Rifle Set for Withrow Open, Dual Match with Memphis
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After scoring an impressive 4742 team score last weekend in its 2025 home opener vs. Georgia Southern, the University of Kentucky rifle team looks to keep its winning ways alive this weekend as it travels to Murray, Kentucky for the Withrow Open and a dual-match with Memphis.
Kentucky will participate in the annual Withrow Open on Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. ET. All 10 Wildcats will participate in the same relay. Monday will see Kentucky and Memphis compete in a dual match in the Murray State range. Sights and prep for smallbore for that match will begin at 10 a.m. ET with air rifle getting underway at approx. Noon ET. There will only be one relay Sunday. Live targets and NCAA scorecard will be available online at ukathletics.com.
“Looking forward to a fun weekend in Murray competing against some really quality teams,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “Last weekend was a good first step as we progress towards postseason competition. Hopefully, we can continue to perform well and do what we need to be successful.”
Last time out, Kentucky defeated Georgia Southern by tiebreaker as both teams scored a 4742 team score. Kentucky posted a 2360 in smallbore and 2382 in air rifle, while Georgia Southern earned a 2351 in smallbore and 2391 in air rifle. After both teams tied at 4742, the first tiebreaker was based on center shots, but both teams had 343 centers. The next tiebreaker is total aggregate score of the fifth shooter in each gun. Totaling those scores made it 1175 for Kentucky and 1167 for Georgia Southern, thus making Kentucky the official winner.
Sophomore Braden Peiser was Kentucky’s top performer on the day, scoring an aggregate of 1194 with 89 total centers. Junior Sofia Ceccarello finished second in individual aggregate with a 1188 and 92 centers, while freshman Elizabeth Probst earned a 1181 aggregate with 86 centers.
Ceccarello is the leading performer for Kentucky so far this season, averaging a 1188.583 aggregate with a 590.333 in smallbore and 598.25 in air rifle. Peiser is right behind her with a 1187.875 aggregate, including a 592 in smallbore and 595.875 in air rifle. Probst, Adkins and Voss are having great seasons for Kentucky. Adkins is third on the team with a 585.286 smallbore, 596.875 air rifle and 1181.143 aggregate, while Probst has a 583 in smallbore and 594.375 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 581.571 in smallbore and 588 in air rifle. Senior Allison Buesseler is averaging a 580.857 in smallbore and 589.429 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 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.
