The six-time national champion University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team will be honored Friday, December 5, at 7 p.m. at the Carlson Center with a ring ceremony honoring the Nanooks' 2003 NCAA National Championship. The event will take place prior to UAF's hockey match with the University of Nebraska Omaha.
"I appreciate the university recognizing the accomplishments of the program by presenting the student-athletes with their NCAA Championship rings at the Carlson Center," said Glenn Dubis, UAF rifle coach. "The kids worked extremely hard last season and are certainly deserving of this special moment of recognition."
The Nanooks have long dominated the college rifle scene and have captured six national titles since 1994, including the last five in a row. UAF had a stellar 2002-03 season and marched through the competition, setting records along the way. The Nanooks rewrote the record books three times last year by posting an aggregate score of 6324 against Murray State University, a smallbore team score of 4757 against West Virginia University and a new national record in the NRA International Smallbore 3-Position Sectional of 4732.
UAF also had seven student athletes named All-American last year. Those receiving the national honor included Beyerle, Emmons, Per Sandberg, Olsson, Hein and Erin Skeuse.
"Winning a national championship is so much a team accomplishment and I've been impressed with the way we've come out ready to make another run at the national title," said Dubis. "It's going to take a lot of work, but I hope to be back out there with another ring ceremony next year."
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