Rifle Hosts Kentucky Long Rifle Match, Memphis This Weekend
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky rifle team has a busy weekend planned inside Barker Hall, hosting two matches this weekend. The weekend starts with the Kentucky Long Rifle Match vs. Morehead State and Murray State on Saturday, followed by a dual match vs. Memphis on Sunday. Both matches will begin at 8 a.m. ET. Live scores and live targets will be available online at UKathletics.com for both events.
Spectators are invited to watch smallbore scores up in Barker Hall and enjoy free breakfast starting at 8 a.m. ET each day. The range will be open to spectators for air rifle. All spectators are required to be masked while inside Barker Hall or the UK Rifle Range. Admission is free.
“Looking forward to getting back in the range and competing this weekend,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “I have liked how the team has responded after a disappointing outcome last week. It’s important we keep training hard and take steps forward in translating that to matches. We hope BBN can come out and enjoy some free breakfast and show this team some support.”
The Kentucky Long Rifle Match brings together the three NCAA Division I rifle programs from the Commonwealth, as Kentucky is the only state in the country with three collegiate teams. The match will utilize a unique format, aggregating the scores from six shooters instead of the five designated squad members for smallbore and air rifle commonly used within NCAA competition. The scores from the five squad designees will still be recorded from this match for NCAA qualifying purposes.
The winning team will be awarded the Kentucky Long Rifle trophy, which has been hand engraved to honor all the teams involved.
Last season in the Kentucky Long Rifle Match, UK got a brilliant performance from Mary Tucker, who recorded a perfect score of 600 in air rifle and shot a NCAA record tying 1195 aggregate score, to propel the Wildcats to their third-straight win in the annual Kentucky Long Rifle Match. As a team, the Wildcats performed well across two relays to earn a team score of 7057, defeating Murray State (6975) and Morehead State (6931). UK scored a 3512 in smallbore and 3545 in air rifle, while the Racers posted a 3444 in smallbore and 3531 in air rifle followed by the Eagles with a 3421 in smallbore and 3510 in air rifle.
Last weekend, Kentucky hosted its first home match of the season against highly ranked Ole Miss, falling just short with a 4675 team score. The Wildcats posted a 2318 in smallbore and 2357 in air rifle. Ole Miss earned a 4716 aggregate team score. Senior Mitchell Nelson was Kentucky’s top performer in the match, scoring a 585 in smallbore and 590 in air rifle for an aggregate of 1175. Fellow senior Richard Clark scored a 582 in smallbore and 591 in air rifle for a 1173 aggregate.
In three matches this season, Kentucky is averaging a 2333.0 in smallbore, 2364.0 in air rifle and aggregate of 4697.0. Two weekends ago, UK posted a 4736-4686 victory over Navy. The 4736 team score was a new school record for Kentucky, marking the third straight season that UK has bested its school record team score. Tucker and senior Will Shaner have only competed in one of UK’s three matches this fall as both have been competing internationally for USA Shooting. Most recently, Tucker won bronze in women’s 10m air rifle and silver in women’s 50m rifle three positions at the 2021 ISSF President’s Cup in Wroclaw, Poland. Earlier this fall, they both competed in the Junior World Championships in Peru, earning multiple medals. In the one match they did compete they did not disappoint with Tucker earning a 1191 aggregate, while Shaner posed a 1185.
On the season, Clark and Nelson have competed in all three matches with Clark averaging a 1175.667, while Nelson is just below him at 1172.667. Junior Jaden Thompson is scoring a 1171.334 overall, followed by fellow junior Mason Hamilton at 1164. Junior Emmie Sellers is at 1162.333, while freshman Allison Buesseler is averaging 1158.667. Freshmen Tori Kopelen and Kayla Kalenza have each competed in one match.
Morehead State has competed nine times already this season with Saturday’s match being their fall finale. The Eagles have been led this season by Erin Diehl, averaging a 1172.857 overall. Murray State is averaging a 2322.71 in smallbore, 2361.57 in air rifle and aggregate of 4684.29. Matias Kiuru leads the Racers with a 1180.167 aggregate. Memphis is averaging a 2290.50 in smallbore, 2343.50 in air rifle and aggregate of 4634.00. Angeline Henry leads the Tigers with a 1163.75 aggregate.
After this weekend’s action, Kentucky will host Akron next Saturday inside Barker Hall to complete its fall season.
For more information on the Kentucky rifle team, visit UKathletics.com or follow UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
