MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University sophomore and Olympic Gold Medalist Ginny Thrasher has been named the 2016 USA Shooting Athlete of the Year.
Alongside Matt Emmons, Thrasher earned the top overall athlete honor.
“It is such a great honor to receive this award,” the Springfield, Virginia, native said. “I think this is the perfect way to end a wonderful year, and I look forward to the opportunities the future year holds.”
Thrasher became the first Gold Medalist of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games when she won the women’s 10m air rifle on Aug. 6. She was the third-youngest USA women’s shooting medalist and the third USA shooter to win the women’s 10m air rifle event. Additionally, Thrasher was the first female shooter with ties to the WVU rifle program to medal at an Olympic Games.
She also finished 11th in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions.
Thrasher followed her Olympic performance with a Bronze-medal finish in the women’s 10m air rifle at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final for Rifle/Pistol, in October, in Italy.
“This is a fantastic and well-deserved honor for Ginny,” Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond said. “It has been an amazing year for her, and this is a great way to end it. Ginny has put in a lot of time and hard work, and she’s had many ups and downs along the way. I’m sure she has experienced more than most in one year.
“Through it all, Ginny has been a tremendous representative of West Virginia University and the WVU rifle team. We are incredibly proud of her and everything she has achieved.”
Thrasher opened her collegiate career with a sweep of the individual titles at the 2016 NCAA National Championships, becoming the first freshman shooter to win the air rifle and smallbore titles at the same event. She helped the Mountaineers claim their fourth straight and 18th overall NCAA title.
The 2016 Great America Rifle Conference (GARC) Rookie of the Year, she earned three All-America honors and was named the NCAA Championships Top Performer Honoree.
