LEXINGTON ? The Kentucky rifle team takes to the road this weekend to compete in the Great American Rifle Conference Championships at Oxford, Miss.

The Wildcats will shoot at the Patricia C. Lamar National Guard Readiness Center against some of the nation?s top teams, including Xavier, Memphis, Army and host Ole Miss.

?Our conference is the toughest from top to bottom in rifle,? said Kentucky coach Harry Mullins. ?Every team here is in the top 10 or 15 in the country and has the ability to win the conference championship.?

Last season, Kentucky swept the smallbore and air rifle to win the overall conference title. Former Wildcat Bradley Wheeldon was the high-point man in the championships.

?Last year we came in and performed very well,? Mullins said. ?I think, because of the success we?ve had in the past other teams will be gunning for us. So, our shooters will have to step up under that pressure and perform well to win.?

Competition commences at 2 p.m. on Friday and runs through Sunday afternoon. Morning sessions begin at 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with afternoon finals set for 1 p.m. both days.

Kentucky is two weeks removed from earning a spot in the NCAA Championships in both air rifle and smallbore. By making the championships in both events, the Wildcats are guaranteed a top six national finish.