Dual Match at Ole Miss Awaits Rifle on Saturday
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After its best performance of the season last weekend against Navy, scoring a season-best team score behind one of the highest team smallbore scores in the nation this season, the No. 4 University of Kentucky rifle team looks to keep its winning ways alive when it travels to Oxford, Mississippi on Saturday for a dual-match against Ole Miss.
“Looking forward to getting back on the road with the team and seeing how we can compete against a really good Ole Miss squad,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “We were happy overall with the result last weekend, but we could have been better in some spots and we know that. This will be another good test for the team to go on the road and compete against such a quality opponent.”
Kentucky and Ole Miss will compete Saturday across one relay with sights for smallbore starting at approx. 9 a.m. ET. Air rifle will follow with live targets and a NCAA scoreboard available online at UKathletics.com.
Last weekend, Kentucky started the match vs. Navy by shinning in smallbore, earning a team score of 2355, which was its best of the season and one of the best in the nation this year. The Wildcats followed with a 2372 in air rifle to post a 4727 team score. The high aggregate team score was Kentucky’s highest of the season and one of the highest in the nation this year. Navy scored a 2331 in smallbore and 2361 in air rifle for a 4692 aggregate.
Kentucky was led in the match by junior Sofia Ceccarello who competed in smallbore for the first time this season, scoring a 592 in the discipline and a 597 in air rifle for a 1189 aggregate. Sophomore Braden Peiser followed suit with a 1185 aggregate, while freshman Sam Adkins had a 1182 aggregate and junior Martin Voss posted a 1180 aggregate.
Ceccarello is the leading performer for Kentucky so far this season, averaging a 1189.667 aggregate with a 592 in smallbore and 597.667 in air rifle. Peiser is right behind her with a 1185.666 aggregate, including a 590.333 in smallbore and 595.333 in air rifle. Freshmen Liz Probst, Sam Adkins and Brandon Evans are having great inaugural seasons for Kentucky. Probst is third on the team with a 584 smallbore, 595 air rifle and 1179 aggregate, while Adkins has a 581.5 in smallbore and 597.5 in air rifle and Evans is earning a 579 in smallbore and 586.333 in air rifle. Junior Martin Voss is averaging a 583.333 in smallbore, 590.333 in air rifle and 1173.666 aggregate, while senior Ally Buesseler is earning a 579 in smallbore, 586.333 in air rifle and 1165.333 in aggregate. Sophomores AJ Hotko and Emily Marne are having good seasons. Hotko is earning a 574 in smallbore and 592.5 in air rifle, while Marne is earning a 554.5 in smallbore and 576.5 in air rifle. Freshman Hannah Todd is averaging a 553.5 in smallbore and 580.5 in air rifle.
After a week off, UK wraps the fall portion of the schedule with three competitions across eight days starting with a home tri-match with Army and Murray State on Nov. 16. The following weekend UK travels to Colorado Springs, Colorado for two matches beginning Nov. 23 vs. Akron and ending Nov. 24 vs. Air Force and Akron.
The NCAA Rifle Championships return to Lexington for the first time since 2020. The two-day event will see the best air rifle and smallbore competitors in the nation compete on the historic Memorial Coliseum floor. The smallbore competition will be March 14 followed by air rifle competition on March 15. Ticket information and full schedule of events for the championships will be announced later.
For more information on the Kentucky rifle team, visit UKathletics.com or follow UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
