Mount Aloysius announces formation of NCAA rifle team
Jan. 25—CRESSON, Pa. — Starting this fall, Mount Aloysius College's new rifle team will compete in the National Collegiate Athletics Association — the only team from Pennsylvania to do so.
"It opens up a new possibility for anyone in Pennsylvania," inaugural member and Mount freshman Sydney Castel said.
The Portage Area High School graduate has shot since sixth grade and wanted to continue the sport through college, but until now there was no post-secondary school in the state that offered a rifle team.
Castel was accepted to Morehead State University in Kentucky to shoot, but decided to stay close to home.
That's when her former high school rifle coach, Mount head athletic trainer Siarra Crum, let her know the college was exploring a shooting team.
College officials heard from students and coaches from around the region that several high school rifle team members were interested in career-focused learning and competitive shooting close to home, which is what drove this addition to the school's offerings.
Finding that out was "awesome," said Castel, a medical imaging major.
Then all the pieces fell into place, and on Wednesday, Mount Aloysius announced a co-ed rifle team would start competing in the fall, with Castel and North Star High School graduate Elissa Barron as the first members.
Barron said she's thrilled about the opportunity to continue shooting into her post-secondary career.
She's been part of a rifle team since eighth grade and is now studying nursing at the Mount.
Crum said she can't believe the team came to fruition and is excited to teach the girls and future teammates, as well as for the competitive opportunities ahead.
The Mount will compete in NCAA divisions one through three — all co-ed events — and their home range will be the Portage Revolver and Pistol Club.
Roy Fritz, president of the Pennsylvania Youth Shooting Association, said other post-secondary institutions have had rifle teams in the past, but those have gone away in recent years.
The Shanksville native is glad to see a collegiate program not only return to Pennsylvania, but to be in his backyard, where for the past four years he's worked to establish rifle teams at area schools.
"It's quite rewarding to see how that has grown," Fritz said.
There are roughly 20 high school rifle teams in the Cambria-Somerset region and the surrounding area.
Crum expects the Mount program to continue expanding and that other schools will follow suit.
"I really do think it's going to take off," she said.
The Mounties rifle team needs at least five members to compete, but Crum is aiming to recruit around 10 or 12 students.
They'll then be competing against schools such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, West Virginia University and Morehead State.
John McKeegan, Mount president, noted it's not every day something as exciting as starting the only collegiate rifle team in Pennsylvania takes place.
"This team ... is serving a community need," he said.
He's looking forward to having Mount students compete at such a diverse and competitive level and giving them the opportunity to continue a sport they love.
"This is epic for the Mount," McKeegan said. "We're aiming for great success."
For more information, visit mountieathletics.com.
