University of Memphis Athletics
M Club Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2006
A four-year letterwinner with the Tiger Rifle team from 1996-2000, Annie Svolto came to the University of Memphis having never competed in rifle before. She accompanied her roommate to visit Head Coach Butch Woolbright and Woolbright talked Svolto into trying out the sport. Her first night on the range, she shot a 22 out of 100. By the time sectionals arrived in the spring of her freshman year, Svolto was already the team's No. 2 shooter.
In her sophomore season, Svolto was named the team captain and led the squad to a national ranking of 17 in the NCAA in air rifle. She was named first team All-Conference USA and was named the league's Most Valuable Shooter. She fired a 374 out of 400 at the conference championship, earning the individual bronze and helping the team to a gold. Again in her junior season, Svolto served as team captain, guiding Memphis to a No. 18 ranking in the country. In her final season, Svolto averaged a 374.3 score while competing despite taking 18 credits in the fall and working part-time. She was named the U of M Female Scholar Athlete of the Year for having the highest GPA out of all the female student-athletes and was also named a 1999 and 2000 Collegiate Rifle Association Coaches All-Academic Rifle Scholar.
After her graduation, she went on to spend two years in Russia as a member of the Peace Corps. She then graduated from the University of Memphis Law School, where she served as a member of the Law Review and as an Executive Board Office of the Moot Court Board.
