AKRON, Ohio (Feb. 23, 2026) — For the final home match of the season against Mount Aloysius College and Schreiner University on Saturday, Feb. 21, the Akron Zips rifle team hotshots rose to the occasion with one of their most impressive performances of the year. The team posted its highest air rifle score of the season (2371), also recording the second-highest NCAA qualifier score in program history (4697).
Competing alongside teams at 12 sites across the country, Akron rifle was aiming for one of the coveted 2026 NCAA Rifle Championship invitations. At the end of the qualifying weekend, the top eight teams advance to the national championship, while the top four individuals in each discipline earn individual bids. Although breaking into the top eight was a tall order, the Akron Zips were determined to prove they were stronger than their No. 16 national ranking suggested. Their effort paid off, as the performance elevated Akron to No. 12 in the national standings—an impressive jump and a fitting reward for a tremendous team effort.
For the second consecutive week and in her final appearance at Akron’s home range, senior Natalia Siek claimed Top Gun honors in both smallbore and air rifle. She fired a 585 in smallbore and a 595 in air rifle to lead the squad. Close behind her was freshman Matthew Kimball, who continued his outstanding season with scores of 582 in smallbore and 592 in air rifle. The “Nat-Mat” duo has pushed one another all season, and the future of the program looks bright with Kimball stepping into a leadership role next year.
Akron senior Rachael Paddock also delivered a standout performance, matching Kimball’s scores exactly with a 582 in smallbore and 592 in air rifle. Rounding out Akron’s top four air rifle scorers was senior Joseph Hahn, who contributed a crucial 592. Battling through physical challenges, Hahn’s determination and composure were on full display. The combined effort of the top four air rifle shooters produced the season-best team total of 2371. Overall, it was a strong and satisfying performance for the now No. 12-ranked Zips as they close out their home schedule.
The top shooter for Schreiner University was freshman Molly Mitchell, who posted a 1164-62X aggregate with a 587-32X air rifle score and 577-30X in smallbore. Her final score ranked her fifth on the individual aggregate leaderboard.
For Mount Aloysius College, taking top honors was sophomore Molly Miller, who walked away from the University of Akron home range with a 1153-54X aggregate and team-leading scores in air rifle (581-32X) and smallbore (572-22X).
Mount Aloysius College and Schreiner vs. Akron NCAA Qualifier Match Scorecard
See the full scorecard at the NCAA rifle website.
The Akron rifle team now turns its focus to the 2026 Great America Rifle Conference Championships (GARC) at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. Smallbore competition is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28, followed by air rifle on Sunday, Mar. 1. Both matches will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET. Targets and finals may be viewed live at results.megalink.no.
Learn more about the Akron, Mount Aloysius and Schreiner rifle teams.
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