Rifle crowned 2006 NCAA national champions

Submitted by Carla Browning
Phone: (907) 474-7778
03/12/06

The University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team captured the 2006 NCAA National Championship with an aggregate score of 4,682 at the Olympic Training Center on Saturday. For the Nanooks, it’s the program’s eighth national championship and seventh in the past eight years.

UAF won Saturday’s air rifle team title, while senior Jamie Beyerle (Lebanon, PA) and junior Matt Rawlings (Wharton, TX) finished second and third in the air rifle individual finals. Beyerle shot a 10.8, out of a possible 10.9, in her final collegiate shot for the Nanooks to go from fourth to second in the individual standings. Freshman Matthias Dierolf (Uttenhofen, Germany) finished fifth in the individual finals.

The Nanooks outscored runner-up Nebraska 2,353 - 2,344. Beyerle led off for the Nanooks in the first relay, posting a 588. Dierolf and freshman Christian Lejon (Umea, Sweden) shot in the second relay, posting scores of 590 and 588, respectively. Rawlings closed things out in the final relay with a 589 to give UAF the championship.

For first year head coach Dan Jordan, the championship was a fitting way to cap a perfect season, as the Nanooks were 12-0 in dual matches this season. After winning several matches in dominating fashion, UAF had to battle back after a second-place finish in Friday’s smallbore competition.

"Nobody shot outstanding today, but everyone shot exceptionally well," said Jordan.

"I’m really happy for them, they worked hard all year and they earned it. I think it’s better that they re-took the championship having to earn it, than just walking away with it."?

At the awards banquet, the Nanooks were awarded the 2006 Intercollegiate Trophy as the NRA National Collegiate Sectional Smallbore Champions for posting the highest score in the smallbore competition for all sectional qualifying events.

In addition, Beyerle, Rawlings and Lejon were named NRA first team All-Americans in the smallbore and Dierolf was named to the second team. Beyerle, Rawlings and Dierolf were named first team All-Americans in the air rifle and Lejon was named to the second team.