The University of Kentucky rifle team is preparing for two matches this weekend in Fairbanks, Alaska as they wrap up their fall schedule. On Saturday, they will be facing off against Akron inside the Patty Center, followed by matches against Akron and Alaska-Fairbanks on Sunday at the Tanana Valley Sportsmen’s Association.
Kentucky head coach Harry Mullins is eager to see how his team handles the travel and hopes they can showcase their skills on the road. He acknowledges the tough competition they will face, with Akron being a strong team and Alaska-Fairbanks being the defending national champions.
Last weekend, Kentucky secured a victory against Memphis, scoring a 2344 in smallbore and 2379 in air rifle for a total of 4723, their second-highest team aggregate of the season. Sophomore Sofia Ceccarello led the team with a total score of 1182, while fifth-year senior Jaden Thompson and Emmie Sellers also performed well.
Ceccarello has been consistently impressive this season, leading the team in both smallbore average and air rifle average. She is the only athlete in the nation with three or more 599 air rifle scores. Thompson and Sellers are also key contributors to the team’s success.
As a whole, Kentucky is averaging 2341.20 in smallbore and 2376.60 in air rifle, with an aggregate average of 4717.80. They currently hold a perfect 5-0 record for the season.
Their opponents, Alaska-Fairbanks, who were crowned the national champions in 2023, have an average score of 2339.75 in smallbore and 2379.25 in air rifle, with a total aggregate of 4719. They achieved their season-best score against Ohio State in early October.
This will be the second time this season that Kentucky faces Akron in a dual match. They previously defeated the Zips in a match in Lexington.
The weekend in Alaska marks the end of the fall schedule for Kentucky, and they will return to action in mid-January. For more information on the team, fans can visit UKathletics.com or follow UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
