The MAC Smallbore Shooter of the Month is Rebekah Ashbrook of Akron University.  

Being a talented athlete is not always about big numbers.  Rebekah works hard to be a regular contributor on the range and has had some impressive scores (especially prone), but most notably for Bekah is her complete dedication to the success of the entire team.  Setting the example by attending every physical conditioning session and every practice, Bekah is always willing to take on extra responsibilities.  For the past two seasons Bekah has volunteered to be the coordinator for the annual rifle team turkey shoot fund raiser.  This is no small task as the success of this fund raiser depends on a coordinator who will solicit prizes, schedule advertising, make presentations and coordinate staffing.  Under Beka’s watch the fund raiser has earned an unprecedented amount of contributions along with giving our sport a substantial amount of positive recognition and interaction within our campus and campus community.  Bekah does all of this while maintaining a 3.7 gpa in the demanding Speech and Language Pathology program.  Truly a leader on and off the range.

as a freshman (2008-09): Redshirted...Named to the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Academic All-American team.

as a sophomore (2009-10):,  This was Bekah's first year to compete in 3-position and air rifle.  Previously she had only competed in prone matches.  She had a high score in small-bore for the year of 557 and a 567 in air rifle and competed at the Outdoor National Championships at Camp Perry for the first time.  Bekah earned Dean's list recognition and was named to the CRCA Collegiate Rile Coaches Association, All-Academic Team as well as the MAC All-Academic Team and Mac Honor Roll. She was a member of the WIRC 1st Place Conference Championship Team and named to the MAC All Rookie Team.  Bekah was honored by being elected to the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

as a junior (2010-11):,  had high scores of 569 in small-bore and 376 in air rifle. She again participated in the National Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio medaling in the Jr. team matches. Bekah continues to do well in school making the Dean's list with a 3.79 GPA in her last semester...was named to the CRCA Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association All-Academic team for the 3rd straight year and the MAC All-Academic Team. She is looking forward to her senior year of competition and owing to the fact that she was red-shirted as a freshman still has 2 years of eligibility.

Prior to UA: McGuffey High School rifle team Captain 2007-08 ... named to the PA All-Tournament Team [3] times ... a member of [2] Pa State Interscholastic Championship Rifle Teams ... 2008 PA State Interscholastic Rifle Prone Champion, 2008 W.P.I.A.L. Rifle Champion and, 2008 W.P.I.A.L. SR Invitational Champion ... also the holder of record scores for each of those championships and the only person ever to have won all three ...Winner of [11] W.P.I.A.L. and State medals ... coached by Howard J. Ashbrook [Dad].

The MAC Air Rifle Shooter of the Month is Shakira Chavis of the University of the Sciences.

Currently Shakira is in her 3^rd year as a Doctorate of Pharmacy student-athlete who is currently holding down a 3.39 cumulative GPA. Besides her participation on the team, the Bensalem, PA native is active in the USciences Black Student Union on campus.

Shakira is another one of that long line of students that found out that she had an interest in rifle after taking the three week mandatory physical education marksmanship class. After red shirting and training the rest of her freshman year she found that she had made the right decision. Her second year (her first year of eligibility and competition) she “paid her dues” as most young inexperienced do, but never missed an opportunity to compete. During the 2011-2012 season she has been improving each match. In the month of November she shot a 536 at Akron (a career high) followed by a 528 vs John Jay and then another career high of 541 vs Wentworth.

Currently she is averaging 523.57 in seven shoulder-to shoulder matches. Paul Klimitas her ex coach stated that “Shakira is just fun to coach. She listens to everything that you say – and if you have shooters that listen to what you say – and there is ‘buy-in’ - the coaching is so much easier. Current coach Pete Dalidowicz is not surprised with her progress. “Shakira works hard for every hold and every shot – it’s always fun to watch young shooters when the light bulb goes on and they see the pay back for their hard work when they see their scores go up.”