VMI rifle finished the 2022–23 season as the mixed and women’s teams competed with notable individual performances in the air rifle portion of the Southern Conference Championships in Charleston, South Carolina, March 5, 2023.—Photo courtesy VMI Keydets.
The VMI rifle program capped off team action for the 2023 season as the mixed and women’s teams competed in the air rifle portion of the Southern Conference Championships in Charleston, South Carolina, March 5, 2023.
Twentieth-ranked The Citadel would claim the air rifle title with a score of 2347, while No. 16 Georgia Southern took the overall championship with an aggregate of 4657. The VMI mixed team placed fifth overall with an aggregate of 4543, while the women’s squad placed sixth totaling 4484—a season high.
Michael Annesi ’25 and Katie Grochalski ’24 highlighted the scores for the Keydets March 5, firing 581 and 579 to finish 11th and 12th in air rifle. Ryan Harlow ’25 was just a touch behind the duo, totaling 577. Annesi’s score of 581 was a season high, besting his 574 Oct. 8, 2022.
Individually, Christopher Hicks ’24 had the highest aggregate score, shooting a 567 in smallbore and a 575 in air rifle to finish with an aggregate of 1142. Hicks’ 567 slated him in a tie for 10th place in that discipline, earning him Second Team All-SoCon honors.
While the team action is in the books for the 2022–23 season, Harlow and Laini Morgan ’25 will set their sights on the 2023 Junior Olympic Championships, which will take place in April. Both Harlow and Morgan qualified in air rifle.
To view the full championship results, visit the NCAA rifle page here.
Editor’s Note: This story first appeared at vmikeydets.com.
