There are a lot of different words to describe UTEP rifle senior Maranda Nelson, but the best one might be dedicated. She is dedicated to her teammates. She is dedicated to her studies. And of course, she is dedicated to her craft. Her story starts at the age of six, when she began shooting a BB gun. Soon her interest grew because her older brother was participating in rifle, which resulted in her getting involved in the sport.
Nelson is left-handed, which may not seem like a big deal to someone unfamiliar with the sport, but it did mean that her family always had to buy different rifles for her so that she could shoot properly. It was an extra step taken by her family for her, and also an indication to the depth of her dedication to following in her brother's footsteps. She grew and pushed forward in the sport, being coached by her father (Lee Nelson) and Chris Winstead. And as it turned out, Nelson had a real talent in the sport. It resulted in her having the opportunity to compete as a Division I student-athlete, first at Ole Miss and later with UTEP. Nelson was mentored in El Paso by Hannah Muegge and by Austin Litherland. She also took on a leadership role within the squad, taking teammates under her wings and setting an example with her conduct on the range and in the classroom.
It's a tale of dedication and perseverance, but that ascent to competing at the highest level of the sport in the collegiate level doesn't begin to tell the whole story of Maranda Nelson. She has a tender heart, one that has resulted in her rescuing animals and returning them to their owners. Nelson gave back within the shooting community by assisting in coaching younger athletes when she was a part of the Gallatin Valley Sharp Shooters. She also found time to play soccer, taking on the difficult position of goalkeeper in a coed league. Her love of the outdoors also remained, as she enjoyed hunting, fishing, water skiing and knee boarding. As for her latest passion, she's dedicated to personally rebuilding a 1978 Chevy Custom deluxe truck.
Nelson remains the national record holder in pigs in silhouette in the hunter rifle class, 44 pigs in row, and she is a master in silhouette in standard and hunter classes. For those unfamiliar with the sport, that is quite a feat and testifies to the scope of her talent across the board. But given everything else that she has already accomplished in life, it should come as no surprise. Therefore while Nelson's shooting days with UTEP have ended, it is clear that her name will not soon be forgotten in El Paso or the shooting community as a whole.
