MARTIN, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State rifle team claimed the 2020 Ohio Valley Conference Air Rifle Championship on Sunday to wrap up the 2020 OVC Rifle Championships on the UT Martin campus.

The title is the 11th by the Gamecocks in the air rifle portion of the championship and the first since 2015.  JSU posted an air rifle mark of 2354, the second-highest mark of the season.  The previous best air rifle score was turned in against the University of Texas at El Paso on January 31.  Sunday's total was 10 points better than JSU's season average in air rifle.  After a 2268 in smallbore on Saturday, along with the top score in air rifle, JSU finished third in the overall standing with a final mark of 4622.  Morehead State edged Murray State for the overall crown.  The Eagles took down the four-time overall champions with a score of 4643.  The Racers finished with a 4634 to claim second place. 

JSU had three of the top-five air rifle marks, led by junior Sam Payne and sophomore Mackenzie Van Patten.  The duo each fired a 590 to share second place.  Murray State's Matias Kiuru won the individual title with a 592.  Michael Dietz, who led the Gamecocks in Saturday's smallbore action, finished fifth in air rifle with a 589.  Kaila Jones rounded out JSU's total with a 585.

Jax State was well represented on the postseason awards list. Dietz earned the 2020 OVC Smallbore Athlete of the Year after the top score in the discipline.  The Peralta, New Mexico native became the sixth Gamecock to claim the distinction in smallbore. Dietz was also named to the OVC All-Newcomer Team in both smallbore and air rifle, while being named to the All-OVC Smallbore First Team and a spot on the All-OVC Air Rifle Second Team.

Van Patten and Payne earned All-OVC Rifle First Team status, while Jones was named to the All-OVC Rifle Second Team.

The Gamecocks will return to action next weekend in Oxford, Mississippi, shooting against Murray State.  Jax State will host an NCAA Qualifying match on February 22.