Rifle Breaks Multiple School Records in Win vs. Alaska and Nebraska
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky rifle team started its 2026 season off in a massive way Saturday, setting school records in smallbore and aggregate team scores en route to an impressive victory over Nebraska and Alaska at the Tanana Valley Sportsman’s Association range in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The Wildcats posted a NCAA-record tying and school-record breaking team score of 4759, which is the highest team mark in the nation this season. Nebraska finished second with a 4746 while Alaska was third at 4730.
UK’s high aggregate came after a 2368 in smallbore, which was a school record and also is tied for the second-highest smallbore team score in the nation this season.
Kentucky will return to action Sunday morning when it faces the same two squads in a tri-match at UAF. The match will take place inside the E.F. Horton Rifle Range. Two relays will be held with each relay starting with smallbore and then concluding with air rifle. The first relay is scheduled to start at Noon ET.
Live targets and a NCAA scorecard will be available all weekend long at UKathletics.com.
“Happy with the performance today overall,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “We have been working really, really hard in training camp and to see some things start to carry over into the range was really nice. I thought Sofia, Braden Liz and Elisa really set the tone on the first relay with some great performances. Braden and Sofia both set range records, which was awesome and Liz set a new career best in air rifle. Sam, Martin and Brandon competed well and finished the job on the second relay. We have to have a short memory and get back to work tomorrow against the same teams in a different facility, which will be a major challenge.”
Kentucky shined in smallbore at the match Saturday, earning a school-record smallbore team score of 2368. That score crushed UK’s previous record of 2361, which was scored earlier this season. The high mark ties the second-highest smallbore team score in the nation this season. The 2368 was also a Tanana Valley Sportsman’s Association range record team score.
Junior Braden Peiser led Kentucky in smallbore, earning a career-best 597-49x behind a perfect 200-20x prone score. Peiser added a 198 in kneeling and 199 in standing for his high overall score, which was also a TVSA range record.
Senior Sofia Ceccarello scored a 591 in smallbore with a 195 kneeling, 199 prone and 197 standing with 32 centers, while sophomore Sam Adkins posted a 593 with 39 centers, earning a 198 kneeling and prone and 197 standing. Freshman Elizabeth Probst scored a 587 with 33 centers, earning a 194 in kneeling, 198 in prone and 195 in standing, while fellow freshman Elisa Boozer scored a 585 with 28 centers. Boozer posted a 197 in kneeling and prone and 191 in standing. Seniors Martin Voss and Brandon Evans also scored 585s. Voss had a 195 in kneeling, 200 in prone and 190 in standing with 41 centers, while Evans scored a 190 in kneeling, 198 in prone and 197 standing with 33 centers.
In air rifle, Kentucky was paced by Probst, who scored a career-best 599 with 53 centers. She was followed by Peiser, who scored a 598 with 55 centers. Three UK athletes had 597s led by Adkins, who posted 54 centers, while Ceccarello had 53 and Boozer had 52. Voss scored a 592 with 42 centers, while Evans rounded out the squad with a 588 and 40 centers.
Only two Wildcats posted over a 1190 aggregate score with Peiser scoring a 1195 with 104 centers, while Adkins set a new career high aggregate with a 1190 and 93 centers. Ceccarello finished with a 1188 aggregate, while Probst scored a 1186. Voss had a 1177 with Boozer scoring a 1182 and Evans a 1173.
