men’s air rifle National Championship
FORT BENNING, Ga. – Just a few weeks after qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, NC State's Lucas Kozeniesky continues to make a #STATEment in his Wolfpack rifle suit.
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The rising senior turned in the top overall score in the 10m men's air rifle competition to win the 2016 USA Shooting National Championship Tuesday afternoon.
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"I'm really excited to win the USA Shooting National Championship in men's air rifle," said Kozenieksy. "The focus of the event was to have another solid training for the Olympics later this summer with the same kind of match pressure that you can't simulate anywhere else. I was able to find some things that I need to work on and learn more about what I need to do to get ready for Rio. I applied the things I learned in qualification to put together a strong performance in the finals to finish first overall."Â Â
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The Fairfax Station, Va., native charted a score of 620.9 on the first day of qualification and a total of 624.7 on the second day to take a score of 1245.6 into the finals session. Kozeniesky added seven points to his cumulative total thanks to a second-place finish in the finals to claim the gold medal (1252.6).
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Kozeniesky's teammate on the USA Team for the Olympics, Daniel Lowe, won the finals session but was edged for the championship by one point with a score of 1251.6.
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The Wolfpack shooter also competed in the smallbore event, firing a strong score of 2327, the top mark among collegiate shooters and fourth overall, after not training in the gun for a few weeks in preparation for the Olympics in air rifle.
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Fellow NC State rifle student-athletes Tyler Lefebvre, William Marciniak and Lauren Phillips also competed in the championships. Marciniak claimed the men's air rifle title in the 'B' class of shooters with a total score of 1206.5, while Lefebvre took third in the same group with a tally of 1191.7.
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In smallbore, Marciniak fired a score of 1211.4 and Lefebvre charted a total of 1178.9.
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"It was a very good experience for them," Miller added. "They struggled a little early and Lucas and I talked to them. We worked on some specific things and the last day they really put it together in air rifle especially, getting first and third in the 'B' class, so that was a good step forward for both of them. I think their confidence will take off a lot as a result and that's a really good thing."
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On the women's side, Phillips turned in a strong performance with a score of 825 in the women's air rifle comepetion, narrowly missing the finals session. She had a similar showing in smallbore, firing a mark of 1154.
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"Lauren put together two solid days in air rifle and smallbore," said Miller. "I think she's just getting back into the mode of shooting matches and she's doing really well. Next season, she's going to be contributing some really strong match scores."
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#STATEment
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The rising senior turned in the top overall score in the 10m men's air rifle competition to win the 2016 USA Shooting National Championship Tuesday afternoon.
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"I'm really excited to win the USA Shooting National Championship in men's air rifle," said Kozenieksy. "The focus of the event was to have another solid training for the Olympics later this summer with the same kind of match pressure that you can't simulate anywhere else. I was able to find some things that I need to work on and learn more about what I need to do to get ready for Rio. I applied the things I learned in qualification to put together a strong performance in the finals to finish first overall."Â Â
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The Fairfax Station, Va., native charted a score of 620.9 on the first day of qualification and a total of 624.7 on the second day to take a score of 1245.6 into the finals session. Kozeniesky added seven points to his cumulative total thanks to a second-place finish in the finals to claim the gold medal (1252.6).
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Kozeniesky's teammate on the USA Team for the Olympics, Daniel Lowe, won the finals session but was edged for the championship by one point with a score of 1251.6.
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"I'm very proud of Lucas and everything worked kind of according to plan," said NC State rifle head coach Keith Miller. "We wanted to come here to train for the Olympics and my goal for him was to have a good performance. He had a few minor problems that he worked through in this environment and that's the best way to get those things figured out. If something like that happens in a big match and you've never felt it before, sometimes it's hard to deal with. This is an experience that he can really grow and reflect on for the really big matches down the road."Â
The Wolfpack shooter also competed in the smallbore event, firing a strong score of 2327, the top mark among collegiate shooters and fourth overall, after not training in the gun for a few weeks in preparation for the Olympics in air rifle.
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Fellow NC State rifle student-athletes Tyler Lefebvre, William Marciniak and Lauren Phillips also competed in the championships. Marciniak claimed the men's air rifle title in the 'B' class of shooters with a total score of 1206.5, while Lefebvre took third in the same group with a tally of 1191.7.
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In smallbore, Marciniak fired a score of 1211.4 and Lefebvre charted a total of 1178.9.
Â
"It was a very good experience for them," Miller added. "They struggled a little early and Lucas and I talked to them. We worked on some specific things and the last day they really put it together in air rifle especially, getting first and third in the 'B' class, so that was a good step forward for both of them. I think their confidence will take off a lot as a result and that's a really good thing."
Â
On the women's side, Phillips turned in a strong performance with a score of 825 in the women's air rifle comepetion, narrowly missing the finals session. She had a similar showing in smallbore, firing a mark of 1154.
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"Lauren put together two solid days in air rifle and smallbore," said Miller. "I think she's just getting back into the mode of shooting matches and she's doing really well. Next season, she's going to be contributing some really strong match scores."
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#STATEment
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Players Mentioned
Sit Down with Former Rifle Wolfpack Lucas Kozeniesky
Friday, September 17
Highlights: Rifle vs Nebraska
Sunday, February 02
Rifle vs Nebraska
Sunday, February 02
Rifle vs North Georgia
Sunday, October 20