The No. 10 UTEP rifle team went all the way to Fairbanks on Feb. 21, knowing this wasn’t just another match — it was the NCAA Qualifier.
Standing across the range? The powerhouse Alaska Nanooks, inside the E.F. Horton Rifle Range.
And it came down to the smallest of margins.
Alaska took the match 4735–4710, but if you watched the numbers closely, you know this wasn’t a mismatch. It was a battle.
Air Rifle Was Championship-Level
Here’s what should have Miner fans fired up:
Both teams shot 2384 in the air rifle.
That’s elite. That’s national contender level. That’s UTEP proving it can go shot-for-shot with one of the sport’s blueblood programs — on the road, in Alaska, in a pressure situation.
When you match Alaska in air rifle in Fairbanks, you belong in the national conversation. Period.
Smallbore Was the Difference
The separation came in smallbore, where Alaska posted 2351, and UTEP finished at 2326.
A 25-point swing in this sport feels big on paper, but in reality, it’s a handful of shots. One cleaner prone rotation. A steadier kneeling finish. That’s how tight it was.
And even with that gap, UTEP still put up a 4710 aggregate — a score that absolutely holds weight with the NCAA selection committee.
This Team Has Been Trending Up
Let’s not forget what happened just six days earlier.
UTEP closed out its home slate with a 4711–4417 win over Schreiner, shooting 2338 in smallbore and 2373 in air rifle. Back-to-back 4,700-level performances aren’t a fluke. It’s consistency.
This team has found its rhythm at the right time of year.
Now We Wait
The Alaska match was UTEP’s official NCAA Qualifier. Those scores are now in the hands of the selection committee for the 2026 National Collegiate Rifle Championships, set for March 13–14 in Columbus and hosted by Ohio State University.
What’s next?
Team bid? Individual qualifiers? We’ll find out soon.
But here’s what Miner fans should know: a 4710 in Alaska and a 2384 air rifle score travel anywhere in the country.
UTEP proved they belong.
Now it’s selection show time.
