RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada rifle team will host No. 3 Alaska in a Patriot Rifle Conference matchup between two top 20 schools.  The Wolf Pack is tied for 15th with North Carolina State while the Nanooks enter the weekend ranked third in the latest Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association poll. 
 
Smallbore will be shot at 8 and 10 a.m. on Saturday.   The smallbore range is located north of Peccole Park, Nevada's baseball field on the east side of campus. Air rifle will be held on Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Nelson Building at 401 West 2nd street.  Enter through the second basement door on the east side of the building.
 
"We look forward to shooting with Alaska," head coach Fred Harvey said. "Every year they are among the best teams in America. They will challenge us to as no other team can."
 
Nevada is coming off a third-place finish at the Ohio State Tournament which featured four top 20 schools including then top ranked Murray State.  The Wolf Pack has won its last two head-to-head matches and is 2-2 on the season.
 
Senior Mitchell Van Patten has been consistent this season posting the top scores on the team.  In each of his last three outings he has shot a 595 in air rifle which is a career high for the veteran leader.  His 586 in smallbore and 1181 aggregate score which combines the two events is also tops on the team.
 
Junior Rachel Benesh ranks second on the squad with a 576 in smallbore, is tied for second with freshman Andrew Pham with a 1163 aggregate score and 587 in air rifle is third.  Pham's 589 in air rifle is second on the squad and 574 in smallbore is tied with sophomore Nadine Ahola for fourth.
 
Ahola's 1156 aggregate performance is fourth and her 583 in smallbore is fifth. 
 
Freshman Tio Brody has shot exclusively smallbore and his 575 is third-best on the team.  Another freshman Sara Benesh has only competed in air rifle and her top score of 584 is fourth on the team.