Rifle team benefits from experienced coach, strong record

Off to a good start under the leadership of coach Morgan Hicks, the Nebraska rifle team is 3-1 headed into this weekend.

Hicks has plenty of experience, having competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics and having won a gold medal at the 2008 Rio de Janeiro World Cup.

"It's great being part of a team that's representing your country," Hicks said. "You can't ask for anything better than that."

Shooting for the United States national team has taken Hicks all over the world, and she is still trying to qualify for other prestigious competitions. Unfortunately for Hicks, she did not leave Athens five years ago with a medal. However, she said the experience was a great opportunity.

"At the international level, there are tons of countries being represented, so the facilities are the best in the world," Hicks said.

Hicks tried out for the 2008 Olympics, but did not make the cutoff point.

But Hicks isn't the only Husker with experience outside Nebraska – every member of Hicks's team has competed nationally at some point in their careers. But the three-year Nebraska coach said her players are benefitting more from college competition because of the nature of national tournaments.

In national competitions, men and women do not compete against each other like they do at the college level, and Hicks said the Huskers experience a broader competitive range in college.

NU freshman Joyce Kim said there are other benefits of competing in college as well.

Coming out of high school, Kim competed as an individual and didn't have a team to play for like she does now. On her own, Kim had to pay for a lot of the equipment she used with the award money she earned at tournaments. Shooting rifle can be expensive with all of the equipment needed. Rifle bullets alone can cost around $1.50 apiece.