Collegiate Rifle: West Virginia Holds No. 1 in CRCA Top 20 Through Oct. 25

The first month of the 2026-27 collegiate rifle season has brought plenty of movement in the CRCA Top 20. Navy remains unbeaten, Murray State rewrote its record book in its home opener and Akron climbed into the top 10 while Georgia Southern slid three spots. Through it all, West Virginia has set the pace. The Mountaineers own the three highest team aggregates in the country, including a 4756 and a 4750 on back-to-back days at Army, Oct. 3-4, along with the season’s two best smallbore totals at 2367 apiece. Their third came last weekend at home.

No. 1 West Virginia defeated Memphis 4748-4684 at home to earn its second Great America Rifle Conference victory of the season and third win over a ranked opponent. The Mountaineers swept both disciplines, posting a 2356 in smallbore and a nation-best 2392 in air rifle. Griffin Lake led the field with a 1191 aggregate, followed by Jennifer Kocher with 1190 and Oceanne Muller with 1184, as West Virginia claimed the top three individual spots. Kocher also fired her second perfect 600 in air rifle this season. The Mountaineers return to competition Nov. 14-15 when they host the WVU Fall Classic, featuring a field that includes four top-seven teams: Kentucky, Nebraska, TCU and Ole Miss.

No. 2 Murray State defeated Jacksonville State 4736-4672 in its Oct. 24 home opener. The Racers set a program air rifle record with 2386 and added 2350 in smallbore to secure a season-high aggregate. Carlotta Salafia broke the program’s individual aggregate record with a 1192, and Anceline Brackman tied the individual air rifle mark with a 599. As a team, Murray State swept the top five individual places. The Racers return to action Oct. 31 at Ohio State.

No. 3 Navy continued its unbeaten season at home Oct. 25, posting a 4732 aggregate to defeat No. 11 Memphis (4692) and Mount Aloysius (4570). The Midshipmen recorded 2346 in smallbore and 2386 in air rifle, freshman Hannah Talbott led the field with a 1190 aggregate including 591 in smallbore and 599 in air rifle, while Navy claimed four of the top five individual places. The Midshipmen (8-0, 2-0 GARC) will put their perfect record on the line when they travel to face No. 7 Kentucky on Halloween.

No. 4 TCU earned a 4728-4665 road victory on Oct. 24 over No. 17 UTEP behind a 2343 in smallbore and a 2385 in air rifle. All seven TCU shooters finished in the match’s top 10. Marissa Fedora and Amanda Pettersen led the team with identical 1183 aggregates, while Fedora tied her career high with a match-best 598 in air rifle. TCU returns to competition Oct. 31 against The Citadel.

No. 5 Nebraska bounced back from a three-point loss to Kentucky the day before to win against then-No. 3 Alaska-Fairbanks 4727-4721 in a home match Oct. 25. The Huskers built a 14-point lead in smallbore (2356-2342), then held on after losing air rifle 2379-2371. Nebraska’s Katlyn Sullivan took second overall with a 1188-86X aggregate, followed by Alivia Perkins taking third with 1184-80X. Nebraska will return to competition Nov. 8 for a road matchup against Georgia Southern.

Ole Miss, ranked sixth nationally, earned a narrow 4723-4717 victory over Georgia Southern at home. The Rebels built a 12-point cushion in smallbore before Georgia Southern rallied to win air rifle, 2380-2374. Audrey Gogniat led all competitors with an 1186 aggregate, while Gracie Dinh, Jordan de Jesus and Kamdyn McFarland helped Ole Miss claim four of the top six individual spots. The Rebels travel to No. 4 TCU on Nov. 7.

No. 7 Kentucky picked up a 4722-4719 road victory over Nebraska on Oct. 24. Trailing 2341-2339 after smallbore, the Wildcats rallied with a 2383 in air rifle. Braden Peiser led all competitors with an 1186 aggregate, and Liz Peiser finished fourth with 1183. Both fired 598 in air rifle. Kentucky returns home Oct. 31 to face No. 3 Navy.

A first loss of the season cost Alaska-Fairbanks five spots, dropping the Nanooks from third to eighth. They opened a two-stop road trip with a 4722-4670 win at No. 17 UTEP on Oct. 23 before falling 4727-4721 at Nebraska two days later. Alaska-Fairbanks trailed by 14 points after smallbore and won air rifle 2379-2371, but couldn’t close the gap. Marshall Schmidt topped the individual leaderboard with an 1188 aggregate, and Teagan Perkowski fired the match’s best air rifle score, a 599. Alaska-Fairbanks placed four shooters in the top 10 overall. The Nanooks (3-1) host No. 10 Akron on Nov. 7.

Georgia Southern slid from sixth to ninth after a split weekend in Oxford, Mississippi. The Eagles fell 4723-4717 to Ole Miss on Oct. 24, winning air rifle 2380-2374 but unable to recover from a 12-point smallbore deficit. Emme Walrath and Emma Pohlmann finished second and third behind Ole Miss shooter Audrey Gogniat with aggregates of 1185 and 1184. Georgia Southern answered the next day with a 4698-4519 rout of Wofford, sweeping the top six individual spots. Pohlmann and Walrath each shot 1178, with Pohlmann taking first on X-count. The Eagles host No. 5 Nebraska on Nov. 8.

Akron climbed five spots, from No. 15 to No. 10, after a 4718-4693 loss at Kentucky on Oct. 17. The Zips set season highs in both disciplines, with 2331 in smallbore and 2362 in air rifle, and their 4693 aggregate topped their previous best by 19 points. Senior Logan McClimans led Akron in smallbore with a 586, helping hold the Wildcats to a 10-point lead after the first discipline. Freshman Maddie Allen paced the team in air rifle with a 594. Akron travels to No. 8 Alaska-Fairbanks on Nov. 7.

See the full season match results and statistics at ncaarifle.org.