First Day at the US Team Trials

[USA Shooting]

Mary Beth Vorwerk
USA Shooting

KERRVILLE, Texas - The first day of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Shooting (Shotgun) concluded March 9 with retired Army Sgt.
1st Class Bret E. Erickson and Corey Cogdell of Eagle River, Alaska, on top for Men's and Women's Trap.

Three-time Olympian Erickson is in first place in Men's Trap with a total score of 313 targets. Three-time Olympian and 1996 Bronze Medalist Lance Bade of Vancouver, Wash., Air Force Reserve Maj. Dominic Grazioli and Sgt. Matthew T. Wallace of the U.S. Army Marksmanship are currently tied for second place with 309 targets. John Mullins of Bremerton, Wash., is in fifth place with 307 targets and Derrick Mein of Walnut, Kan., is holding sixth place with 306 targets.

In Women's Trap, Cogdell, the 2007 Pan-American Games and World Cup Korea Bronze Medalist, is holding first place with 298 targets, while 2004 Olympian Collyn Loper of Indian Springs, Ala., is in second with 296 targets. Susan Sledge of El Cajon, Calif., is in the third spot with 292 targets. USAMU's Sgts. 1st Class Theresa E. DeWitt, a
1996 Olympian, and Joetta R. Dement, 2004 Olympic alternate, are in fourth and fifth place with 287 and 286 targets respectively. Miranda Wilder of Diana, Texas, is in sixth place with 284 targets.

Top shotgun shooters from around the United States are vying for spots on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
- Shooting (Shotgun) March 8 to 16 at the Hill Country Shooting Sports Center.

Men's and Women's Trap competition continues tomorrow with day two matches. Finals for Men's and Women's Trap will be held on Wednesday, March 12, which will determine the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team for Trap.

Shotgun athletes will be selected to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team based on the aggregate score from both the Fall Selection competition, which was conducted in August and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Shooting (Shotgun).

There are eight spots available to the U.S. Olympic Shotgun team
- two in Men's Skeet, two in Men's Trap, two in Men's Double Trap, one in Women's Skeet and one in Women's Trap.

For complete 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Shooting (Shotgun) results, visit www.usashooting.org.

2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Shooting (Shotgun) Competition Schedule:

March 10
* Men's and Women's Trap Match - Day 2

March 11
* Men's and Women's Trap Match - Day 3

March 12
* Men's and Women's Trap Finals (Selection of Olympic Team members
for Men's and Women's Trap

March 13
* Men's Double Trap Official Training
* Men's and Women's Skeet Official Training

March 14
* Men's Double Trap Match
* Men's and Women's Skeet Match - Day 1

March 15
* Men's Double Trap Final (Selection of Olympic Team members for
Double Trap)
* Men's and Women's Skeet Match - Day 2

March 16
* Men's and Women's Skeet Finals (Selection of Olympic Team
members for Men's and Women's Skeet)

(Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the U.S. Army, the Army Marksmanship Unit is assigned to the Accessions Support Brigade of the U.S. Army Accessions Command. The Marksmanship Unit trains its Soldiers to win competitions and enhances combat readiness through train-the-trainer clinics, research and development. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Paula.Randall@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com. USA Shooting is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Shooting Sport Federation as the national governing body for the Olympic and international shooting sports in the United States. For more information on USA Shooting, contact Public Relations Manager Mary Beth Vorwerk at (719) 866-4896, MaryBeth.Vorwerk@USAShooting.org or http://www.USAShooting.com.)