If you've walked around campus long enough, it is likely thatyou've run into two All-American athletes. It's even more likelythat when it happened, you didn't even turn your head.
In the high-profile world of collegiate sports, mostAll-Americans would be spotted from across campus, but sophomoreBeth Tidmore and freshman Katie Benjamin have achieved theirsuccess in the publicity-starved sport of rifle.
Without any fanfare, Tidmore and Benjamin have led TheUniversity of Memphis to national prominence.
This winter, the two led The U of M to national rankings in bothsmallbore and air rifle for the first time.
With the aid of scholarships, which were unavailable even twoyears ago, rifle coach Butch Woolbright has quietly built anationally-recognized program. His first scholarship went toTidmore, and this season, he's added Benjamin and Sarah Carr,another freshman shooter, to the roster.
But Woolbright said it is his two standouts that have reallymade The U of M an attractive option for future collegiateshooters.
"Everybody (in rifle) knows who they are," Woolbright said. "Thekids in high school, they see Beth and Katie and they know theyshoot for Memphis. They don't even have to say anything. They areambassadors for our program."
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Rifle consists of two events, smallbore and air. In thesmallbore event, the shooter must hit targets 50 feet away fromstanding, kneeling and prone positions. Air rifle participants musthit the targets from 33 feet from a standing position. The targetsizes are adjusted relative to distance, so that the targets appearthe same size in the sight, despite the varying distances.
In the air event, the participants shoot at white targets thesize of a silver dollar. The outer levels of the target are worthbetween one and three points. Inside the white target is a blackarea the size of a quarter, which is the smallest area thecompetitors can see through their sight. By hitting that target,shooters can gain four to ten points, depending on how close to thebull's eye. To gain 10 points, the shooters must pierce a bull'seye the size of the period at the end of this sentence.
"To give you an idea of the accuracy at this level, we rarelyscore less than eights," Tidmore said.
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It is a sport where a matter of millimeters can make adifference.
For example, this season, The U of M rifle squad missed a spotin the eight-team air rifle national championships by just threepoints. If each member had been a few millimeters closer to onetarget, Memphis would have advanced.
Next year, Tidmore said she expects even better teamresults.
"We were within three points of going to nationals," Tidmoresaid. "It's not like we didn't try, but I'm not sure we were readyto get there. That really lit a fire under this team. We know nowthat we're not just a joke anymore."
While team success is relatively new here, Tidmore and Benjaminhave been performing at a high level for years.
At the NCAA nationals, Tidmore qualified individually for bothevents, finishing 14th in smallbore and 16th in air.
Benjamin, Tidmore and Carr all qualified for the Junior OlympicRifle event, which was held last week in Colorado Springs,Colo.
Although Carr was unable to attend, Tidmore and Benjamin did,making The U of M the only school with two representatives at theprestigious event.
Not only did they qualify, each made the final eight in airrifle. Tidmore took the bronze while Benjamin placed eighth.Benjamin, who also qualified in small bore, made the finals andfinished sixth in that event.
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Despite all their success in the sport, the two are quitedifferent with their approaches to rifle.
Tidmore, a sophomore, has been in rifle just four years. Thefreshman Benjamin has spent eight years perfecting the trade.Tidmore is superior in the air rifle competition. Benjamin isbetter in smallbore.
Tidmore would talk rifle with a stranger "all day," as she putit. Benjamin conceded that she doesn't really like interviews.
They also have different philosophies about where their riflecareers might take them.
Tidmore is quick to point out that her ultimate ambition is the2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, if not sooner. As a member of thenational team, an honor she received for winning a Junior Olympiccompetition last year, she can compete for a spot in Athens thissummer at the Olympic trials in May.
Benjamin is more inclined to let rifle take a back seat,preferring to let her career in nursing take shape and let riflefill in the blanks.
"I'll never make any money in rifle," Benjamin said.
She would certainly take the opportunity for the Olympics in2008, but takes a very levelheaded approach.
"At rifle, if it's your day (at the trials), then you're goingto go (to the Olympics)," Benjamin said.
Despite the different approaches, the two are determined to makethemselves better, and each is happy the other is at The U of M tohelp.
"(Tidmore) pushes me in air rifle, and I push her in smallbore,"Benjamin said, "It helps having somebody at your level."
Tidmore agreed.
"Our scores are very close, and we push each other," she said."It's important to have somebody who can do that."
And Woolbright is happy to have them both.
"My mailbox is filling up with mail from kids that otherwisewouldn't give Memphis a second look," he said.
It looks as if some people have noticed after all.
