LEXINGTON ? The Kentucky rifle team begins its quest for the 2005 national championship on Friday when it squares off with the nation?s top teams at the Olympic Training Center at Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Wildcats have finished in the top three in the country seven times in the past 11 years and are guaranteed a top six finish this year by qualifying in both air rifle and smallbore. A year ago, Kentucky placed ninth overall.

Heading into the championships, the Wildcats have been shooting better than they have all year. The team placed third in the highly competitive Great American Rifle Conference championships two weeks ago with a season-high score.

?If everybody shoots a little bit above what they average, we can turn in some big numbers,? said Kentucky head coach Harry Mullins. ?We have a lot of talent and we?ve been improving all year, so I wouldn?t be surprised to see us turn in a top performance.?

A youthful group will carry the Wildcats as three freshmen are in the line up compared to just one senior.

?It?s a lot of pressure because we want it, but we?re also going in there with nothing to lose,? Mullins said. ?Our team has already accomplished one of its major goals by making it in both guns, so there?s no chance of failure. We?re just going to go in there and give it everything we?ve got.?

The championships start on Friday and wrap up on Saturday.