Lea Horvath, one of the best shooters to ever toe the line at Ole Miss, has joined the Georgia Southern rifle program as an assistant coach, as announced by head coach Soren Butler.
Horvath will join a staff that already features Butler and assistant coach Abigail Gordon, who helped lead the Eagles to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Rifle Championships. Horvath will also serve as the championship coordinator for the 2027 NCAA Rifle Championship, which will be hosted by Georgia Southern at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation.
"We're really excited to welcome Lea to Statesboro and have her join our staff," Butler said. "Her rifle resume speaks for itself; she's one of the best shooters in recent history and she will make an incredible addition to our staff on the professional side. Lea led her team to their first NCAA championship appearance and has competed in five total making her a great fit in her role as coordinator of the 2027 NCAA Championships here in Statesboro. She was also be a great addition to our team in the range and on the recruiting trail. We're looking forward to welcoming her to Eagle nation. Hail Southern!"
Among Horvath's many highlights, the nine-time CRCA All-American fired four career 600s in air rifle, becoming just the second athlete and only woman to accomplish that feat in collegiate rifle.
Horvath cemented her legacy by leading Ole Miss to its fifth consecutive NCAA National Championship appearance in her fifth year of competition in 2025 as the Rebels took second in air rifle and fourth in aggregate. She had the highest air rifle average among season-long Ole Miss competitors at 595.2 as a Super Senior, her fifth season average of over 595 in the discipline. She also advanced to three NCAA Smallbore finals, taking fourth place in the smallbore finals in 2024.
The Hungarian national record holder and member of the Hungarian National Team, Horvath brings extensive international experience to the Georgia Southern program.