Last month at the 2023 NCAA rifle championship, held at the University of Akron in Ohio, the Alaska-Fairbanks rifle team won the NCAA title for the first time since 2008, and with a 12-point cushion over the second-place team, Texas Christian University.
The Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks rifle team posted a winning score of 4729-343X, plus sophomore Rylan Kissell set a new NCAA record with his air rifle qualification score of 600-58X.
Adding to its tally this year with 11 total NCAA rifle titles, Alaska-Fairbanks has the second most in history, behind West Virginia University. The Nanooks previously earned titles in 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Below are 20 great photos from the 2023 NCAA rifle championship at the University of Akron.
The 2023 NCAA smallbore rifle national championship was held at the University of Akron’s Rhodes Arena on Friday, March 10, with the air rifle national championship conducted the next day.
Rylan Kissell, a sophomore with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks rifle team, fired a perfect 600-58X air rifle score last month at the 2023 NCAA rifle championship, helping his team win its first NCAA title since 2008. He is pictured above after securing the air rifle individual title.
Here is a photo from the first smallbore relay inside of the University of Akron's Rhodes Arena on Friday, March 10, kicking off the 2023 NCAA rifle championship.
Nebraska’s Cecelia Ossi waves to the crowd while making her way to the smallbore rifle final inside Rhodes Arena.
Smallbore rifle competitors on the firing line during the final at the 2023 NCAA rifle championship.
After eliminations, the 2023 NCAA smallbore rifle final came down to last year’s champion Will Shaner of Kentucky and Nebraska’s Cecelia Ossi.
Kentucky’s Will Shaner competing in the smallbore rifle final at the 2023 NCAA rifle championship.
Cecelia Ossi of the Nebraska Cornhuskers rifle team won the 2023 NCAA smallbore rifle individual title on Friday, March 10, during the NCAA rifle championship at the University of Akron's Rhodes Arena.
The smallbore rifle individual top three on the podium (from left): runner-up Will Shaner (Kentucky), winner Cecelia Ossi (Nebraska) and third place Mary Tucker (WVU).
Collegiate rifle competitors on the firing line during the air rifle championship on Saturday, March 11.
The air rifle individual top three on the podium (from left): runner-up Mary Tucker (WVU), winner Rylan Kissell (Alaska-Fairbanks) and third place Rachael Charles (Alaska-Fairbanks).
This photo was taken inside Rhodes Arena during a break in the action. You can see statistical officials and match staff working in the foreground.
The 2023 NCAA rifle championship at the University of Akron's Rhodes Arena was fired on SIUS electronic targets, which provided real-time updates to the main scoreboards and other displays.
The University of Alaska-Fairbanks rifle team captured its 11th NCAA rifle championship title this year.
This year's runner-up, the Texas Christian University rifle team, finished 12 points behind Alaska-Fairbanks in the team aggregate.
Taking third place in the team aggregate was back-to-back 2021-2022 NCAA rifle champion Kentucky Wildcats.
West Virginia University’s Mary Tucker competing in the air rifle final at the 2023 NCAA rifle championship.
The Alaska-Fairbanks rifle team celebrating at the 2023 NCAA national championship awards ceremony.
This year’s individual air rifle champion, Rylan Kissell, and Alaska-Fairbanks Head Coach, Will Anti, are pictured here immediately after the final.
The University of Akron’s Rhodes Arena was an excellent venue for the NCAA rifle championship.
Read our match report from the 2023 NCAA rifle championship in the digital magazine.
