http://www.usashooting.org/news/2014/1/13/472-mcphail-uptagrafft-and-mowrer-earn-berths-on-prone-rifle-world-cup-team

Wait…Nick Mowrer? But he shoots pistol, right?

That’s what lots of people have asked and yes, Mowrer (Butte, Mont.), a 2012 Olympian in Free Pistol, is still an active, elite pistol athlete. This weekend, however, he proved he is also an elite prone rifle shooter by placing third overall in a field that included Olympians and several Rifle National Team members at the Rifle Selection Match at the Olympic Shooting Center.

Mowrer, a member of the Pistol National Team, will be the first American competitor to compete in international competition in different disciplines when he shoots alongside 2012 Prone Rifle Olympians Michael McPhail (Darlington, Wis.) and Eric Uptagrafft (Phenix City, Ala.) at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup March 26 – April 3  in Fort Benning, Ga.

McPhail and Uptagrafft finished first and second overall respectively during the selection match. Overall placement was determined by qualification scores from two days of competition with additional points earned during the finals each day.

“I have used prone smallbore as cross training for pistol for years now and I am very excited to have the unique opportunity to represent the USA not only in pistol but rifle as well,” Mowrer said. “This is the first time I or anyone to the best of my knowledge will compete in separate disinclines at the same World Cup.”

Mowrer has even received help from 2012 Olympic teammate and bronze medalist Matt Emmons (Brown Mills, N.J.)  over the years to build the prone rifle that he used in the match. Emmons placed seventh overall in this selection match but won the Three-Position Rifle event.

“I shoot multiple events, not only prone, but the reason is just the same; I use other shooting disciplines to be able to compete in more matches and gain more experience that I am able to then use in my pistol shooting! It also keep shooting fun and exciting,” he said.

Mowrer will still need to earn a berth in pistol during their selection match in Colorado Springs in late February.

Earning Minimum Qualifying Score (MQS) positions at the World Cup are collegiate athletes Michael Liuzza (New Orleans, La./University of Alaska Fairbanks) and Junior National Team member  David Higgins (Camp Pendleton, Calif./U.S. Air Force Academy). MQS shooters are not eligible for finals at the World Cup, but can shoot to earn the minimum score required in order to become eligible to take part in the Olympic Games or in the Youth Olympic Games.

For complete scores from this Selection Match, please visit http://www.usashooting.org/library/Match_Results/January_Selection_Match.pdf.

Earlier in the week, World Cup team berths were determined for Men’s and Women’s Three-Position Rifle. Air Rifle competitors were determined during the Winter Air Gun Championships in December. Below are the USA Shooting Team Rifle athletes selected for upcoming events:

2014 Bavarian Airgun Championships – Rifle

Men – Ryan Anderson, George Norton, Bryant Wallizer and Connor Davis

Women – Amy Sowash, Elizabeth Gratz, Meredith Carpentier and Elizabeth Marsh

Juniors – Lauren Phillips, Hannah Black, Garrett Spurgeon and Jean-Pierre Lucas

2014 World Cup USA (Ft. Benning, Ga.) – Rifle Competitors

Air

Men – Ryan Anderson, George Norton and Bryant Wallizer

Women – Meredith Carpentier, Elizabeth Gratz and Amy Sowash

MQS – Elizabeth Marsh, Sarah Beard, Connor Davis and Tom Csenge

Three-Position

Men – Matt Emmons, Ryan Anderson and Joe Hein

Women – Jamie Gray, Amy Sowash and Sarah Scherer

MQS – Erin Lorenzen, Lauren Phillips, Bryant Wallizer and Tim Sherry

Prone

Men – Michael McPhail, Eric Uptagrafft and Nick Mowrer