Experience, Accomplishments Highlight 2006-07 Season

The Nebraska rifle team ended a stellar 2006-07 season as fifth-year head coach Launi Meili led the Huskers to eight regular season wins and trips to the Great American Rifle Conference and NCAA Championships.

 

The rifle team not only gained valuable experience for future years, but many members of the team were recognized for their accomplishments in the sport.

 

Four Huskers earned post-season accolades, including GARC Senior-of-the-Year Stacy Underwood, who earned GARC first-team honors in air rifle and combined and second-team honors in smallbore.  She was also named a National Rifle Association second-team air rifle and smallbore All-American.  Junior Kirsten Weiss earned GARC first-team smallbore honors, second-team combined honors and honorable mention in air rifle.  The NRA also recognized Weiss as a first-team All-American in smallbore.  Senior Kristina Fehlings earned NRA second-team honors in both air rifle and smallbore and GARC second-team honors in smallbore.  Junior Kim Chrostowski rounded out Nebraska's post-season list, earning GARC second-team air rifle and combined honors as well as honorable mention in smallbore.

 

Nebraska also boasted academic success, as six shooters made the Big 12 Commissioner's Fall honor roll.  Fehlings, Chrostowski, Weiss, Katie Harrington, Christine Costello and Amanda Jeffries all earned spots on the roster, which recognizes athletes who maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher during the semester.

 

The Huskers began the 2006-07 season missing several of its top shooters from the previous year, including All-Americans Misty Chanek and Andrea Franzen.  However, the Huskers didn't let numbers slow them down at their first match against Ole Miss on Oct. 13.  The Huskers started the season off on the right foot with a 4,634-4,566 victory over the Rebels on the Nebraska Rifle Range.  Underwood topped the air rifle charts with a career-high 589 in the event.  NU was led in smallbore by Weiss, who shot a score of 577.

 

The Huskers then suffered a nail-biting loss to Army, 4,656-4,657, on Oct. 15 at the NU Rifle Range.  Underwood claimed top air rifle honors, setting another career-best score of 590.  Weiss placed second in the air rifle competition with a career-high 589, blasting her former personal best of 583.  Underwood then finished third in smallbore with a score of 580 to give the Huskers a 2,345-2,344 win in the event.

 

The rifle team advanced its season to 2-1 after picking up a 4,648-4,564 win over Navy at Fairbanks, Alaska, on Oct. 29.  Nebraska outscored Navy in both air rifle (2,342-2,312) and smallbore (2,306-2,252).  Fehlings shot the match-high score in air rifle with a 590, while Weiss earned top honors in smallbore with a score of 584.

 

Fehlings tied a career-best air rifle score as Nebraska then fell to Alaska-Fairbanks on Oct. 30, 4,655-4,674.  Fehlings led the Huskers in air rifle as she scored 593 for a second-place finish.  Chrostowski placed third in air rifle as she posted a season-high score of 590.

Nebraska fell short to Kentucky, 4,631-4,652, at a two-day competition held at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 10.  The dual left Nebraska with a 3-3 record on the season.  Weiss placed third for the Huskers in smallbore with a score of 577, while Underwood placed second in air rifle with a score of 588. 

NU soared to a victory over West VirginiaUniversity, 4,633-4,548, in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 11.  The Huskers topped WVU in both smallbore and air rifle.  Individually, Nebraska made a top-three sweep in the air rifle competition as Chrostowski placed first with a score of 589.  Underwood placed second with a 588, while Weiss shot a 582 for third place.  Weiss also led the smallbore competition, placing first with a score of 580.  Harrington rounded out the top-three with a score of 577.

The Huskers trekked on to another victory against Air Force, 4,621-4,490 at the NU Rifle Range on Nov. 19.  Nebraska dominated in both smallbore (2,281-2,192) and air rifle (2,340-2,298) in the competition.  Fehlings led the smallbore competition with a 574, while Underwood placed first in air rifle with a score of 590.

Nebraska finished its fall season with a first-place finish at the Air Force Invitational on Nov. 30 at Colorado Springs, Colo.  The Huskers shot a season-high score of 4,661, defeating both TexasChristianUniversity (4,616) and Air Force (4,546).  The Huskers dominated in both smallbore (2,326) and air rifle (2,346).  Underwood placed first in the air rifle competition, shooting a career-best 594, while Fehlings topped the smallbore competition with a score of 586.

 

Nebraska opened its spring campaign with a dual against the University of Missouri-Kansas City at the NU Rifle Range on Jan. 20.  The Huskers shot a combined total of 4,616 to defeat UMKC, 4,226.  NU outshot UMKC in both air rifle (2329-2247) and smallbore (2287-2179), marking the fourth time the Huskers have beaten the Kangaroos in four matchups. Chrostowski and Underwood both placed first in air rifle with 587 averages, while Costello earned a first-place finish in smallbore with a 578 average.

NU finished out the regular season with a final home dual against Memphis on Feb. 10.  The Huskers clawed past the Tigers with a score of 4,629-4,549.  Chrostowski led the air rifle competition with a score of 589, while Costello shot 580 for a third-place finish.  Underwood topped smallbore with a 581.

The Huskers then headed into post-season action with the GARC Championships at Oxford, Miss., on Feb. 24-25.  Although the team claimed the GARC titles in 2005 and 2006, it was unable to continue the tradition as it placed third with a score of 4,600.   

NU ended its season at the NCAA Championships on March 9-10 in Fairbanks, Alaska, where it captured a fifth-place finish. The Huskers shot a combined total of 4,623.