Rifle Begins 2025 at Home vs. Georgia Southern

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Looking to start 2025 where it left off in 2024 – earning a season-high 4748 in a historic victory in Colorado Springs, Colorado – the University of Kentucky rifle team plays host to Georgia Southern on Sunday in a dual match inside Barker Hall in Lexington, Kentucky.

Sights and prep for smallbore will begin at 9 a.m. ET with air rifle getting underway at approx. 11 a.m. ET. There will only be one relay Sunday and spectators are invited to watch smallbore scores up in Barker Hall and enjoy free breakfast during the first part of the relay. The range will be open to spectators for air rifle. Admission is free. Live targets and NCAA scorecard will be available online at ukathletics.com.

“Excited to be back competing and I hope our fans will come out and enjoy what should be a great meet Sunday,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “We have been working hard to get back in the swing of things since the break and I am excited to see what the team can do.”

Last time out, junior Sofia Ceccarello made history by earning a NCAA record perfect 600 in air rifle while sophomore Braden Peiser tied a school record with a 597 in smallbore to lead Kentucky to victory over Air Force and Akron. On top of the individual records, UK posted a team aggregate score of 4748, which was a season best and the third-highest team score in the nation this season.

Ceccarello’s 600 in air rifle was the first perfect score of her collegiate career. She was one of four athletes in the nation this season to score 600 in air rifle. The most impressive part of her 600 score was that it was accomplished by 59 centers, meaning Ceccarello hit bull’s-eye in 59 of her 60 shots. The 59 centers makes her 600 a NCAA record with the pervious record holder hitting 58 centers. Peiser had a record-breaking day as well, scoring a 597 in smallbore, which tied a school record and is the highest smallbore score in the nation this season. He added to that a 597 air rifle giving him a 1194 aggregate, which ties the highest aggregate score in the nation this season and is one off the school-record aggregate score.

As a team, Kentucky posted a season-best 2360 in smallbore, which tied the second-highest smallbore team score in the country this season. UK’s 2388 air rifle team score was also season best and tied the fourth-highest air rifle team score in the country. Overall, UK scored a 4748, which was its highest team aggregate of the season and the third highest team score in the nation this season.

Ceccarello is the leading performer for Kentucky so far this season, averaging a 1188.571 aggregate with a 590 in smallbore and 598.571 in air rifle. Peiser is right behind her with a 1187 aggregate, including a 591.571 in smallbore and 595.429 in air rifle. Probst, Adkins and Voss are having great seasons for Kentucky. Adkins is third on the team with a 585.167 smallbore, 596.5 air rifle and 1181.667 aggregate, while Probst has a 582.429 in smallbore and 594.429 in air rifle and Voss is earning a 583.857 in smallbore and 591.571 in air rifle. Sophomore AJ Hotko is earning a 574 in smallbore and 590.333 in air rifle, while freshman Brandon Evans is posting a 581.333 in smallbore and 588.4 in air rifle. Senior Allison Buesseler is averaging a 581 in smallbore and 588.833 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.

Kentucky will continue its 2025 slate by 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.