No. 1 Rifle Hosts No. 6 Memphis Saturday at UK Rifle Range
LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time in 2020, the No. 1 University of Kentucky rifle team will get a chance to compete in front of Big Blue Nation when it welcomes No. 6 Memphis to the UK Rifle Range on Saturday. The dual match will begin at 9 a.m. ET and admission is free.
“We are excited to get back home and compete against a very good Memphis team this weekend,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “The team has been working very hard to take the necessary steps forward that will help us down the road while also staying very humble, focused and motivated.”
The Wildcats are coming off a strong showing in the 2020 Withrow Open last weekend at Murray State. UK posted a 2334 in smallbore and 2377 in air rifle to earn the top team score of the eight-team event with a 4711. Sophomore Will Shaner led all individuals at the event with an aggregate score of 1188 earning a 591 in smallbore and 597 in air rifle. Freshman Mary Tucker was second with a 1185 combined score also firing a 597 in air rifle and 588 in smallbore.
Tucker leads the team with an aggregate average of 1187.4 this season, while Shaner is averaging 1182.8. Junior Hailee Sigmon is averaging 1169.2 with sophomores Richard Clark and Ruby Gomes averaging 1167.2 and 1166.2, respectively. Freshman Jaden Thompson (1161), freshman Emmie Sellers (1159.822), sophomore Mitchell Nelson (1153.112), freshman Mason Hamilton (1148.667), junior Mason Joachim (1147.079) and senior Ian Foos (1147.022) are also having great seasons.
Earlier this week, Kentucky moved up to No. 1 in the latest College Rifle Coaches Association Top 20 poll. The ranking came after the Wildcats performed well in their first four matches of the 2020 calendar. The most impressive performance during that stretch was UK’s 4734 team aggregate score on Jan. 19 against Army. The high mark was a school-record score for the Wildcats and bested TCU’s 4732 for the top score in the nation this season. UK prefaced the high score with a 4715 team aggregate against NC State followed by the 4711 in the Withrow Open.
Memphis also competed in the Withrow Open last weekend earning a 4677 team aggregate score after a 2319 in smallbore and 2358 in air rifle. The Tigers’ best score this season was a 4679 on November 23.
After Saturday’s home match, UK will have a bye weekend before traveling to Morgantown, West Virginia on Feb. 15 for a dual match with the No. 3 Mountaineers. The Wildcats will host an NCAA Qualifier on Saturday, Feb. 22.
This season’s GARC Championships will be in Memphis, Tennessee, on Feb. 28-29. Kentucky will play host to the 2020 NCAA Championships in Memorial Coliseum on March 13-14. Tickets are available online at UKAthletics.com/NCAARifle.
For the latest on the Kentucky rifle team, follow @UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
