With the beginning of the season less than one month away, the NC State rifle team has begun its practice regiment. One welcome addition to the range is redshirt junior Dani Foster, who has recently returned to the team after missing all of last season due to a leg injury.
During the Wolfpack’s 2012-2013 campaign, Foster was the team’s second-best shooter, next to former State riflewoman Maddy Pike. The Newport News, Virginia, native averaged scores of 571 and 580 in the small-bore and air-rifle competitions, respectively.
Foster’s success during her sophomore season earned her an All-Southeastern Air Rifle Conference selection to go along with her SEARC Individual Championship title that she earned as a freshman.
With the high level of shooting that Foster brought to the table, as well as the fact that Pike was returning for her fourth and final year with the Pack, it was a huge shock to head coach Keith Miller’s squad when Foster broke her leg just one week before the beginning of the 2013-2014 season.
“Obviously it’s not how you would lay things out if you were planning how the season would go,” Miller said.
As soon as she had finished healing, Foster began her rehabilitation process. Though her determination eventually willed her through her rehab, Foster admitted that making even the smallest amount of progress was a chore.
“It sucked,” Foster said. “[The rehabilitation process] was really painful, and it felt like it was never going to end. It was definitely something that I don’t want to do again.”
Foster said that although the physical pain was taxing at times, simply being forced away from the team was the most difficult part of her redshirt season.
“[What I missed most] was definitely spending time with my team on the road,” Foster said. “We’re a really close-knit team, and I felt like I wasn’t really part of the team anymore because I wasn’t travelling with them, and I wasn’t experiencing everything that they were.”
Though she had elected to redshirt the season, Foster returned to team practices in March, performing in limited drills and readjusting to the routine. Since the beginning of practice last week, Foster said she feels 100 percent.
“[My leg] is doing really well; I haven’t had any issues with it,” Foster said. “I’ve had really good practices so far, so I’m happy with how everything has worked out. We’re back into the groove.”
Despite Foster’s loss, the State club managed to salvage a solid outing during the 2013-2014 season. The Pack compiled a record of 35-9, including a perfect 25-0 against SEARC competition. Miller’s squad ended the season as the No. 15 program in the nation, only one spot lower than the previous year.
Miller pointed to newcomer Lucas Kozeniesky as a big reason for the team’s sustained level of competitiveness.
“Our freshman Lucas Kozeniesky really kicked it up last year,” Miller said. “Because of Maddy being solid and Lucas shooting well, the loss of Dani hurt, but we were able to maintain a level of performance that he had the final year.”
With a healthy Foster and a more experienced Kozeniesky leading the way in 2014, Miller said he has high hopes for the upcoming season.
“We’re looking for Dani and Lucas to, as a team, lead the rest of the team,” Miller said. “Dani working hard can make Lucas better, Lucas shooting well can make Dani better, and both of them shooting well makes everyone better.”
Foster said she is eager to get back on the range and has high expectations for the team this season.
“I just want to come on stronger than I have in the previous years,” Foster said. “I want to do the best I can, but I really want the team to do well this year. I know we have the ability. I know that everyone on the team has the potential to do whatever they set their minds to. As long as they realize that, we should turn out great.”
The State rifle team will travel to Dahlonega, Georgia, on Sept. 20 for its first SEARC competition of the season.
