Rifle team wins the NCAA qualifier Match, 4686-4685

Feb. 21, 2016

U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. - In Fort Worth, Texas, the No. 6 Air Force rifle team won the NCAA qualifier by a one-point lead, 4686-4685, over No. 3 TCU on Saturday. The win ended TCU's 12-0 winning streak.

With a six-point buffer in team smallbore scoring, the Falcons won the match, 2325-2319. Five points separated the Falcons from TCU in air rifle as TCU won, 2361-2366.

"I'm very happy with the results shot at TCU," said Head coach Launi Meili. "That is our second highest score we shot this year, and only two points behind our team record. To do it during the qualifier when the chips are down shows our shooters rise to the occasion and perform on every shot."

Spencer Cap posted the top individual aggregate score with 1175 points. Cap, who tied with TCU's Hannah Black, took home the top honors by a 74-68 margin in center shots. Anna Weilbacher was the Falcons' next highest scorer with 1173 points. David Higgins, Ryan Jacobs, and Tyler Rico all posted 1166 each.

Cap posted the top mark in smallbore with 586 points, while Weilbacher and Higgins posted high marks in the discipline with a 582 and 581, respectively. Higgins showed his expertise in the prone by shooting double 100s, the only shooter in the match to score a perfect 200. Rounding out the team's smallbore scores, Rico had the team's next highest score with a 576 followed by Jacobs with a 575. The team's official total score, 2325, gave the Falcons a six-point lead over TCU's 2319.

Posting scores of 590 or better in air rifle, Weilbacher, and Jacobs each posted a 591 while Rico shot a 590. Adding to the team score, Higgins posted 585 points in the gun to bring the Falcons' team score to 2361.

The Falcons' Spencer Brandon tied with two TCU shooters with 592 points in air rifle; 46 center shots put him in first place in the event. Brandon also had a 567 in the smallbore and finished with an aggregate 1159. Also shooting, the Falcons' Nick Learn finished the day with a 567 in smallbore and 581 in air rifle and finished with 1148.

"After the match, a number of our shooters already knew where they needed to would work in order to get points they felt they should have had on Saturday, so momentum is good and heading in the right direction for the national championships," said Meili.

The NCAA Championships Committee will announce the NCAA Championships field of eight on NCAA.com at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The 2015-16 National champion will be crowned March 11-12 in Akron, Ohio.

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