CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel’s Allison Auten qualified for the 2017 Junior Olympics with her performance at the qualifying event over the weekend hosted at the Inouye Marksmanship Center.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Allison to compete against the best shooters in the United States,” head coach William Smith said. “She has been one of our most consistent performers so far this collegiate season, and she continues to make remarkable strides. I am looking forward to her continued improvement as we move toward the championship portion of our schedule.”

Auten won the South Carolina state championship in both air rifle and smallbore. Her air rifle score of 392 points out of a possible 400 was an automatic-qualifying mark and secured her position at the Junior Olympics. The sophomore from Abbeville, South Carolina, also won the smallbore with 552 out of a possible 600 points.

Fellow Bulldog Faith Totherow took second in both competitions. The freshman from Aiken, South Carolina, scored 358 in air rifle and 536 in smallbore to claim runner-up honors.

The National Junior Olympic Championships are hosted by USA Shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with the 2017 championships scheduled to be held in April.

The Citadel rifle team returns to competition after the holidays. The Bulldogs are back in action Jan. 21 when Georgia Southern and Clemson come to Charleston, and the collegiate season continues until The Citadel hosts the Southern Conference Championships on March 4-5.