No. 1 Kentucky Heads West for Two Tri-Matches with Air Force, Akron
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 1 University of Kentucky rifle team will wrap up its 2024 schedule with back-to-back tri-matches against Air Force and Akron on Saturday and Sunday in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on the campus of the Air Force Academy.
Saturday’s action will be spread across two relays starting at 10:45 a.m. ET with smallbore sights and prep. Air Rifle will follow and then another relay of smallbore and air rifle to conclude the day. On Sunday, both relays will shoot simultaneously starting at 10 a.m. ET. Live targets and an NCAA Scorecard will be available both days.
“Should be a fun weekend here in Colorado Springs with three really good squads competing against each other,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “I have been very happy with how our team has progressed so far this fall and I think this is a good final test in 2024 for them to compete back-to-back days for the first time. It takes a certain amount of endurance and training to do that and I look forward to see how we handle it.”
Kentucky is coming off a tri-match win last weekend in Lexington against Murray State and Army, tying a season-best team aggregate score of 4740. UK started with a 2354 in smallbore and finished with 2386 in air rifle. In total, UK had 321 centers. UK’s smallbore score was its third highest this season and its air rifle team score was its second highest. Murray State finished second with a 4717 team score, while Army was third at 4677.
Junior Sofia Ceccarello led Kentucky and took home the overall individual aggregate honor at the tri-match, posting a season-best 1190 aggregate score. The Italian started her day with a 591 in smallbore, posting an incredible 200 in standing, preceded by a 193 in kneeling and 198 in prone with 34 total centers. She was followed closely by sophomore Braden Peiser, who scored a 592 in smallbore and 596 in air rifle for a 1188 aggregate. Peiser scored a 196 in kneeling, 200 in prone and 196 in standing with 39 total centers.
Ceccarello is the leading performer for Kentucky so far this season, averaging a 1188.867 aggregate with a 590.667 in smallbore and 598.2 in air rifle. Peiser is right behind her with a 1186.6 aggregate, including a 591 in smallbore and 595.6 in air rifle. True freshmen Liz Probst and Sam Adkins along with junior Martin Voss are having great seasons for Kentucky. Adkins is third on the team with a 1180 aggregate including a 583.75 smallbore and 596.25 air rifle, while Probst has a 584.4 in smallbore and 595 in air rifle and Voss is earning a 584.6 in smallbore and 590.8 in air rifle. Senior Ally Buesseler is averaging a 580.25 in smallbore and 588 in air rifle, while sophomore AJ Hotko is earning a 574 in smallbore and 590.333 in air rifle and freshman Brandon Evans is posting a 580.5 in smallbore and 587.333 in air rifle. Freshman Hannah Todd is earning a 558.333 in smallbore and 583.667 in air rifle, while sophomore Emily Marne is earning a 554.4 in smallbore and 576.5 in air rifle.
Air Force is averaging a 4717.80 aggregate this season, earning a 2335.60 in smallbore and 2382.20 in air rifle. Its highest score this season is a 4721, which they have posted twice.
Akron is averaging a 4698 aggregate this season with a 2334.71 in smallbore and 2363.29 in air rifle. The Zips season-best mark is a 4709 scored in their season opener.
This weekend’s tri matches complete the 2024 schedule for Kentucky. The 2025 slate begins with a dual match on Jan. 12 with Georgia Southern in Lexington, before traveling Jan. 19-20 to Murray, Kentucky, to compete in the Withrow Invitational and vs. Memphis. Kentucky will travel to North Georgia on Jan. 26 for a dual match before two matches vs. Alaska in Fairbanks, Alaska on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. UK wraps the regular season on Feb. 8 against WVU in Lexington before hosting its NCAA Qualifier on Feb. 22.
Postseason competition begins March 1-2 with the Great America Rifle Conference Championships in Morgantown, West Virginia. The NCAA Rifle Championships return to Lexington for the first time since 2020. The two-day event will see the best air rifle and smallbore competitors in the nation compete on the Historic Memorial Coliseum floor. The smallbore competition will be March 14 followed by air rifle competition on March 15. Ticket information and full schedule of events for the championships will be announced later.
For more information on the Kentucky rifle team, visit UKathletics.com or follow UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
