3/12/2005 - Rifle
Mids Finish Fifth At NCAA Championships

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Navy rifle team finished fifth at the NCAA Championships which concluded today at the United States Olympic Training Center. Army ended Alaska-Fairbanks' run of six straight national titles, outscoring the Nanooks in the air rifle competition. Those two teams, along with Nebraska, Jacksonville State and Navy rounded out the top five.

"We improved a little bit from yesterday, but not enough to really make a serious run at the title," said Navy head coach Bill Kelley. "The top four teams were within about five points of each other, so it was a great competition and came down to the last match.

"I was pleased with the way we performed this weekend, and we shot about where we have all year long," said Kelley. "We wished we could have gotten a better finish this weekend, but we were in it to the end. We were in the hunt and that is all we could ask for."

Chris Schneider led the Mids with a 587, a score that resulted in a top-ten finish for the sophomore from Fort Mill, S.C.

Navy concluded the season with a 13-0 record, a MAC Conference title and its 12th straight N-Star victory over Army.

# GO NAVY #