Air Force selected for NCAA Rifle Championships
2/20/2023 1:48:00 PM | Rifle
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force rifle team was selected to compete in the NCAA Rifle Championships, March 10-11, in Akron, Ohio. Under head coach Launi Meili, the Falcons have been selected to compete for the ninth straight season and the 21st time overall.
The top eight teams in both the smallbore three-position and air rifle events were selected based on the average of the three highest regular-season aggregate scores with no more than one match at any given site. The average of the three highest scores was added to the aggregate scores from the designated qualifiers to determine the top eight teams.
A total of 48 competitors will compete in the championships, with 40 competitors coming from the top eight teams selected. The remaining eight competitors were selected based on the scores submitted from the designated qualifier.
Last season, Kentucky won its second straight NCAA Rifle Championship, held at the Air Force Academy. Air Force placed fifth last season with a team score of 4712. Air Force's highest finish ever came in 1995 and 1996 with a pair of second-place finishes. In 2019, Air Force won the air rifle national title and placed third overall.
Air Force is joined in the NCAA Championship field this season by Alaska, Kentucky, Murray State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, TCU, West Virginia.
The Falcons are led by a pair of all-conference shooters and the air rifle national champion last season.
At the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships, sophomore Lauren Hurley placed third and junior Peninah D'Souza placed sixth in air rifle earlier this season. Sophomore Scott Rockett is the defending national champion in air rifle, having won the title last season at the Academy. Hurley's perfect score of 600 in air rifle on Nov. 20 is one of six perfect scores in the nation this season. D'Souza's 599 in air rifle is tied as the seventh best in the nation. D'Souza and Rockett have both shot an 1186 this season, the best aggregate scores of the season.
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The top eight teams in both the smallbore three-position and air rifle events were selected based on the average of the three highest regular-season aggregate scores with no more than one match at any given site. The average of the three highest scores was added to the aggregate scores from the designated qualifiers to determine the top eight teams.
A total of 48 competitors will compete in the championships, with 40 competitors coming from the top eight teams selected. The remaining eight competitors were selected based on the scores submitted from the designated qualifier.
Last season, Kentucky won its second straight NCAA Rifle Championship, held at the Air Force Academy. Air Force placed fifth last season with a team score of 4712. Air Force's highest finish ever came in 1995 and 1996 with a pair of second-place finishes. In 2019, Air Force won the air rifle national title and placed third overall.
Air Force is joined in the NCAA Championship field this season by Alaska, Kentucky, Murray State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, TCU, West Virginia.
The Falcons are led by a pair of all-conference shooters and the air rifle national champion last season.
At the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships, sophomore Lauren Hurley placed third and junior Peninah D'Souza placed sixth in air rifle earlier this season. Sophomore Scott Rockett is the defending national champion in air rifle, having won the title last season at the Academy. Hurley's perfect score of 600 in air rifle on Nov. 20 is one of six perfect scores in the nation this season. D'Souza's 599 in air rifle is tied as the seventh best in the nation. D'Souza and Rockett have both shot an 1186 this season, the best aggregate scores of the season.
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Players Mentioned
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Wednesday, March 05
Launi Meili Interview Nov 5, 2024
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Launi Meili Interview - February 20th, 2024
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Dave Johnson Interview Feb 6, 2024
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