MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Navy rifle team concluded competition at the 2024 NCAA Championship in sixth place. Senior
Clarissa Layland led the way individually for the Midshipmen with an aggregate score of 1179.
"For the level of competition and pressure, the team performed well," head coach
Mike Anti said after the match. "We came into the weekend ranked seventh then finished the championship in sixth. It was an emotion event especially for our seniors to end their collegiate career.
Clarissa Layland was our MVP for the match. We are so proud of her and
Deonte Hayes."
TCU, who entered the championship ranked second, overtook top-seeded West Virginia with a score of 4732 for the aggregate championship. WVU was second with a total of 4729, while Alaska Fairbanks took third with a 4719, one point ahead of Kentucky (4718). Air Force was fifth with a 4709-aggregate tally, while Navy took sixth with a 4698. Ole Miss (4693) and Nebraska (4680) rounded out the scoring at the championship.
For Navy, Layland posted a team-best score of 1179 in her final NCAA Championship. She put together back-to-back days of high scores for the Midshipmen with a 585 in smallbore and a 594 in air rifle to lead the squad. Junior
Marleigh Duncan was second on the team with an aggregate tally of 1175 after scores of 584 (smallbore) and 591 (air rifle). She finished one point better than freshman
Isabella Baldwin who carded a two-day score of 1174. The rookie notched a 580 in smallbore and 594 in air rifle in her first NCAA Championship. Senior
Deonte Hayes carded scores of 573 (smallbore) and 589 (air rifle) for an aggregate score of 1162, while junior
Stephanie Milvain finished with an 1161 after rounds of 581 (smallbore) and 580 (air rifle).
The 2024 NCAA Championship marked the end of Navy's record-breaking 2023-24 season, in which it has broken the team-scoring record in each of the three categories, along with cracking the 4,700-point plateau on nine different occasions.
Team Results (Aggregate)
1. TCU – 2347-2385=4732
2. West Virginia – 2353-2376=4729
3. Alaska Fairbanks – 2337-2382=4719
4. Kentucky – 2338-2380=4718
5. Air Force – 2333-2376=4709
6. Navy – 2330-2368=4698
7. Ole Miss – 2328-2365=4693
8. Nebraska – 2317-2363=4680
Navy Results (Aggregate)
Clarissa Layland – 585-594=1179
Marleigh Duncan – 584-591=1175
Isabella Baldwin – 580-594=1174
Deonte Hayes – 573-589=1162
Stephanie Milvain – 581-580=1161
Day 1 Recap – Smallbore
After one day, championship host and top-ranked West Virginia finished with a team-best 2353, while TCU was second with a score of 2347. Kentucky finished third with a 2338 just one point ahead of defending national champion Alaska Fairbanks who finished with 2337 points. Air Force rounded out the top five with 2333 to finish three points ahead of Navy. Ole Miss (2328) and Nebraska (2317) closed out the team scoring.
Layland led the way for the Midshipmen with a score of 585, finishing the day with her second-best total of the season. She finished the day with a two-round score of 194 in kneeling, while posting a prone score of 197. Layland closed out the smallbore competition with a pair of standing rounds of 97 for a score of 194 for her overall smallbore performance of 585.
Duncan was one point back of Layland, notching a smallbore tally of 584. She matched Layland in kneeling with a 194, while posting a perfect 100 and a 99 for a 199 tally in prone position. Duncan closed out her opening day performance with 191 points in standing position for her 584.
Milvain was third among the Midshipmen with a combined smallbore total of 581. Milvain finished the kneeling portion of the smallbore competition with a score of 195. She added a 10-shot total of 98 and 100 in prone position to go with a 188 in standings to finish with a 581.
Baldwin finished the first day of her first NCAA Championship one point back of Milvain. Baldwin completed her two rounds of kneeling with a 188, while posting a perfect 200 in prone. She closed out the first day of competition with a 192 in standing to notch a 580 smallbore total.
Rounding out the scoring for the Midshipmen was Hayes. Competing in his final NCAA Championship, Hayes notched scores of 193 in kneeling, 194 in prone, and 186 standing to turn in a smallbore scorecard of 573.
Team Results (Smallbore)
1. West Virginia – 2353
2. TCU – 2347
3. Kentucky – 2338
4. Alaska Fairbanks – 2337
5. Air Force – 2333
6. Navy – 2330
7. Ole Miss – 2328
8. Nebraska – 2317
Navy Results (Smallbore)
Clarissa Layland – 585
Marleigh Duncan – 584
Stephanie Milvain – 581
Isabella Baldwin – 580
Deonte Hayes – 573
Day 2 Recap – Air Rifle
In air rifle, TCU posted a team-best 2385 to lead all teams in the event. Alaska Fairbanks finished with a 2382 to close out the event in second place. Kentucky followed with a third-place finish in air rifle with a score of 2380, while West Virginia and Air Force tied in the discipline at 2376. Navy closed out the air rifle portion of the competition with a sixth-place score of 2368. Ole Miss (2365) and Nebraska (2363) rounded out the scoring in the event.
For Navy, Baldwin and Layland matched one another with a team-best performance of 594. Baldwin and Layland both notched a pair of rounds of 100. Layland finished with three rounds of 99 and one of 97, while Baldwin was balanced with two rounds of 99 and two of 98.
Duncan finished third on the team in air rifle with a tally of 591. The junior notched two rounds of 100 with three additional rounds of 98 and one of 97.
She was two points better than Hayes, who finished with a score of 989. Hayes posted a perfect 100 once with a 99 and three 98s to his credit. Milvain rounded out the Navy scoring on the day. The junior posted an air rifle total of 580 thanks to one round of 98 and three rounds of 97.
Team Results (Air Rifle)
1. TCU – 2385
2. Alaska Fairbanks – 2382
3. Kentucky – 2380
4. West Virginia – 2376
5. Air Force – 2376
6. Navy – 2368
7. Ole Miss – 2365
8. Nebraska – 2363
Navy Results (Air Rifle)
Isabella Baldwin – 594
Clarissa Layland – 594
Marleigh Duncan – 591
Deonte Hayes – 589
Stephanie Milvain – 580
