Imagine being the captain of an NCAA Champion team. It’s what every collegiate student-athlete dreams about. Now imagine being fueled with the passion to reach that dream just after a loss.

 

That’s what happened to senior West Virginia University rifle team member Taylor Ciotola.

 

Following a 4680-4650 loss to Kentucky during his second season, Ciotola was reassured by his teammate, junior Garrett Spurgeon, that the loss would only help the team.

 

“Kentucky's fans were hooping and hollering that they beat us,” Ciotola said. “Garrett came to me and said, ‘Just add that fuel to the fire.’ We then went on to stay undefeated, win the GARC Championship and win back-to-back National Championships.”

 

Fuel is just what the Pasadena, Maryland, native needed. The Mountaineers went on to win the NCAA Championship and continue the dynasty of the all-time nation-best national champion and conference-best Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) champion WVU rifle team that season.

 

The NRA All-America First Team Air Rifle and Smallbore honoree had his best run during his sophomore season, but he still strived to help his teammates succeed.

 

“I shot for the team when we were at our lowest,”Ciotola explained. “I wanted to do everything I could to get us back to being the best team in the country. I knew we needed to have top of the line recruiting trips, create the best team atmosphere as possible and have a bit of a change in attitude.”

 

Ciotola had his own shooting ideas and values that he hoped to share with his teammates.

 

Making a difference in a way other than directly contributing to the team score is just as important to him as his shooting.

 

When Ciotola reached his goal of becoming the team captain for the 2014-15 season, his duties multiplied. He has weekly meetings with coach Jon Hammond, athlete-only meetings to discuss issues as a team and also meets individually with team members behind closed doors to make sure everyone is doing his and her job.

 

Being an effective captain is at the top of Ciotola’s priority list, mainly due to the fact that as his time as a WVU student-athlete comes to an end, he wants to pass along the knowledge he’s gained over the past four years.

 

“When people ask me, ‘If you could go back and change schools, would you?’ My answer is always the same – absolutely not,” Ciotola said. “I feel that I couldn't have gone to any other institution and gained the same knowledge and experience that I have at WVU. I want to be able to spread that knowledge to my team members.”

 

Ciotola will tell you he wouldn’t be half of the shooter or person he is today had it not been for his coach. Hammond has been the biggest influence on Ciotola other than his parents.

 

“Jon is my dad away from home,” said Ciotola. “He has been there for me through ups and downs, not only in the range, but also out of the range, too. I can’t thank Jon enough for everything that he has done for me.”

 

Without Hammond, Ciotola says he may not be where he is school-wise, and definitely not shooting-wise. Hammond instills the thought that school sets the shooters up for the rest of their lives, and he sees more than just the shooting side of a recruit when he brings them to the team.

 

While his teammates, coach and experiences have been special, Ciotola still thinks of that loss against Kentucky, and the motivation given by his now best friend and roommate, Spurgeon, as his favorite memory on the team.

 

“We haven’t doubted ourselves since that match,” said Ciotola. “That may be the defining moment that still drives this team to shoot day-in and day-out.”

 

The Mountaineers (8-0, 6-0 GARC) finished their fall semester competition ranked No. 1 in the College Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Poll and return to the WVU Rifle Range to take on GARC foe, No. 6 Nebraska, on Jan. 17, 2015.