Extra Points

Missouri softball coach Ty Singleton, who has coached the Tigers for the past four seasons, was hired Thursday as head coach at New Mexico.

He replaces Kim Newbern, who resigned July 19 after four seasons.

Singleton, 36, coached Missouri to a record of 130-88 from 2003 through 2006. He also spent two seasons at Northwestern State in Louisiana, leaving with a record of 75-45.

He said the decision to take the New Mexico job was easy.

“It will allow me to have a more consistent schedule because of the weather and the improving facilities,” Singleton said. “We can practice during the day (and) play more home games in February and March.”

Singleton took Missouri to three straight NCAA tournaments. During his term, the Tigers finished lower than fifth just once in the competitive Big 12 Conference. He was the league’s coach of the year in 2003.

“Ty’s credentials are impeccable,” Paul Krebs, New Mexico athletic director, said.

MU SWIMMING: Tiger swimmers have had good performances in the first days of the the U.S. Summer Nationals swimming championships.

Sophomore Laura Halvorson swam her heat of the 200-meter freestyle event in 2:03.14, which will send her to the 2008 Olympic Trials. Halvorson will be joining junior Bennett Clark, who qualified for the trials at the regional meet held two weeks ago in Columbia.

Halvorson also started off the 4x100-meter freestyle relay team, rounded out by Shannon Hogan, Jill Granger and Carly Sullivan, which finished 18th in the finals, though their time of 3:55.03 was only eight one-hundredths of a second away from a top-16 spot. In the 200-meter butterfly prelims, two juniors posted career bests. Alex Zasadny finished in 2:05.40, while Justin Sellers finished in 2:07.07.

Halvorson will return to the pool today for the 200-meter backstroke prelims. Clark will be in the 100-meter freestyle prelims while Granger will be competing in the 800-meter freestyle prelims. On Saturday, the women’s relay team will return for the 400-meter medley relay.

SHOOTING SPORTS: Missouri’s 4-H shooting team placed second in the fifth annual National Shooting Sports Invitational in Rabid City, S.D.

The highest level of 4-H shooting competition attracted 27 state teams to compete in nine precision shooting events ranging from shotguns to air rifles.

Shooting is the second largest area of Missouri’s 4-H organization next to arts and crafts Gerry Snapp, the state coordinator for 4-H shooting sports, said.

“The kids are in it for the shooting,” Snapp said. “But the coaches use shooting to teach life skills.”

These life skills include personal responsibility, respect for the environment, safety, concentration and focus.

The team is selected through a statewide tryout, then coached in small team divisions focusing on a specific weapon.

“The coaches teach the basics,” Snapp said. “But we’ll take them as far as they want to go.”

Ryan Pownzer of Harrisburg pulled his weight with his team winning the muzzle loading competition but sees the event as more then a competition.

“It’s the highest level of

4-H competition,” Pownzer said. “But it give you the opportunity to meet new people who are interested in the same thing.”

Pownzer wont be able to compete in the muzzle loading competition due to a one year eligibility per event but hopes he can return next year shooting archery.

— Kyle Anderson