Feb. 4, 2012

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A day after posting a win over West Virginia in a battle of the remaining conference unbeatens, the Kentucky rifle team capped an undefeated league record with a win over N.C. State, to win the 2011-12 Great American Rifle Conference regular-season championship, on Saturday at the WVU Rifle Range.

Kentucky (11-1) picked up the 4674-4591 win over N.C. State in the regular-season finale to finish 6-0 in league play and win the seventh conference championship in program history. The league crown marks the second consecutive regular-season championship and unbeaten league slate for the powerhouse Wildcats.

UK was led in the match against N.C. State by a standout performance from Emily Holsopple, who posted a 596 in air rifle. Henri Junghänel followed with a 591, while Ethan Settlemires charted a 588. Katie Fretts (586), Stacy Wheatley (584) and Elijah Ellis (581) rounded out UK’s air rifle squad.

The defending NCAA Champion Wildcats rode a 2361-2308 advantage in air rifle and a 2313-2283 advantage in smallbore to the win over N.C. State.

In smallbore, UK was led by Junghänel’s 583, with Settlemires (581), Holsopple (580), Wheatley (569), Fretts (568) and Ellis (569) completing UK’s scoring.

Kentucky begins its title defense in the postseason with the NCAA Qualifying competition, set for Feb. 18 at UK’s Barker Hall.