Winter Air Gun results 
Dec. 5, 2016
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - University of Nevada sophomore Mitchell Van Patten's outstanding shooting this season along with his freshman year and his performance at the Winter Airgun Championships this past weekend has earned him a spot on the USA Junior National Team. Van Patten, from Nampa, Idaho is one of 14 shooters on the junior team.
"Mitchell is one of one of the very best and actively pursues improvement in himself and his team," head coach Fred Harvey said.
On day 1 in the 10-meter air rifle Winter Airgun Championships, Van Patten shot 618.4 to advance to the finals of the open and junior divisions. His 205.1 in the open finals earned him fourth while he placed sixth in the junior division with a score of 161.5.
Saturday he improved his qualifying score to 622.4 and shot 184.2 in the finals to place fifth in the open division. In the junior division finals he shot 162.2 to earn sixth.
On the final day his 619.1 in qualifying did not earn him a spot in the finals of the open division but did secure him his third trip to the finals in the junior competition. In the junior finals he shot 139.8 to place seventh and give him three top 10 finishes in the junior division at the championships.
Junior Justin Nissen shot 612.7 in qualifying to place 11th in the open division and 21st in the junior division on the first day of competing. Saturday his score of 607.7 placed 22nd amongst junior shooters and was 35th in the open competition. On day three he shot 611.6 to place 14th in the junior division and 27th in the open competition.
Freshman Eli Larimer shot 609.7 on Saturday to place 18th in the juniors and 31st in the open division. Sunday his 613.4 earned him 12th in the juniors and 23rd overall.
Competing in the open division senior Gavin Au shot 600.8 on Friday to place 49th. Saturday and Sunday he was 56th with scores of 599.3 and 601 respectively.
Three of the Wolf Pack women competed in the ladies competition led by junior Emily Capaul who shot 407.9 to placed 29th in the junior event and was 37th in the open division on Friday. Saturday she again finished 29th in the juniors with a score of 407.6 which was 40th in the open division. On day three she slipped to 38th among the juniors with a score of 405.8 and was 50th overall.
Another of the young Pack shooters, freshman Rachel Benesh was 35th in the junior division on Friday with her 405.1 and 45th in the open division. Saturday she improved to 26th in the junior competition with a 408.1 and to 39th overall. Sunday she shot 403 to placed 52nd in the juniors and 66th in the open division.
Senior Jessica Katsuyama posted a score of 388.5 to finish 105th in the junior competition and 120th in the open division on day one. Saturday she shot 388 to place 113 in the junior division and was 128th overall. In the final day of the event she posted a 383.7 to take 97th in the juniors and 133rd overall.
-- @NevadaWolfPack --
