March 2, 2004

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Sophomore Beth Tidmore (Decatur, Ga.) will represent the University of Memphis in both the smallbore and the air rifle events at the NCAA Rifle Championships hosted by Murray State University March 12-13th. Tidmore, who qualified individually in both events, led Memphis to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Regional at the same facility that will host the national meet back in February.

A total of 48 competitors were selected for the championships. The top eight teams in the country in both the smallbore three-position and air rifle events were selected. The top 24 individuals in air rifle and the top 14 in smallbore qualified for the individual championships.

The competition may look somewhat familiar for the Memphis sophomore, as Tidmore was one of three participants from the same NCAA regional to qualify for the air rifle and one of four individuals from the region to qualify in the smallbore.

The individual competition in the air rifle event will be held Friday, March 12th, while the team event will be held on the 13th.

The University of Alaska - Fairbanks captured their fifth consecutive team title and their sixth overall title at last year's championships with a combined score of 6,287 out of a possible 6,400 in smallbore and air rifle. The defending champs have qualified for both team events again in 2004 and will have three individual competitors in the air rifle and four in the smallbore competition.