STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern rifle team kicks off its 2020-21 campaign on Saturday, traveling to Charleston to take on The Citadel and The Citadel Women's in a tri-match. The action begins at 8:30 a.m at the Inouye Marksmanship Center on campus. Live results can be found on MegaLink.

Each squad will have five shooters participating in both the USA Shooting 60-shot 3x20 small bore and 60-shot air rifle disciplines. The top four scores from both disciplines are used to determine the scores. Georgia Southern will take all 10 student-athletes to Charleston with the determination of participants to be determined.

"I said last year that this year was a building year, but it may be more of a building semester," head coach Sandra Worman. "The freshmen are hard workers who are led by gifted leaders in the sophomores, so all of them are going places, fast.  We've been working on fundamentals, mental management, working smarter instead of harder and making sure the equipment is working for us instead of us making adjustments to accommodate the equipment. All of these lessons are landing well on the hardworking "froshmores" and I'm very pleased with the team's progress."

Looking to get back to the top of the podium at the Southern Conference meet, the new Eagles will be a young one as five sophomores and six freshmen make up the roster. Here's a brief look at the 10 women who make up the squad, in alphabetical order:

Erin Ballard, Fr., Reedsville, W.Va.
HIGH SCHOOL: Was homeschooled, but shot club rifle for Mason-Dixon Jr. Rifle Club and Coach David Wisman … Won the West Virginia Junior Olympic qualifier in 2019 … United States Junior Olympics Women's 10 meter air rifle 1st round invitation in April, 2019 … Silver Medalist State Junior Olympics Women's .22 long rifle in December, 2017 and December, 2018 … Silver Medalist State Junior Olympics Women's 10 meter air rifle in December 2017 and December, 2018 … Silver Medalist State Junior Olympics Three-Position air rifle in March, 2018 … United States Army Marksmanship Unit Jr. Nationals Rifle Match invitation in February, 2017 and January, 2018 … Bronze Medalist Centreville Cup Challenge Three-Position air rifle in October 2018 and October, 2019 … Bronze Medalist Team Centreville Cup Challenge Three-Position air rifle in October, 2018 … Gold Medal Team Centreville Cup Challenge Standing 10 meter air rifle in October, 2018 … Received the American Heritage Girls (AHG) Dolley Madison Level Award in May, 2018 … Mountaineer Area RoboticS (MARS) Safety Captain in 2017 … Mountaineer Area RoboticS (MARS) Pit Boss from 2017-2019 … Mountaineer Area RoboticS (MARS) CAD Team in 2017-2018 … Mountaineer Area RoboticS (MARS) Student Leadership Council Secretary in 2019.

COACH WORMAN ON BALLARD: Tough as nails. She is the most experienced smallbore shooter in terms of matches and indoor/outdoor settings, plus the number of camps and training she has acquired. She is adding new skill sets and mind sets to her tool box, and is ready to show us how well her process supports her.

Bella Gamez, Fr., San Antonio, Texas
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Claudia Taylor Johnson High, where she shot for Coach Thomas Groggett … Shot for Texas Hill Country Shooting Team for Coach Ron Haffner … Team was the 2019 NRA National Smallbore Champions … 2018 Texas 4-H District 10 Smallbore Rifle Match fourth place … 2019 Bexar County JROTC Air Rifle Championship third place individual/first place team … 2019 Army JROTC third place Precision Team Region Championships … 2019 Texas 4-H District 10 Smallbore Rifle Match … 2019 Texas 4-H State RoundUp fifth place individual and third place team … 2019 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships Conventional Position Metallic sights Highest Scoring Junior Team … 2019 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships Conventional Prone Any Sights Highest Scoring Junior Team … 2019 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships Conventional Prone Metallic Sights Highest Scoring Junior Team … 2019 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships Conventional Position Any Sights Highest Scoring Junior Team … 2019 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Conventional Position Team Champion … 2019 TSRA State Indoor Championships Intermediate Junior Smallbore third place … Montgomery Bell Academy second place 3PAR Team … 2020 U.S. Army Junior Air Rifle National Championship first place team - Smallbore … 2020 Army JROTC Region Championships first place Precision Team Team captain … Finished fifth at the Texas 4H Roundup … A member of the National Honor Society.

COACH WORMAN ON GAMEZ: Bella will be healed back to full form shortly, and has used every minute of her time off the range to support her teammates. She has put a lot of effort into refining her own processes and perfecting her relationship with her performance management journal. The little bit she has been able to live fire proves the strength and effectiveness of all this work.

Kinsley Hannon, Fr., Newnan, Ga.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended East Coweta High, where she has been a member of the rifle squad … Coached by Peter Merrill … Also shot for 4-H … Individual area champion in 2019 … Named to the all-area team in 2020 … Named distinguished shooter in 2020 … Earned an expert marksmanship medal … A Junior Olympic automatic qualifier … A 2020 state automatic qualifier … A 2020 JROTC national qualifier … A member of the National Honor Society.

COACH WORMAN ON HANNON: Kinsley is doing very fine work acquiring smallbore as an additional skill set. Her growth mind set is really shining through here and she is making quick work of the journey.

Lillian Herring, So., York, Pa.
HERRING IN 2019-20: Competed for the Eagles in 12 of 13 events as a true freshman … Averaged 544.667 in smallbore, 558.167 in air rifle and 1,102.833 aggregate … Had a high smallbore of 557 on Oct. 12 at The Citadel … Had a high air rifle of 569 on Nov. 15 at M.I.T. … Had a high aggregate score of 1,123 at The Citadel on Oct. 12 … Named a Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Scholastic All-American … Made the Dean's List 3.50-3.99 GPA) in Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.

COACH WORMAN ON HERRING: A seasoned professional who used the break (and some other curveballs) to re-find her passion. She spent the last year repeatedly taking her resilience training into the red line, and now bends adversity to her own will.  This will serve her well in every area, especially on the line.

Ashley Judson, So., Acworth, Ga.
JUDSON IN 2019-20: The only Eagle to compete in all 13 events … The SoCon Co-Air Rifle Athlete of the Year after averaging a conference-best 580.231 for the season … Named second-team All-SoCon in both smallbore and air rifle … Averaged 560.538 in smallbore and 1,140.769 aggregate … Led the team in all three scoring areas … Had a high smallbore of 573 on Nov. 2 in Statesboro … Had a high air rifle of 588 on Jan. 19 in Palmyra, Pennsylvania … High aggregate of 1,157 came on Nov. 2 at home … Finished first in four smallbore events, five air rifle events and four overall … Made the finals of both disciplines at the conference meet, finishing eighth in smallbore (eighth in finals) and second in air rifle (sixth in finals) … Qualified for the Junior Olympics … Team captain … Named a Scholastic All-American by the CRCA … Made the President's List in Fall 2019 for a 4.00 GPA … Made the Dean's List (3.50-3.59 GPA) in Spring 2020.

COACH WORMAN ON JUDSON: Our team captain and a leader on and off the range. She is using the mental, physical and steel tools in her tool box with increasing independence and efficiency. Her mastery of process is reliably showing up in her end result.

Anna Mayo, Fr., Lawrenceville, Ga.
HIGH SCHOOL: Shot a Parkview High for Lt. Col. Sean Wilson … A GSSA All-State selection in 2019 … CMP Junior Distinguished in 2019 … The top athlete on her high school team her sophomore, junior and senior years … The top athlete in the region her junior year … Was third in the region her sophomore year … Placed 22nd junior year and had the fourth-highest average.

COACH WORMAN ON MAYO: Like other freshmen, she is adjusting to the professional levels of collegiate shooting. She is learning to master every aspect that will support her best process and is working hard to acquire smallbore.

Gabby Morrow, So., Locust Grove, Ga.
MORROW IN 2019-20: Competed in 12 events as a true freshman … Earned second-team All-SoCon honors in air rifle after advancing to the finals … Averaged 538.333 in smallbore, 568.083 in air rifle and a 1,106.417 aggregate … Had a high smallbore of 561 on Feb. 23 in Charleston … Her high air rifle score of 575 came on Nov. 15 at M.I.T. … Highest aggregate score of 1,118 came on Feb. 8 in Statesboro … Made the Honor Roll (3.00-3.49 GPA) in Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.

COACH WORMAN ON MORROW: Her methodical professionalism and maturity continues to be her defining characteristics on the range. She keeps herself accountable when it comes to the little things that can nick away at points. She nicks right back!

Amelia Pierce, So., Greencastle, Pa.
PIERCE IN 2019-20: Competed in 12 events as a true freshman … Averaged 531.25 in smallbore, 551.259 in air rifle and a 1,082.500 aggregate … Had smallbore score of 547 came on Feb. 23 at The Citadel … Had a high air rifle score of 567 at home on Feb. 8 … Her high aggregate score of 1,103 was set on Feb. 8 at home and matched on Feb. 23 at The Citadel.

COACH WORMAN ON PIERCE: Amelia has a positive determination that is infectious to the team, on and off the line, and this is really coming through as a strong tool for herself in shooting. Her resilience and ability to regroup is something she purposefully acquired last year, and she has returned to school, after a lot of hard work in the summer, with it as a fully formed skill set.

Brianne Staton, Fr., Deatsville, Ala.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Holtville High, where she ran cross country and played soccer … Club rifle squad was Calhoun County Hawkeyes, coached by Matt Carroll … First place Precision Team CMP State Championship in 2019 … First place Individual CMP State Championship in 2019 … Second place State Junior Olympic Champion in 2019 … Junior Olympic Qualifier in 2019 … Third place Individual Sporter AL American Legion Commander's Cup in 2018 … Third place Sporter Team Above the Best in 2018 … Third place ARMY JROTC Regional Championship in 2018 … CMP Junior Distinguished Shooter #1235 in 2018 … First place Sporter Team Hawkeyes Open in 2018 … First place CMP Junior Rifle Camp in 2018 … Third place Precision 3PAR Individual in 2018 … An NRA Distinguished Shooter in 2017 … First place Sporter Team 4H State Championship in 2017 … Third place three-position Sporter Team 4H Nationals in 2017 … Tenth place Standing Air Rifle Individual 4H Nationals in 2017 … Second place Standing Air Rifle Team 4H Nationals in 2017 … Fifth place Air Rifle Overall Team 4H Nationals in 2017 … First place Sporter Senior Individual Buckmasters Expo in 2017 … First place Sporter Senior Team Buckmasters Expo in 2017 … First place Team CMP State Championship in 2017 … First place Team Sporter Class AL American Legion Commander's Cup, 2017; 2nd Place Individual Sporter Class AL American Legion Commander's Cup, 2017; 3rd Place Sporter Team Dixie Challenge in 2017 … First place Sporter Individual CMP September Monthly in March, 2017 … Lettered twice in cross country and five times in soccer.

COACH WORMAN ON STATON: Steely-minded Brianne is absorbing everything Division 1 Varsity has to offer, and is quickly tucking it away into her toolbox for immediate use.

Amy Visconti, Fr., Champlain, N.Y.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Northeastern Clinton Central School, where she lettered in soccer and cheerleading … Club rifle squad was Rough Riders Rifle Team and Plattsburgh Rod and Gun Club … The 2018 and 2019 national rifle league top junior shooter, eastern conference … A National Rifle League All-Star from 2017-2019 … Eastern Conference Top Shot 4-P 2018 and 2019 … Averaged 392.8 (400) in smallbore for the 2019 National Rifle League season … First place Spring and Fall Air Rifle Match, Plattsburgh Rod and Gun Club … Member of Rough Riders Rifle team that won the conference championship in the National Rifle League for the past three years.

COACH WORMAN ON VISCONTI: With so much shooting experience, she is like a sponge adding new skills and tools to her existing knowledge base. You have to have done lots of hard work before you can streamline your tool box. Amy has paid her dues and is up for the continued challenge.