University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

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FAIRBANKS – Alaska has one more step to take this weekend before going after an 11th national title as it hosts an NCAA qualifying match this Saturday at the E.F. Horton Range.
 
Ranked second in the latest Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association poll, the Nanooks welcome in No. 17 Nevada and No. 20 Texas-El Paso for the final match prior to the NCAA Championship, which is set to take place March 14-15 in Murray, Ky.
 
The qualifier will begin at 8 a.m. with half of the shooters competing in both disciplines over two relays. The other half will start shooting their two relays at 1 p.m. The Wolfpack and Miners will also shoot in a neutral-site match against each other Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on campus.
 
Alaska, as well as four other schools should be safely in to the NCAA Championship with the qualifier left to decide the eight teams which will compete for the national crown.
 
The Nanooks, who won the inaugural Patriot Rifle Conference title a couple weeks ago, have compiled a three-score average of 4698.67 this season, which is made up of their top-three scores in different venues.
 
Their average is made up of a 4692 at Texas Christian (Nov. 9), a 4702 at home against Kentucky (Nov. 23) and a 4702 at the PRC Championship at Ohio State (Feb. 8-9). West Virginia holds the top average of 4703.00 with scores of 4690, 4709 and 4710 this season.
 
The rest of the top five are made up of Kentucky (4695.67), Nebraska (4678.00) and Jacksonville State (4674.33). The championship's field will be determined by adding the three-score average with this weekend's NCAA qualifying match.
 
Individually, four Nanooks rank amongst the top 10 from around the country. Both junior Ryan Anderson (Great Falls, Va./Biological Sciences) and sophomore Tim Sherry (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mechanical Engineering) are tied for second in smallbore with 591s and tied for third in air rifle with matching 596s.
 
Also in smallbore, sophomore Lorelie Stanfield (Fairbanks, Alaska/English) is tied for sixth with a 588 and junior Mats Eriksson (Malung, Sweden/Business Administration) is tied for eighth with a 587.