Nov. 22, 2002

The University of Kentucky rifle team will return to action Saturday morning against the four-time defending NCAA champion Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks. The match will begin at 8 a.m. at the Buell Armory on the UK campus.

The Rifle Cats are coming off of a convincing victory last Saturday against Morehead State, 5981-5781. Freshman Brad Donoho posted a career high in the smallbore competition and tied his previous high in the air rifle competition.

Kentucky and Alaska-Fairbanks last squared off on Saturday, November 2 in Fairbanks, Alaska, when the Nanooks knocked off the Wildcats 6278-6191. A narrow Kentucky edge in the air rifle competition was not enough to offset Alaska-Fairbanks’ strong performance in the smallbore competition.

Kentucky Rifle Coach Harry Mullins said a solid team showing might be enough to defeat the Nanooks.

“It will take a collective individual effort to defeat Alaska-Fairbanks,” Mullins said. “Alaska-Fairbanks is by far the best team in the nation. If we just focus on ourselves and perform like we know we can, things will go our way.”

After Saturday’s match, Kentucky will take a holiday break and return to action January 18, 2003 at home against Xavier.

-UK-