The University of Kentucky rifle team punched its ticket to the 2025 NCAA Rifle Championships with a standout performance at its NCAA Qualifier on February 22nd inside the UK Rifle Range in Lexington, securing its 31st appearance in the national event. Set to host the championships beginning March 14th at Historic Memorial Coliseum, the Wildcats capped a stellar regular season with a qualifying score that solidified their spot among the elite eight teams vying for the title. For Big Blue Nation, it’s a chance to see Kentucky rifle shine on home turf—WBN dives into how they clinched it and what’s at stake.
Kentucky’s rifle program boasts a decorated history—four national titles (2011, 2018, 2021, 2022), six runner-up finishes, and 23 top-five placements (UKAthletics.com)—and this year’s qualification adds to that legacy. The NCAA field hinges on a formula: each team’s top three regular-season aggregate scores from different venues, plus their qualifier score, determine the top eight. Kentucky posted a 4748 in Colorado, a 4742 to kick off 2025 at home, and a 4740 at Ole Miss in fall 2024. Their February 22 qualifier score of 4740 pushed their total to 9483.33—third behind Alaska’s 9509 and West Virginia’s 9496, per NCAA.com. TCU, Ole Miss, Murray State, Georgia Southern, and Air Force round out the field, with individual qualifiers like Morehead State’s Hayden Bell also set to compete.
“I am proud of the team for handling their business this season and making sure we were in a good position to qualify for the national championships,” head coach Harry Mullins said post-qualifier, per UK Athletics. “This will be an exciting two days in Historic Memorial Coliseum and I hope Big Blue Nation comes out and supports us..” This marks Kentucky’s second time hosting, the first being 2020 when a perfect 13-0 season ended with a COVID-19 cancellation after practice day (NCAA.com)—a bitter memory fueling this year’s fire. Sophomore Braden Peiser’s 591.75 smallbore and 596.83 air rifle averages (UKAthletics.com) spearhead a squad averaging 4730 per match—third nationally.
The drive for five begins with the Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships on March 1-2 in Morgantown, West Virginia—a tune-up before Kentucky rifle defends its home range. Last year, TCU edged out Kentucky’s 4713 with a 4732 in Morgantown (NCAA.com)—this time, Memorial Coliseum’s stakes are personal. BBN can snag all-session tickets ($25 adults, $20 youth/seniors) or single-session ($15/$12) via UK Athletics’ Ticketmaster—smallbore hits Friday, air rifle Saturday. Can Kentucky rifle reclaim the crown at home where it was denied the chance in 2020?