March 23, 2004

MEMPHIS, TENN. - At the Junior Olympic Rifle competition held at the U.S. Olympic Training Facility in Colorado Springs, Colo., University of Memphis' Beth Tidmore and Katie Benjamin advanced to the finals and Tidmore won a bronze medal in air rifle.

The competition featured 87 shooters made up of the state champion and the runner up. Memphis is the only school to have placed two shooters in the event. In air rifle, Tidmore and Benjamin placed in the top eight to enter the finals. In the finals, Tidmore placed third for the bronze medal, and Benjamin finished eighth.

In the smallbore event, Benjamin advanced to the finals after placing seventh in the preliminary round. Benjamin improved to sixth following the final competition.

"I am very proud of how well Katie and Beth did at this event," said head coach Butch Woolbright. "This event features the best in the country, and for both of them to make it to the finals is a huge accomplishment."