Rifle team finishes season 45-3

By Todd Mansfield
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Senior Erik Andreasen, a member of the NU Rifle team, shoots his Anschutz model 2013 at a recent practice in the Norwich Rifle Range. The team beat VMI in the ROTC competition at the Mid Atlantic Conference (Mansfield Photo)

Competing with Olympians and world-class athletes from other countries: these are two of the many experiences that senior Erik Andreasen will take with him as he finishes his shooting career at Norwich University.

"There aren't many people in the world that get to shoot with the caliber of shooters I have shot with," said Andreasen, 22, a peace war and diplomacy and history double major from Harrisburg, Pa.

The Norwich University rifle team completed the 2000-01 season with a win over the Virginia Military Institute in the ROTC competition at the Mid Atlantic Conference (MAC) championship, beating them 2,226 to 2,215 in the smallbore competition.

Junior Justin Babcock led the team, shooting a 564. Mark Basa, 19, a freshman biology and chemistry major from Chicago, Ill., followed with a personal high of 559. Andreasen shot a 553, and freshman Jason Nutter, 18, chemistry major from Eagle River, Alaska, also shot a career high with a 550.

"I was really pleased with the way the freshmen shot this weekend," said Norwich coach Paul Mansfield. "They did well under the pressure of being on the top team for the first time this year."

Norwich also shot against the U.S. Naval Academy in the air rifle portion of the competition. Navy beat Norwich 1540 to 1523.

Freshman Joanna Mitchell, 18, a sports medicine major from Essex Junction, Vt., shot a 385; Babcock shot a 383; Andreasen a 381; and junior Todd Mansfield, 20, a communications major from Northfield, Vt., finished out the team score with a 374.

Norwich finished the season with a record of 45-3. They completed the smallbore season 22-2, and 23-1 air rifle record in the MAC conference. Norwich suffered losses only to Navy (once in air and once in smallbore) and the US Coast Guard Academy (once in smallbore). They also finished the post season with a record of one and one.

"We had a really good record despite losing some great shooters from last year," said Mansfield.

The rifle team finished the 2000-2001 season ranked fifteenth in division one through three, down from a ranking of 4th, ending the previous season according to www.riflesports.com and www.ncaachampionships.com.

"We did not have a great year, by any means," said Andreasen. "But we had consistent scores for most of the year, and the team will be better next year."

There will be a good balance of experience and youth returning next year. Two seniors and three sophomores will be on the team, along with some promising freshman.

"The team that we have coming back next year is good," said Babcock, 20, a communications major from Northfield, Vt. "We have gone through our season of ups and downs, and I think that as long as we can remain consistent we will be back at the NCAA championships next March."

Back to Guidon index