Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Hammond Inks Four Mountaineers
November 18, 2019 07:11 PM | Rifle
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University rifle coach Jon Hammond announced today that Tal Engler (Tzur Yigal, Israel), Becca Lamb (Centreville, Virginia), Molly McGhin (Griffin, Georgia) and Matthew Sanchez (Tampa, Florida) are set to join the No. 1-ranked Mountaineers for the 2020-21 season.
"We are really excited about this recruiting class," Hammond said. "They all have a great amount of experience, and I think all four of them will bring a lot to the team. Matt and Tal have both competed with their national teams, and we have known Becca and Molly a long time through camps and open matches.
"I think all of them have a huge amount of potential in the sport, and we are obviously excited to go on this journey with them for the next four years. With the ones we will be losing, this was a great year to have a large recruiting class, and I believe they will set us up in great shape for the future."
Hailing from Tzur Yigal, Israel, Engler is a member of the Israel National Team and has represented her country at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Granada World Championships (2014), Suhl World Championships (2017) and Changwon World Championships (2018). She also has competed at multiple ISSF Junior Cups, ISSF Junior World Cups and ISSF World Cups. Engler finished as high as fourth in the 10m air rifle mixed team event at the 2018 ISSF Munich World Cup.
Additionally, Engler earned a pair of top-five finishes in the junior women's 50m rifle 3-positions event at the 2017 ISSF Suhl World Championships, as well as the 2017 European Championships. She also placed sixth in the junior women's 10m air rifle event at the 2016 ISSF Suhl Junior World Cup and the 2017 European Championships. At the 2016 ISSF Gabala Junior World Cup, Engler finished sixth in the junior women's 50m rifle prone event.
Engler, who holds the Israeli national record for air rifle and smallbore, was named the 2018 National Team Shooter of the Year.
The daughter of Aviv and Ariela Engler, she intends to major in exercise physiology at WVU.
"I chose WVU because it gives me the opportunity to fulfill my two biggest passions, which are studying physical therapy and competing in my favorite sport at a high level," Engler said.
Lamb, a native of Centreville, Virginia, shoots for the Acorns Optimist Rifle Club, which is the same club that graduate Ginny Thrasher competed for. A four-time USA Junior Olympic Championships qualifier, Lamb was a three-time Eley High School All-American in air rifle and a two-time Eley High School All-American in smallbore.
Additionally, Lamb was a three-time Virginia air rifle state champion and a 2017 Virginia smallbore state champion. She also won silver medals at the 2017 American Legion's 3-Position Air Rifle Championship and the 2017 CMP National Championship.
The daughter of Doug and Cindy Lamb, she currently attends Westfield High and intends to major in computer science at WVU.
"I chose WVU because of the competitive, yet supportive, team atmosphere that coach Hammond has created," Lamb said. "It is exactly what I am looking for. Both the team and the school are very welcoming, and after many years of visiting, WVU feels like a second home."
McGhin comes to Morgantown from Griffin, Georgia, where she competes for Lisa Kelley and Roy McClain at Georgia Competitive Shooters. McGhin competed at the 2019 U.S. Army National Championships with her club team, placing first in air rifle and third in smallbore. Individually, she earned a fourth-place finish in air rifle. She also helped her team claim back-to-back National Orion League Championships (2016-17), as well as a runner-up finish in 2018.
McGhin, a five-time USA Junior Olympic Championships qualifier, received a bronze medal in smallbore in 2018 and placed 15th in smallbore at the 2019 Olympic Trials in Fort Benning, Georgia. She also was a two-time Eley High School All-American and was the 2019 Georgia smallbore state champion.
The daughter of Steve and Connie McGhin, she intends to major in psychology at WVU.
"I chose WVU because I knew the people there would help me reach my full potential in shooting," McGhin said. "The first time I visited WVU was for a rifle clinic, and that was when I realized how much the coaching staff, as well as the team, would help me through my journey. I also was drawn toward the team environment and the level of sportsmanship. I noticed that everyone supported each other in the most constructive and positive way, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that culture."
Sanchez, a native of Tampa, Florida, is a member of the United States National Team and has represented Team USA at the 2018 ISSF Changwon World Championships. He also has competed in a trio of ISSF World Cups and a pair of ISSF Junior World Cups.
Appearing in four consecutive USA Junior Olympic Championships, Sanchez won Gold in the men's 50m rifle prone event (2016), men's 50m 3-positions event (2018) and the men's 10m air rifle event (2019). He also earned a runner-up finish in the men's 50m 3-positions event in 2019.
Additionally, Sanchez, who was a two-time Eley High School All-American in both smallbore and air rifle, claimed back-to-back titles in both the junior men's 10m air rifle event and the men's 50m 3-positions event at the USA Shooting Junior Olympics State Qualifiers (2018-19).
The son of Freddy and Elizabeth Sanchez, he currently attends Paul R. Wharton High and intends to major in finance at WVU.
"I chose WVU because I wanted to be apart of this family and win a national championship," Sanchez said. "A lot of the big names in the shooting community hail from WVU, and I was determined to join this team. It also was a no brainer once I found out that WVU offered one of the many business majors I was interested in. Lastly, my communication and interaction with coach Hammond helped sealed the deal. I am honored that I was considered for this once in a lifetime opportunity, and I can't wait to represent such an iconic institution."
Looking ahead, WVU (6-0, 5-0 GARC) closes its fall slate in Annapolis, Maryland, on Saturday, Nov. 23, with a match against Navy at 8 a.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVURifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
"We are really excited about this recruiting class," Hammond said. "They all have a great amount of experience, and I think all four of them will bring a lot to the team. Matt and Tal have both competed with their national teams, and we have known Becca and Molly a long time through camps and open matches.
"I think all of them have a huge amount of potential in the sport, and we are obviously excited to go on this journey with them for the next four years. With the ones we will be losing, this was a great year to have a large recruiting class, and I believe they will set us up in great shape for the future."
Hailing from Tzur Yigal, Israel, Engler is a member of the Israel National Team and has represented her country at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Granada World Championships (2014), Suhl World Championships (2017) and Changwon World Championships (2018). She also has competed at multiple ISSF Junior Cups, ISSF Junior World Cups and ISSF World Cups. Engler finished as high as fourth in the 10m air rifle mixed team event at the 2018 ISSF Munich World Cup.
Additionally, Engler earned a pair of top-five finishes in the junior women's 50m rifle 3-positions event at the 2017 ISSF Suhl World Championships, as well as the 2017 European Championships. She also placed sixth in the junior women's 10m air rifle event at the 2016 ISSF Suhl Junior World Cup and the 2017 European Championships. At the 2016 ISSF Gabala Junior World Cup, Engler finished sixth in the junior women's 50m rifle prone event.
Engler, who holds the Israeli national record for air rifle and smallbore, was named the 2018 National Team Shooter of the Year.
The daughter of Aviv and Ariela Engler, she intends to major in exercise physiology at WVU.
"I chose WVU because it gives me the opportunity to fulfill my two biggest passions, which are studying physical therapy and competing in my favorite sport at a high level," Engler said.
Lamb, a native of Centreville, Virginia, shoots for the Acorns Optimist Rifle Club, which is the same club that graduate Ginny Thrasher competed for. A four-time USA Junior Olympic Championships qualifier, Lamb was a three-time Eley High School All-American in air rifle and a two-time Eley High School All-American in smallbore.
Additionally, Lamb was a three-time Virginia air rifle state champion and a 2017 Virginia smallbore state champion. She also won silver medals at the 2017 American Legion's 3-Position Air Rifle Championship and the 2017 CMP National Championship.
The daughter of Doug and Cindy Lamb, she currently attends Westfield High and intends to major in computer science at WVU.
"I chose WVU because of the competitive, yet supportive, team atmosphere that coach Hammond has created," Lamb said. "It is exactly what I am looking for. Both the team and the school are very welcoming, and after many years of visiting, WVU feels like a second home."
McGhin comes to Morgantown from Griffin, Georgia, where she competes for Lisa Kelley and Roy McClain at Georgia Competitive Shooters. McGhin competed at the 2019 U.S. Army National Championships with her club team, placing first in air rifle and third in smallbore. Individually, she earned a fourth-place finish in air rifle. She also helped her team claim back-to-back National Orion League Championships (2016-17), as well as a runner-up finish in 2018.
McGhin, a five-time USA Junior Olympic Championships qualifier, received a bronze medal in smallbore in 2018 and placed 15th in smallbore at the 2019 Olympic Trials in Fort Benning, Georgia. She also was a two-time Eley High School All-American and was the 2019 Georgia smallbore state champion.
The daughter of Steve and Connie McGhin, she intends to major in psychology at WVU.
"I chose WVU because I knew the people there would help me reach my full potential in shooting," McGhin said. "The first time I visited WVU was for a rifle clinic, and that was when I realized how much the coaching staff, as well as the team, would help me through my journey. I also was drawn toward the team environment and the level of sportsmanship. I noticed that everyone supported each other in the most constructive and positive way, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that culture."
Sanchez, a native of Tampa, Florida, is a member of the United States National Team and has represented Team USA at the 2018 ISSF Changwon World Championships. He also has competed in a trio of ISSF World Cups and a pair of ISSF Junior World Cups.
Appearing in four consecutive USA Junior Olympic Championships, Sanchez won Gold in the men's 50m rifle prone event (2016), men's 50m 3-positions event (2018) and the men's 10m air rifle event (2019). He also earned a runner-up finish in the men's 50m 3-positions event in 2019.
Additionally, Sanchez, who was a two-time Eley High School All-American in both smallbore and air rifle, claimed back-to-back titles in both the junior men's 10m air rifle event and the men's 50m 3-positions event at the USA Shooting Junior Olympics State Qualifiers (2018-19).
The son of Freddy and Elizabeth Sanchez, he currently attends Paul R. Wharton High and intends to major in finance at WVU.
"I chose WVU because I wanted to be apart of this family and win a national championship," Sanchez said. "A lot of the big names in the shooting community hail from WVU, and I was determined to join this team. It also was a no brainer once I found out that WVU offered one of the many business majors I was interested in. Lastly, my communication and interaction with coach Hammond helped sealed the deal. I am honored that I was considered for this once in a lifetime opportunity, and I can't wait to represent such an iconic institution."
Looking ahead, WVU (6-0, 5-0 GARC) closes its fall slate in Annapolis, Maryland, on Saturday, Nov. 23, with a match against Navy at 8 a.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVURifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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