With the retirement of legendary coach Marsha Beasley, Ole Miss has announced a new leader for its rifle program.
Rachel Martin, who joined the team as an assistant coach last July after two seasons as the head coach at Nebraska, will take over a program that finished the 2022-23 season at No. 4 in the nation.
“I am grateful for (athletics director) Keith Carter and Jennifer Saxon for the opportunity to continue my work with a wonderful and passionate group of athletes,” Martin said. ‘Through my 20 years of experience in this sport, I have never experienced anything like the tremendous amount of support our team has received from all our staff and fans. Ole Miss has truly become my home and is a program I am proud not only to be a part of but to now represent as head coach.”
“Under Coach Beasley, this program climbed the national rankings, and I am excited to build on her legacy and guide the team toward a national championship. Our primary focus at this time is to sustain the unity that has been cultivated in our team and create a legacy for future generations of our sport.”
Prior to moving to Oxford, Martin led her alma mater to back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances, including a sixth-place finish in 2021. She returned to Nebraska after a short stint as an assistant coach at Army, where she helped the Black Knights qualify for the NCAA Championship in 2018-19.
A former competitive shooter herself, Martin earned seven All-American honors as a member of the Huskers’ program. She has also been a member of the USA Shooting World Cup team since 2013, representing Team USA as an alternate at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Beasley, a two-time College Rifle Coaches Association Coach of the Year, announced her retirement after seven seasons at Ole Miss.
