Probst Perfect Again, No. 1 Rifle Scores 4744 at NCAA Qualifier
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky sophomore Liz Probst put together another perfect 600 score in air rifle, leading the No. 1 Wildcats to a 4744 team score and a tri-match victory over Georgia Southern and Morehead State on Saturday in front of a capacity crowd inside the UK Rifle Range.
Kentucky scored a 2356 in smallbore and 2388 in air rifle for a 4744 aggregate, while Georgia Southern posted a 2342 in smallbore and 2378 in air rifle for a 4720. Morehead State earned a 2314 in smallbore and 2357 in air rifle for a 4671.
The performance of the day was again from Kentucky sophomore Liz Probst, who shot her second perfect 600 air rifle score this season. Probst accomplished the feat three weeks ago in UK’s last home match and shined again Saturday with the high mark. Probst is one of three NCAA athletes this season to record two 600 air rifle scores.
Saturday’s NCAA qualifying score is the last factor determining the field for the 2026 NCAA Rifle Championships, which will be hosted by Ohio State inside the Covelli Center on March 13-14. Each team’s three score aggregate average – the score based on each team’s highest three regular season scores fired at three different locations – has already been recorded. This weekend’s qualifier score will be added to that average. The teams with the eight highest combined scores will qualify for the NCAA Championship and make their way to Columbus, Ohio for the championships.
UK’s three scores it counted as part of its NCAA Qualifying score were its NCAA record 4762 score in Lexington, an impressive 4759 fired to start the 2026 schedule in Fairbanks, Alaska and its 4747 at Army in the fall of 2025. The impressive scores gave UK a 4756 aggregate average, which will be added to Saturday’s 4744 for a 9500 NCAA Qualifying score.
Kentucky will await NCAA Championship selections, which will be announced Monday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
Kentucky honored four seniors Saturday in Sofia Ceccarello, Brandon Evans, AJ Hotko and Martin Voss for their hard work and dedication to the UK program. Ceccarello, Hotko and Voss came into the program at the same time as freshmen with Evans transferring in a few years later. All four have had a major impact on UK’s success, including a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships last season.
“Was great to have a big crowd in the range today to honor our four seniors and help give us some energy as we posted a good score,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “I was really, really proud of our entire team from top to bottom. Liz to be perfect again was huge and to do it in front of that crowd was impressive. Postseason starts next weekend and we have to start getting everything buttoned up and ready to compete at the highest level. Thanks to all of Big Blue Nation for coming out today, especially our volleyball team and Coach Craig Skinner. This place is special for a lot of reasons but seeing how the teams support each other makes it all worth it.”
In smallbore, Kentucky was paced by junior Braden Peiser, who scored a 595 with 51 centers, earning a 199 in kneeling, 199 in prone and 197 in standing. Sophomore Sam Adkins scored a 588 with 39 centers, posting a 196 in kneeling, 199 in prone and 193 in standing, while Probst posted a 587 with 27 centers. Probst scored a 193 in kneeling, 196 in prone and 198 in standing. The other two countable smallbores for Kentucky were Ceccarello, who scored a 192 in kneeling, 198 in prone and 196 in standing for a 586 with 34 centers, and Voss, who scored a 194 in kneeling, 198 in prone and 186 in standing with 30 centers.
Also competing for Kentucky in smallbore was Evans with a 586 and Hotko with a 572. Freshman Elisa Boozer scored a 561, while fellow freshman Jacob St. Hilaire scored a 581. Sophomore Hannah Todd posted a 569 while junior Emily Marne scored a 560.
In air rifle, Kentucky was paced by Probst perfect 600 score, followed by a 598 from Peiser. Adkins and Ceccarello each had 595s, while St. Hilaire scored a 594 and Evans posted a 593. Boozer and Todd each scored 591s, with Voss earning a 590, Marne a 584 and Hotko a 569.
Peiser won the overall award with a 1193 and 105 centers, while Georgia Southern’s Emme Walrath scored a 1189 with 96 centers for second and Probst a 1187 with 80 centers for third.
Postseason competition will being next weekend as Kentucky travels to Army West Point for the 2026 GARC Championships. The two-day event will feature smallbore Saturday, Feb. 28 and air rifle Sunday, March 1.
