VMI Rifle Freshman Earns SoCon Honors

Soraya Sar named SoCon Freshman of the Year after strong performance at 2026 Championships

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The VMI rifle team had a successful showing at the 2026 Southern Conference Championships in Statesboro, Georgia, with freshman Soraya Sar earning the prestigious SoCon Freshman of the Year award. The VMI Mixed Team finished third in the air rifle event, while the Women's Team placed fifth overall.

Why it matters

The SoCon Rifle Championships highlight the growing competitiveness and dedication within collegiate rifle programs. VMI's improvements, with increased aggregate scores, suggest a positive trajectory for the team and a growing interest in rifle shooting at the university. The recognition of young talent, like Sar's award, indicates a strong influx of skilled athletes into the sport.

The details

Sar's exceptional performance earned her the SoCon Freshman of the Year title. In the smallbore individual finals, she finished sixth with a score of 403.6. Other VMI standouts included Alexander Pohlman, who achieved a score of 587 in the air rifle, and Wuyue Xie, whose aggregate score of 1156 was the second-best for VMI. While VMI's men's and women's teams maintained a 4-5 finish for the second year in a row, they demonstrated significant progress, increasing their aggregate scores by 22 and 58 points, respectively.

  • The 2026 Southern Conference Rifle Championships took place in Statesboro, Georgia.

The players

Soraya Sar

A freshman on the VMI rifle team who was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year after a strong performance at the 2026 Championships.

Alexander Pohlman

A VMI rifle team member who finished eighth overall in the air rifle event with a score of 1162.

Wuyue Xie

A VMI rifle team member whose aggregate score of 1156 was the second-best for the team.

Georgia Southern

The university that claimed its fifth consecutive SoCon Championship title, setting a new championship record with a score of 4,727.

North Georgia

The university that finished second in the SoCon Championships with a score of 4,658.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

The SoCon Rifle Championships showcase the growing competitiveness and dedication within collegiate rifle programs. VMI's improvements and the recognition of young talent, like Soraya Sar's award, indicate a positive trajectory for the team and a strong influx of skilled athletes into the sport.