Kentucky Rifle Up to No. 1 Ranking

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky rifle team moved up to No. 1 in this week’s Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association rankings, following a weekend where it defeated then-No. 5 Ole Miss and then-No. 6 Akron.
 
Kentucky’s score from the Ole Miss match was the best mark in the nation last weekend. The Wildcat’s five-shooter squad score of 4716 – 2342 in smallbore and 2374 in air rifle – was a season-best. The last time UK shot a 4716 or better was in the 2018 National Championship when the Wildcats produced a score of 4717 on their way to the program’s second title.
 
“We have been working hard this season and we will continue to do so to live up to this ranking,” head coach Harry Mullins said. “We have to continue to work hard and improve because next week the whole thing can be reshuffled. I think this year we’ve seen some really special things from a lot of teams and people around the country. It will be one of the tightest races to the finish in a long time.”
 
A couple of Wildcats have provided standout performances in the early season, ranking high in the individual rankings. Freshman Mary Tucker currently has the No. 1 and No. 2 aggregate scores in the nation at 1192 and 1190 from last weekend. Tucker also is tied for No. 1 in air rifle (599) and has twice shot the No. 2 score in smallbore (593), both from last weekend.
 
Sophomore Will Shaner has produced the No.1 smallbore score at 594 while also ranking No. 11 in air rifle (597) and No. 5 in aggregate (1187).
 
The fall semester ranking is based on a team’s highest score from the last weekend shot. The spring rankings will begin to use the three-match score qualifying numbers.

Kentucky was ranked No. 3 in the last weekend’s ranking.

Kentucky concludes its fall slate on Nov. 16 against Navy at the Buell Armory. The match will begin at 9 a.m. ET.
 
This season’s GARC Championships will be in Memphis, Tennessee, on Feb. 28-29. Kentucky will play host to the 2019 NCAA Championships in Memorial Coliseum on March 13-14.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky rifle team, follow @UKrifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
 
CRCA Top-10:
1. Kentucky
2. West Virginia
3. TCU
4. Air Force
5. Akron
    Nebraska
7. NC State
8. Ole Miss
9. Murray State
10. Navy