The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1177236
NOVEMBER 2019 ■ 115 ally against VMI in the season opener. Meanwhile, Peterson is known for his technical skills. Recruiting is important in rifle, like all sports, and Holsopple works diligently at bringing the right student-athletes into her program. "We always watch a bunch of matches, and there are matches online," she said. "I'm always going through results of competitions or going to competitions. I also have a lot of contacts of high school coaches or ROTC coaches, and keep up with them to identify talent." Holsopple tries to get to know prospects and learn their styles and strengths. "I want to find good people and ones that fit our culture here," the coach explained. "It's about doing the right things and doing it in the right way. We are starting a new era and time here, and we are going from the ground up. "We want to build this up the right way and become one of the top teams in the nation." ■ Senior Zach Eisenberg has appeared in 37 matches for NC State the last three years, and com- peted in both the smallbore and air rifle at the GARC Championships last year. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS Newcomer To Watch Freshman Makenzie Sheffield had the top per- formance among NC State rookies in the season opener against VMI Oct. 12 in Lexington, Va. She finished fifth overall against VMI, combining for 1,154 points. The Granbury, Texas, product quali- fied for the USA Junior Olympics the last two years. She also took seventh at the 2019 CMP National Air Rifle Championships. The motto is simply: "Attitude, Effort, Execution." Three Athletes To Watch Senior Zach Eisenberg He has appeared 37 matches for NC State the last three years, and competed in both the smallbore and air rifle at the GARC Championships last year. The Burke, Va., native had a career-high 589 in air rifle and 576 in smallbore against Akron on Oct. 21, 2017. Sophomore Emily Fisher The Fairfax, Va., product led the Wolfpack at the GARC Championships last year, scoring a 580 to finish 10th in the smallbore competition, and also posted a team-best 588 in the air rifle, which matched a career high. Senior Claire Zanti She has appeared in 36 matches for the Wolfpack her first three years. The Norfolk, Va., product had a 563 in the smallbore and shot a 579 in air rifle at the GARC Championships last year. ■ By The Numbers 10 Road matches this year, plus the NCAA Quali- fiers in Charleston, S.C., and the GARC Cham- pionships in Memphis, Tenn. NCSU has two home matches, one of which still remains — Feb. 2 versus Nebraska. 17 National ranking for NC State's 2018-19 rifle squad. It ranked as high as No. 8 nationally before settling in at its final spot. Noting The Pack • West Virginia has won six national titles over the last 10 years. While head coach Emily Holsopple admires the program's success, she will not follow its blueprint. "I don't know if we'll copy anything to NC State. It is a different school and different feel," she ex - plained. "We have our own strategies of doing things. "We are just trying to be the best NC State pro- gram that we can be." • Thanks to Holsopple's ties, the natural storyline will always exist when NC State battles Kentucky in rifle, which takes place Jan. 18 at Army in West Point, N.Y. The Wolfpack battle Army the next day in what will be a key weekend, since both programs are among the best in the country. The former Kentucky superstar knows that will be a "pretty big one." "Those are two of the top teams in the confer - ence," Holsopple said. "That will be a huge double- header. It should be a good showing from both them and from us. "I think we'll have a team that will stack up pretty well. Last year, we won against Army but lost to Kentucky."