Get ready for a record-breaking seventh consecutive title from the UAF rifle team later this month as they move on to the NCAA championships.

The Nanooks were announced as qualifiers in both small-bore and air rifle, and the team will join Army, Jacksonville State, Kentucky, Navy and Nebraska at the NCAA championships to be held March 11 in Colorado Springs. Texas-El Paso and Xavier also qualified in small-bore, and Memphis and Nevada qualified in air rifle, but those teams will shoot only in these disciplines, and as a result they will not amass enough points to challenge for the title.

UAF has won a total of seven team titles and, along with West Virginia, holds the record for consecutive titles after winning their sixth in a row at last year's championships. Last year, UAF won the title with a score of 6273, topping Nevada's score of 6185 and Navy with 6192 points.

This year the team hopes to break away from their rival West Virginia by earning a seventh consecutive title.

Four Nanook shooters also qualified for the small-bore championship, and two of those four also qualified for the individual championship in air rifle. Junior Jamie Beyerle and sophomore Matt Rawlings qualified in both guns, and seniors Joe Hein and Fairbanks' very own Matt Wallace qualified in small-bore.

"It (qualifying) is something that you almost take for granted," said coach Glenn Dubis. "You're almost never one hundred percent satisfied, and that's probably healthy. During the next two weeks, we have to focus on training for the championships, as well as taking care of our academic obligations."

Photo by John Wagner/ Sun Star

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