Henrik Larsen Wins 2018 NCAA Air Rifle Championship

Henrik Larsen, the University of Kentucky rifle team’s star freshman, is this year’s NCAA air rifle individual champion. Larsen is Kentucky’s first national champion since Connor Davis in 2014. Kentucky won this year’s 2018 NCAA overall team championship after defeating five-time defending champion WVU in a match for the ages.

The 2018 NCAA championships were held March 9-10, hosted by the Citadel at McAlister Fieldhouse in Charleston, SC.

Larsen shot 596 in the team matches, the fourth-highest score overall. In the final, Larsen fell behind but came back, shooting a score of 249.4 (including 52 Xs) for the win.

This season, Larsen finished as the top individual in every match he competed in. He led the nation in scoring, with an aggregate average of 1188.83, and smallbore at 592.25. The Mysen, Norway, native also pocketed seven of the nation’s top-11 aggregate scores, including the top two of 1194 and 1193.

Adding to the accolades, Larsen earned multiple postseason honors: First Team All-American, NCAA Shooter of the Year, and Freshman of the Year.

2018 NCAA Rifle Team Championship Leaderboard

1. Kentucky—4717
2. WVU—4708
3. TCU—4701
4. Murray State—4684
5. Air Force—4669
6. Alaska-Fairbanks—4667
7. Ohio State—4664
8. Nebraska—4655

Lead photo courtesy of UK Athletics