UK Rifle Up to No. 1 in Coaches Rankings

LEXINGTON, Ky.  – Kentucky is the nation’s top-ranked rifle team in this week’s Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association rankings after the Wildcats posted two solid scores in two matches against elite competition last weekend.

The Wildcats shot a season-best 4703 while competing alongside four of the top-five teams and six of the top-10 at Saturday’s NCAA Preview Match in Akron.

And then if that performance wasn’t convincing enough, the Wildcats topped No. 2 Alaska-Fairbanks 4702-4686 on Sunday at home.

Kentucky earned the nation’s No. 1 rating as the team that produced the best scores in the nation last week. The rankings will begin accounting for averages next month.

“We look at this ranking as a nice honor and as an indication of our potential,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “But it’s still early in the season. There are a lot of great teams putting up great scores all over the country. We know we have to make a lot of improvements to achieve our ultimate goals. After all the championship portion of the schedule isn’t until February and March of next year.”

It’s worth noting that multiple teams have scored better than UK’s 4703 and 4702 at other points this season. 

Kentucky will make one of its most challenging road trips of the season this weekend as the Wildcats will travel to No. 8 Nebraska.