Thanks to the addition of a new team entering the NCAA rifle program, Akron was able to host the NCAA Qualifier for the first time. Mount Aloysius College (Pennsylvania) made the trip to Akron, Ohio to compete in the 2025 NCAA Qualifier match on Saturday, February 22. Akron was one of the 13 locations across the United States where all the NCAA teams in the nation compete for the coveted invitation to the NCAA Rifle Championships. At the end of the day, the top eight teams get an invitation, as well as the top four individuals in smallbore and air rifle. Despite being the highest-scoring team ever fielded by the University of Akron, the final rankings landed the Zips in the No. 12 position. Even though Akron finished ahead of Mount Aloysius, 4693 to 4559, the team did not quite have what it took to break into the top eight.
With like scores of 594, Akron senior Gavin Perkowski earned top gun in air rifle by narrowly edging fellow senior Rachel Engels by one center shot. Respectable scores fired by both seniors just missed the threshold (595) for earning individual invitations to the NCAA Rifle Championships.
In smallbore, Akron senior Erin Schnupp fired a nice 588, which is nearly three points higher than her season average (585.7). At this level of competition, one or two points can make a big difference. Four other Akron rifle shooters finished in the 580s, led by Perkowski and his 584. Would the score posted by Schnupp be good enough to secure an individual invite? On Monday evening at 6:00 p.m., the team all hovered around the big screen as the NCAA Rifle Selection Show aired live, and sure enough, she did it. Erin Schnupp will be representing Akron at the 2025 NCAA Rifle Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, in March. The exact same location where in 2020, Team Akron was preparing for its first-ever team appearance when the NCAA Championships were canceled at the end of practice day due to covid. Schnupp will now be able to walk on the range five years later and pick up where they left off. It will be a memorable occasion.
Results: Akron vs. Mount Aloysius College on February 22, 2025
You can see the full results of the match at the NCAA rifle website.
Before the 2025 NCAA Rifle Championships, the Akron rifle team has one more big event—the Great America Rifle Conference Championships in West Virginia on Saturday and Sunday (March 1-2). All day Saturday will be the smallbore events and final, while Sunday will be air rifle, air rifle final and the awards program. With the talent of the six teams in the GARC, this championship promises to be very interesting. Each day the fun will begin at 9:00 a.m., with targets viewable at this link.
Learn more about the Akron and Mount Aloysius College rifle teams.
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