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Lincoln -- The Nebraska rifle team continued to rank among the top teams in the nation in 2003 as the Huskers capped the season with a third-place finish at the NCAA Qualifier Meet.
The Huskers returned five shooters in 2002-03 under first-year head coach and Olympic Gold Medalist Launi Meili, and despite a tough schedule, looked to gain a berth at the NCAA Championships.
NU opened the season by setting a new range record in their season-opening match against Air Force, downing the Falcons 6,153-6,073. Senior All-American Amanda Trujillo set a then personal best and tied the range record in winning the air rifle with a 393 and finished runner-up (1,161) to sophomore Alicia Sawyer in the smallbore. Sawyer won with a 1,163, two points better than Trujillo. Junior Melissa Downsbrough finished third in both events (385; 1,157) helping NU to the victory.
The Huskers traveled to Ohio for a pair of matches. At the Buckeye Invitational, NU finished fourth in the team competition behind Army, Ohio State and Green Mountain. Trujillo captured the individual title in the air rifle, firing a 394 and setting a new personal best. Downsbrough was the only other Husker to place in the top 10 in the air rifle, taking home ninth (386). In the smallbore, Sawyer paced the Huskers by taking fifth (1,160), while Trujillo finished just behind her at sixth (1,155).
Continuing a busy weekend of competition, NU faced off against Penn State and Akron, downing both teams. The Huskers defeated the Nittany Lions, 3,819-3,455 and downed the Zips 3,819-3,812. Sawyer was the star for the Huskers, as she won the air rifle with a 390 and finished second in the smallbore with a 576. Trujillo placed second in both events with a 389 in the air rifle and a 570 in the smallbore.
NU extended its home winning streak to six straight with a 6,132-6,061 win over UMKC on Nov. 23. Downsbrough captured the title in the air rifle with a 39. She also tied with UMKC