Huskers Begin Postseason with Conference Championships

The No. 6 Nebraska Rifle team will travel to Fairbanks, Alaska, on Feb. 4-5 to compete in the Patriot Rifle Conference (PRC) Championships. The air rifle event will take place on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. (10 am) at the E.F. Horton Rifle Range and the smallbore event will take place on Sunday starting at 1 p.m. (central) at the Patty Gym Range.
 
Results for both days can be found at http://results.megalink.no/#!/ and a livestream for Sunday's smallbore event can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jZIUVzLlrE. 
 
The PRC field includes five of the top 11 teams in the nation, including No. 1 TCU, No. 2 Alaska-Fairbanks, No. 7 Air Force, No. 11 Ohio State and UTEP, all of which the Huskers have faced this season.
 
"PRCs should be a great match for the team," said Head Coach Mindy Miles. "The format is exactly like NCAAs and it will give them a good preview to come. We are returning to Fairbanks, where the team had competed already this year and posted a season-high. I do believe this team can be strong competitors at this match."
 
During the regular season, NU has set various team and individual records. Freshmen Emma Rhode and Vittoria Watts both shot a 598 in the air rifle, which is a new school record in the event. Junior All-American Cecelia Ossi shot a 592 in the smallbore – the second-best score in Husker history. 
 
As a team, Nebraska has shot its five highest team aggregate scores this season. Those aggregate scores are 4,726 (at Alaska-Fairbanks, 11/13/22), 4,719 (at Morehead State, 1/14/23), 4,717 (Air Force, 10/22/22), 4,715 (Ohio State, 1/28/23) and 4,714 (at Alaska-Fairbanks, 11/12/22). NU also shot a record 2,381 in the air rifle against Alaska-Fairbanks and a record 2,351 in the smallbore against Morehead State. 
 
NU faced the Buckeyes last weekend at the Nebraska Rifle Range and posted a 4,715-4,651 victory. In that match, Huskers took four of the top five spots in all three events. Rhode placed first overall with a score of 1,181 and was followed by Ossi (second, 1,179), sophomore Mackenzie Strauch (third, 1,179) and Watts (fifth, 1,177). In the air rifle, Rhode was first (595), Ossi was second (595), Watts was fourth (593) and Strauch was fifth (592). Strauch took first in the smallbore with a score of 857, which was her personal best. Rhode placed second (586), Ossi placed third (584) and Watts placed fourth (584).
 
Following the conference championships, the Huskers will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the NCAA Qualifiers on Feb. 18 to face No. 11 Ohio State and No. 10 Akron at 8 a.m. (central).