The NCAA rifle championships are contested at an annual competition sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to help determine the team as well the individual champions of co-educational collegiate rifle among its member programs in the United States. Unlike many NCAA sports, only one National Collegiate championship is held each season with teams from Division I, Division II, and Division III competing together. It has been held in mid-March every single year since 1980, except 2020.
The two-day event includes individual and team titles with team scoring based on the aggregate performances of individual shooters across a set of smallbore and air rifle competitions.
West Virginia has been the most successful program at the team and individual levels; the Mountaineers have won 21 team and 28 individual titles.
The current team national champions are West Virginia, who won their twenty-first team national championship at the 2026 event, which was held at the Covelli Center at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio from March 13-14. Braden Peiser of Kentucky won the individual championship for smallbore, while Audrey Gognait of Ole Miss won the individual championship for air rifle.
Background Co-ed status Under the NCAA rules, sports teams that include both men and women are designated as men's teams for purposes of sports sponsorship and scholarship limitations. This bylaw also applies in Divisions II and III, but is numbered differently in those divisions' manuals. Nonetheless, rifle has been a coed sport since 1980, a year before the NCAA began holding championships in women's sports. Schools sponsoring rifle may field anywhere from one to three teams. If a school chooses to sponsor more than one team, it may have any combination of men's, women's, and coed teams. Two schools field men's and women's teams, and three field women's and coed teams.
Programs
Conferences Great America Rifle Conference Mid-Atlantic Rifle Conference Ohio Valley Conference, the only Division I all-sports conference that sponsored rifle before the SoCon added it in 2016–17. Patriot Rifle Conference Southern Conference; resumed the sport in 2016–17 after a 30-year hiatus.
Results Prior to NCAA sponsorship in 1980, a collegiate rifle championship was held yearly by the National Rifle Association. From 1980 to 2004, the championship consisted of 120 shots by each competitor in smallbore, and 40 shots per competitor in air rifle. Since 2005, the championship has consisted of 60 shots for both smallbore and air rifle, equaling a total of 120 shots per team member. NCAA Rifle ChampionshipsYear SiteVenue / RangeTeam ChampionshipSmallboreAir RifleWinner PointsRunner-up PointsWinner ScoreWinner Score1980Details Johnson City, TN ETSU Athletic Center Tennessee Tech 6,201 West Virginia 6,150 Rod Fitz-Randolph(Tennessee Tech) 1,176 Rod Fitz-Randolph(Tennessee Tech) 389 1981Details West Point, NY U.S. Military Academy Tennessee Tech 6,139 West Virginia 6,136 Kurt Fitz-Randolph(Tennessee Tech) 1,173 John Rost(West Virginia) 3911982Details Lexington, VA Kilbourne Hall Tennessee Tech 6,138 West Virginia 6,136 Kurt Fitz-Randolph(Tennessee Tech) 1,167 John Rost(West Virginia) 3901983Details Cincinnati, OH Xavier University Rifle Range West Virginia 6,166 Tennessee Tech 6,148 David Johnson(West Virginia) 1,175 Ray Slonena(Tennessee Tech) 3891984Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range West Virginia 6,206 ETSU 6,142 Bob Broughton(West Virginia) 1,172 Pat Spurgin(Murray State) 3881985Details West Point, NY U.S. Military Academy Murray State 6,150 West Virginia 6,149 Pat Spurgin(Murray State) 1,168 Christian Heller(West Virginia) 3871986Details Annapolis, MD Bancroft Hall Rifle Range West Virginia 6,229 Murray State 6,163 Mike Anti(West Virginia) 1,167 Marianne Wallace(Murray State) 3921987Details Cincinnati, OH Xavier University Rifle Range Murray State 6,205 West Virginia 6,203 Web Wright(West Virginia) 1,174 Rob Harbison(Tennessee–Martin) 3921988Details Lexington, VA Kilbourne Hall West Virginia 6,192 Murray State 6,183 Web Wright(West Virginia) 1,168 Deena Wigger(Murray State) 3901989Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range West Virginia 6,234 South Florida 6,180 Deb Sinclair(Alaska) 1,171 Michelle Scarborough(South Florida) 3991990Details Annapolis, MD Bancroft Hall Rifle Rang West Virginia 6,205 Navy 6,101 Michelle Scarborough(South Florida) 1,165 Gary Hardy(West Virginia) 3931991Details West Point, NY U.S. Military Academy West Virginia 6,171 Alaska 6,110 Soma Dutta(UTEP) 1,171 Ann-Marie Pfiffner(West Virginia) 3911992Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range West Virginia 6,214 Alaska 6,166 Tim Manges(West Virginia) 1,172 Ann-Marie Pfiffner(West Virginia) 3901993Details Lexington, VA Kilbourne Hall West Virginia 6,179 Alaska 6,169 Eric Uptagrafft(West Virginia) 1,174 Trevor Gathman(West Virginia) 3901994Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range Alaska 6,196 West Virginia 6,187 Cory Brunetti(Alaska) 1,173 Nancy Napolski(Kentucky) 3911995Details Annapolis, MD Bancroft Hall Rifle Range West Virginia 6,241 Air Force 6,187 Oleg Seleznev(Alaska) 1,177 Benjamin Belden(Murray State) 3901996Details US Air Force Academy, CO Cadet Rifle Range West Virginia 6,179 Air Force 6,168 Joe Johnson(Navy) 1,170 Trevor Gathman(West Virginia) 3941997Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range West Virginia 6,223 Kentucky 6,175 Marcos Scrivner(West Virginia) 1,176 Marra Hastings(Murray State) 3931998Details West Virginia 6,214 Alaska 6,211 Karyn Juziuk(Xavier) 1,169 Emily Caruso(Norwich) 3931999Details Northfield, VT Norwich University Rifle Range Alaska 6,276 Navy 6,168 Kelly Mansfield(Alaska) 1,185 Kelly Mansfield(Alaska) 3962000Details Lexington, VA Kilbourne Hall Alaska 6,285 Xavier 6,156 Nicole Allaire(Nebraska) 1,183 Kelly Mansfield(Alaska) 3982001Details Columbus, OH Lt. Hugh W. Wylie Range Alaska 6,283 Kentucky 6,175 Matthew Emmons(Alaska) 1,178 Matthew Emmons(Alaska) 3922002Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range Alaska 6,241 Kentucky 6,209 Matthew Emmons(Alaska) 1,190 Ryan Tanoue(Nevada) 3922003Details West Point, NY Tronsrue Marksmanship Center Alaska 6,287 Xavier 6,197 Matthew Emmons(Alaska) 1,191 Jamie Beyerle(Alaska) 3952004Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range Alaska 6,273 Nevada 6,185 Matthew Rawlings(Alaska) 1,179 Morgan Hicks(Murray State) 3982005Details Reno, NV Nevada Wolf Pack Rifle Range Army 4,659 Jacksonville State 4,658 Matthew Rawlings(Alaska) 686.5 Beth Tidmore(Memphis) 694.22006Details US Air Force Academy, CO Cadet Rifle Range Alaska 4,682 Nebraska 4,666 Jamie Beyerle(Alaska) 690.5 Kristina Fehlings(Nebraska) 694.02007Details Fairbanks, AK E.F. Horton Rifle Range Alaska 4,662 Army 4,644 Josh Albright(Navy) 679.5 Michael Dickinson(Jacksonville State) 692.22008Details West Point, NY Tronsrue Marksmanship Center Alaska 4,662 Army 4,652 Chris Abalo(Army) 687.6 Patrik Sartz(Alaska) 696.42009Details Fort Worth, TX TCU Rifle Range West Virginia 4,643 Kentucky 4,638 Brian Carstensen(Jacksonville State) 682.2 Jenna Compton(Akron) 691.62010Details TCU 4,675 Alaska 4,653 Sarah Scherer(TCU) 685 Jonathan Hall(Columbus State) 699.92011Details Fort Benning, GA US Army Marksmanship Unit Kentucky 4,700 West Virginia 4,697 Ethan Settlemires(Kentucky) 691.0 Nicco Campriani(West Virginia) 701.02012Details Columbus, OH Lt. Hugh W. Wylie Range TCU 4,676 Kentucky 4,661 Sarah Scherer(TCU) 688.6 Petra Zublasing(West Virginia) 696.22013Details West Virginia 4,679 Kentucky 4,670 Petra Zublasing(West Virginia) 598 Petra Zublasing(West Virginia) 701.7 2014Details Murray, KY Pat Spurgin Rifle Range & CFSB Center West Virginia 4,705 Alaska 4,677 Tim Sherry(Alaska) 452.1 Connor Davis(Kentucky) 205.4 2015Details Fairbanks, AK E.F. Horton Rifle Range West Virginia 4,702 Alaska 4,700 Rachel Martin(Nebraska) 453.3 Maren Prediger(West Virginia) 205.8 2016Details Akron, OH Stile Athletics Field House West Virginia 4,703 TCU 4,694 Ginny Thrasher(West Virginia) 461.5 Ginny Thrasher(West Virginia) 208.8 2017Details Columbus, OH French Field House West Virginia 4,723 TCU 4,706 Morgan Phillips(West Virginia) 464.3 Milica Babic(West Virginia) 208.1 2018Details Charleston, SC McAlister Field House &Inouye Hall Kentucky 4,717 West Virginia 4,708 Morgan Phillips(West Virginia) 459.4 Henrik Larsen(Kentucky) 249.4 2019Details Morgantown, WV WVU Coliseum TCU 4,699 West Virginia 4,692 Elizabeth Marsh(TCU) 456.9 Kristen Hemphill(TCU) 248.2 2020Canceled due to COVID-19 2021Details Columbus, OH Converse Hall Kentucky 4,731 TCU 4,722 Mary Tucker(Kentucky) 463.3 Mary Tucker(Kentucky) 249.4 2022Details Colorado Springs, CO Clune Arena Kentucky 4,739 TCU 4,736 William Shaner(Kentucky) 459.7 Scott Rockett(Air Force) 250.2 2023Details Akron, OH James A. Rhodes Arena Alaska 4,729 TCU 4,717 Cecilia Ossi(Nebraska) 16-8 Rylan Kissell(Alaska) 17-9 2024Details Morgantown, WV WVU Coliseum TCU 4,732 West Virginia 4,729 Mary Tucker(West Virginia) 462.0 Gavin Barnick(West Virginia) 251.72025Details Lexington, KY Memorial ColiseumWest Virginia 4,738 Kentucky 4,737 Cecelia Ossi(Alaska) 464.7 Audrey Gogniat(Ole Miss) 251.0 2026Details Columbus, OHCovelli CenterWest Virginia4,748TCU4,741Braden Peiser(Kentucky)Audrey Gogniat(Ole Miss)
Champions Team titles
Team # Years 21 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2025, 2026 11 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2023 4 2011, 2018, 2021, 2022 2010, 2012, 2019, 2024 3 1980, 1981, 1982 2 1985, 1987 1 2005
Appearances by Team
Key National Champion National Runner-up Numbers indicate the placement of the team in that tournament beyond second
School Conference # CH GARC 42 21 PRC 39 11 GARC 31 4 PRC 19 4 defunct 15 3 OVC 36 2 GARC 21 1 GARC 30 - PRC 23 - PRC 18 - Independent 14 - defunct 11 - defunct 8 - defunct 7 - GARC 7 - defunct 6 - defunct 4 - defunct 4 - MARC 4 - PRC 4 - GARC 3 - PRC 3 - defunct 2 - OVC 2 - SoCon 2 - defunct 1 - defunct 1 - defunct 1 - defunct 1 - defunct 1 - defunct 1 -
Individual titles Schools in italics no longer compete in NCAA rifle. Team Titles Smallbore Air Rifle West Virginia 28 13 (1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2024) 15 (1981, 1982, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2024) Alaska 18 12 (1989, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2014, 2025) 6 (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2023) Kentucky 9 4 (2011, 2021, 2022, 2026) 5 (1994, 2014, 2018, 2021) Murray State 7 1 (1985) 6 (1984, 1986, 1988, 1995, 1997, 2004) Tennessee Tech 5 3 (1980, 1981, 1982) 2 (1980, 1983) TCU 4 3 (2010, 2012, 2019) 1 (2019) Nebraska 4 3 (2000, 2015, 2023) 1 (2006) Jacksonville State 2 1 (2009) 1 (2007) Navy 2 2 (1996, 2007) 0 South Florida 2 1 (1990) 1 (1989) Ole Miss 2 0 2 (2025, 2026) Air Force 1 0 1 (2022) Akron 1 0 1 (2009) Army 1 1 (2008) 0 Columbus State 1 0 1 (2010) Memphis 1 0 1 (2005) Nevada 1 0 1 (2002) Norwich 1 0 1 (1998) Xavier 1 1 (1998) 0 UT Martin 1 0 1 (1987) UTEP 1 1 (1991) 0
See also Pre-NCAA Intercollegiate Rifle Champions (1905-1979) Pre-NCAA Women's Intercollegiate Rifle Champions
Footnotes
External links
NCAA Sports: Men's & Women's Rifle