CLEMSON — Clemson University will host the National Rifle Association’s 2011 Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship April 7-10 on the campus of The Citadel in Charleston. Clemson’s air rifle club team is the defending national champion, after winning last year’s tournament at Purdue University.

The invitational tournament will include team and individual competition in air rifle and smallbore rifle shooting. Teams competing in the tournament are Clemson, North Georgia College, the University of Michigan, Penn State University, Michigan State University, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, West Virginia University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Illinois State University, Purdue University, Princeton University and New Mexico Tech.

Clemson Trustee Emeritus Bill Hendrix will fire the opening shot to begin the tournament at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7. Competition will run all day Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, and awards will be presented in a ceremony at noon on Sunday, April 10.

The Citadel is supporting the tournament by providing use of its rifle range for the tournament.
“We were so excited and honored to be able to host this year’s tournament, which will bring the top collegiate shooters from across the country to South Carolina,” said Clemson air rifle coach John Cummings.

“The Citadel has been a great partner in allowing us to hold the tournament on their campus. Clemson does not yet have a range to host this kind of event, so I thank The Citadel for being our ‘home away from home’ for the tournament.”

Clemson’s team has five shooters competing in the tournament: team captain Eugene Diefenbach of Fairfax Station, Va.; Erin Gotterbram of Cayce; Dylan Smith of Charlotte, N.C.; Basil “Trey” Jordan of Darlington; and Kevin Tuten of Liberty.

The tournament is free and open to the public. It will be held at The Citadel Marksmanship Center located on Hammond Ave. on The Citadel campus.