Allaire Wins Smallbore Title

Lexington, Va. - Freshman Nicole Allaire took the individual smallbore title Friday at the NCAA Rifle Championships in Lexington, Va. Allaire's season-high score of 1,183 out of a possible 1,200 tied Matt Emmons of Alaska Fairbanks, but Allaire won the title with 80 center shots compared to Emmons' 78. Her score of 396 in the standing position set an NCAA Championships record, eclipsing the 1999 mark of 394 held by Alaska Fairbanks' Kelly Mansfield.

Allaire, a native Kearny, N.J., entered the competition ranked fifth after firing a 1,170 at a sectional qualifying match on Feb. 12, while Emmons had the top score of 1,180 entering the weekend. Fellow freshman Amanda Trujillo, who hails from Brush, Colo., finished seventh shooting a 1,163. Trujillo, who has consistently been one of Nebraska's top shooters this season, ranked 10th after firing a 1,162 at the qualifying match.

In the individual air rifle competition, sophomore Terim Richards finished fifth firing a 391 out of 400,while Allaire took 15th with a 383. Richards, who hails from Louisville, Neb., fired a 388 at the sectional qualifying match and sat in 14th place heading into the competition, while Allaire ranked 11th with a 388. Alaska Fairbanks' Kelly Mansfield won the air rifle title with an NCAA record score of 398.

This was the first time Nebraska has competed at the nationals in the sport's two-year history. Team competition will take place Saturday beginning at 8 a.m.