COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Navy concluded competition at the USA Shooting Winter Airgun Championships this weekend with Mark Amdahl (So., Albuquerque, N.M.) and Gabriella Mayes (So., Rio Rancho, N.M.) both posting top-30 finishes for the Midshipmen.
 
The Navy trio of Amdahl, Mayes and Torrance Kang (Jr., Columbia, Md.) all improved on their scores from Saturday to Sunday.
 
In the men's air rifle field, Amdahl placed 19th overall in the field of 146 competitors. On the first day of competition, the sophomore compiled a score of 618.6 and then increased his score by more than a point during the second day of competition. Sunday featured Amdahl racking up a score of 619.9 to finish with an overall mark of 1,238.5 overall. He finished nearly three points back of a top-15 finish in the field. 
 
The women's air rifle field featured 215 shooters and Mayes led the Midshipmen in the event with a 26th-place finish. She ended the first day of action with a score of 617.9 points and then followed with a 618.5 on Sunday to complete the event with a total of 1,236.3. Mayes was less than three points away from finishing in the top 20 in the overall field and her score was 16th-best among junior competitors. 
 
Kang rounded out Navy's individuals in the field with a total score of 1,222.2 points to place 60th overall. She started the weekend with a 610.5 and then scored 611.7 points on Sunday to finish the competition.
 
Former North Carolina State shooter Lucas Kozeniesky won the men's air rifle with a total score of 1,259.2 points. The women's air rifle featured current Kentucky freshman Mary Tucker winning the combined and junior division titles.
 
The 2019 Winter Airgun Championships served as the first portion of the Olympic Trials with points from this weekend carrying over to the second part of the trials on Feb. 7-9. 
 
Navy is now set to host the Junior Olympics Tryout in Annapolis on Jan. 11. The Midshipmen's next NCAA match comes at home on Jan. 17 against Ole Miss.