Jan. 31, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky rifle team will host No. 1 West Virginia on Saturday in a match that decides the Great American Rifle Conference Regular Season Championship, with the showdown of top-three teams beginning at 8 a.m. at the Buell Armory in Lexington, Ky.
The Mountaineers travel to Lexington with a perfect 10-0 record on the year, including a 5-0 record in the GARC. Kentucky enters the match 9-1 on the year and 5-0 in conference play.
“We’re always excited to have the opportunity to compete and to test ourselves against the course,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “When the other school tests themselves against the course, having this level of competition come to our range, I think it will be a fun match for the athletes.”
The two programs have combined for the GARC Regular Season Champions and Tournament Champions in the previous four seasons while the conference shooter of the year has come from UK or WVU dating back to 2009.
“We go back a long way with West Virginia,” Mullins said. “West Virginia is one of the premiere programs in the country, 14 national championships, always in the hunt for the national championship. I feel that we have elevated our program in the last eight or 10 years to become competitive and on an even playing field with them.”
Saturday’s match will preclude meetings between the two teams at the GARC Championship and the NCAA Championship.
“I think both teams are going to bring their best but in the same token we’ll probably always see something better in each of the following matches between these two schools,” Mullins said. “We all have something at stake, in the sense of wanting to show to ourselves that on certain days we can be a premiere team. West Virginia so far this year has dominated with the numbers. They’ve got a strong a lineup. Petra Zublasing is a phenomenal athlete; she made it to the Olympics. They have a very strong core of shooters.”
Kentucky’s counters are still to be determined.
“It’s always exciting when the two schools get together; sometimes you see some phenomenal performances,” Mullins said. “The lineup is pretty big, there is going to be a large contingency of All-Americans competing in one event.”
In 2012, the Wildcats traveled to Morgantown, W. Va., to conclude the regular season and clinch the GARC Regular Season Championship with a 4680 – 4650 win over West Virginia.
Live scoring will be available for fans to check out on UKrifle.com while complimentary breakfast will be available for fans in attendance.
“We’re going to have a pancake breakfast for the fans,” Mullins said. “Hopefully people have the opportunity to come out and watch a little bit, it’s a long event so they can come in and out throughout the course of the day.”
Game Day Information
Fans are invited to come out and support the UK Rifle team at the Buell Armory. Smallbore will begin at 8 a.m. with a tentative start at 10:30 a.m. for air rifle. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., the Barker Hall ROTC Lounge will feature free pancakes and breakfast items to go along with live scoring. Passes will be distributed for fans to enter the range during air rifle and experience the action live and in person. Free parking is available in the Student Center “E” Lot and the North Joe Craft Lot.
Timeline of Events
8 a.m. – Doors open, smallbore begins, live stats available in Barker Hall ROTC Lounge
9:30 a.m. – Pancakes and breakfast served in Barker Hall ROTC Lounge
Approximately 10:30 a.m. – Air Rifle begins, range passes available to fans
