Huskers Head For Nationals

The Nebraska rifle team is headed to Lexington, Va., this weekend to compete at the NCAA National Collegiate Mens and Womens Rifle Championships. The event, which is hosted by the Virginia Military Institute, will feature seven teams in both air and smallbore rifle, as well as 20 individuals in air rifle and 23 individuals in smallbore rifle.

The Huskers qualified as a team in both air and smallbore after firing a then-season high score of 4,593 in the smallbore and 1,530 in the air rifle at a collegiate sectional match hosted by Xavier on Feb. 12.

In order to qualify for nationals, a team must compete in one of several sectional matches held across the country. The teams with the top seven scores in air rifle and smallbore were then chosen to compete in Lexington. In addition to the team competition, those individuals with the highest scores in each event were also invited to compete as individuals.

Nebraska had three athletes achieve individual-qualifying scores at the sectional match. Nicole Allaire and Terim Richards will represent the Huskers in the air rifle, while Allaire and Amanda Trujillo will compete for the top individual honor in the smallbore competition.

Allaire, who hails from Kearny, N.J., has been the Huskers top shooter in 7-of-10 matches this season. At the sectional match, her score of 388 out of 400 in the air rifle placed her 11th among all competitors, while her score in the smallbore of 1,170 out of 1,200 ranks her fifth.

Richards, who has only been shooting air rifle for 18 months, sits in 14th place after firing a 388 in Cincinnati. Trujillo, who has emerged as one of Nebraskas top shooters this season, shot a 1,162 in the smallbore to sit in 10th place heading into the weekends competition.

Despite its youth the team is composed of two sophomore and three freshmen the Huskers look poised for one of their best scores this season. Nebraska is coming off season-high scores in both air rifle and smallbore fired against Ohio State on Feb. 13. The Huskers shot shoulder to shoulder with the Buckeyes and recorded a season-high 4,608 in smallbore and 1,557 in air rifle for a match total of 6,125. That total bettered their previous best of 6,123 set the previous day at the sectional match.

Three Huskers recorded personal bests on the day, including sophomore Rachel Spiry, who fired a 1,145 in the smallbore. That mark bettered her season high by 16 points. Allaire fired her best match of the season, recording a personal best 396 in air rifle and a season-high 1,180 in smallbore. Richards also improved her personal best in the air rifle, set on Oct. 17 against Kings College, from 390 to 395.