Biography
HONORS AND AWARDS
Dean's List (Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020)
All-SoCon First Team in Smallbore (2017-18)
2x All-SoCon Second Team in Air Rifle (2017-18, 2019-20)
2x Southern Conference Honor Roll (2018-19, 2019-20)
COLLEGIATE CAREER PERSONAL BESTS
Smallbore – 572 (Oct. 12, 2019)
Air Rifle – 584 (Jan. 10, 2018)
Aggregate – 1151 (Oct. 5, 2019)
SENIOR (2019-20): Earned All-SoCon Second Team honors in air rifle for the second time in his career … Competed in all 12 matches … Posted a season average of 1134.3 for aggregate score, including an average of 561.1 in three-position smallbore and an average of 573.3 in air rifle … Led the Bulldogs in aggregate scoring in five matches, posting 10 top-10 finishes in aggregate scoring … Started the season off with an 1136 at VMI (Sept. 21), including a 575 in air rifle, leading the Bulldogs in all three phases of the match … In the very next match, posted his season-best scores in aggregate (1151) and air rifle (582) in a home match against Wofford (Oct. 5), taking first in all three phases … His 1151 against the Terriers marked a career-best … In the third match of the season (Oct. 12), recorded his season- and career-best of 572 in smallbore … Led the Bulldogs in both smallbore and aggregate (1140), while also posting a 568 in air rifle … Was the highest finishing Bulldog in all three phases of the match on Oct. 26, posting an aggregate score of 1136 (559 in smallbore, 577 in air rifle) … Recorded the team’s top aggregate and smallbore scores of the match on Oct. 27, with an 1128 and a 564, while also adding an air rifle score of 564 … Posted an aggregate score of 1131 (561 in smallbore, 570 in air rifle) on Nov. 2 … Was the highest-finishing Bulldog in air rifle with a 577 on Nov. 9, posting another of his top-10 finishes in aggregate with an 1135, including a 558 in smallbore … Opened the spring semester with a top-10 aggregate score of 1124, including a 559 in smallbore and a 565 in air on Jan. 25 … On Feb. 1, posted the team’s highest air rifle score of 577 en route to a top-10 aggregate score of 1138, including a 561 in smallbore … On Feb. 8, posted an 1127 aggregate score, including a 556 in smallbore and a 571 in air … Wrapped up the regular season with a 562 in smallbore and a team-best 582 in air for a top-10 aggregate score of 1144 on Feb. 23 … Finished 14th in smallbore (551) and 10th in air rifle (571) at the 2020 SoCon Rifle Championships (March 7 – 8) for an aggregate score of 1122.
JUNIOR (2018-19): Competed in all 14 matches … Set a season average in aggregate score of 1128.7, including averaging a 557.6 in smallbore and a 570.9 in air rifle … Fired off a season-best smallbore score of 564 twice, in back-to-back competitions … Fired his first 564 of the season at Wofford (Jan. 19) … Followed that up with a 564 at home the following weekend (Jan. 26) … Ended the season shooting 560 or better in smallbore in five of his final six matches … Set a season-best air rifle score of 578 in a home match on February 2 … Combined with his 560 smallbore score to set his season-best aggregate score of 1138 in that match … Shot 570 or higher in air rifle in nine matches, including a 572 in the Southern Conference Rifle Championships (March 2-3).
SOPHOMORE (2017-18): Earned All-Southern Conference honors in both smallbore (first team) and air rifle (second team) … Competed in 14 events for The Citadel … Posted an average smallbore score of 559.6, an average air rifle score of 570.9 and an average aggregate score of 1130.6 … Scored above a 550 in smallbore in all 14 matches, including six matches above a 560 … Scored above a 570 in air rifle in six matches, including two above 580 … Finished sixth overall at the SoCon Championships with an aggregate score of 1146 after posting an eighth-best 563 in smallbore and a fifth-best 583 in air rifle … Set a personal best of 569 in smallbore on Oct. 7, 2017 … Posted his career-best air rifle and aggregate scores of 584 and 1150 on Jan. 10, 2018.
FRESHMAN (2016-17): Competed in all 14 matches as a true freshman for the Bulldogs … Posted an average smallbore score of 548.1, an average air rifle score of 564.4 and an average aggregate score of 1112.5 … Shot above a 550 in smallbore in six matches, including posting a season-high 561 in the second to last match of the season on Feb. 18, 2017 … Recorded three air rifle scores above 570, including his season-best 575 on Oct. 29, 2016 … Finished in the top 10 in smallbore seven times, including a third-place finished in the discipline on Nov. 12, 2016 … Posted five top-10 finishes in air rifle, including a fourth-place finish on Nov. 12.
HIGH SCHOOL: Advanced to Nationals in each of final three years … Twice participated in Junior Olympics as an individual … Finished third in his age group at the 2014 Junior Olympic competition held at The Citadel … Helped Ashley High School NJROTC rifle team win Junior Olympic competition in Walhalla, South Carolina.
PERSONAL: Son of Sarah Mason and Jeff McAlear … Born in Heidelberg, Germany … Major is mechanical engineering.
