RENO, Nev. – Coming off a third place finish at the Patriot Rifle Championships, the best in school history, the 16th ranked Nevada rifle team heads to UTEP to compete at the NCAA Qualifier.  No. 18 UTEP is the host and No. 6 Alaska is also competing on Saturday starting at 7:30 a.m. PT.
 
"Aside from the NCAA Championships, the most challenging match is the NCAA Qualifier," said head coach Fred Harvey.   "This year's qualifier will include Alaska Fairbanks. It will be a great finale to 25 years of competition."
 
Leading the way for the Pack this season is senior Mitchell Van Patten who won the PRC air rifle title and was third in smallbore.  Van Patten has the top scores on the team in air rifle (596), smallbore (586) and aggregate (1181) which combines the two events.
  
Junior Rachel Benesh has shot the second best score in air rifle with her 591, is fourth with a 576 in smallbore and tied for third posting a 1163 aggregate score.   Junior Eli Larimer and freshman Andrew Pham are tied for third having shot 589 in air rifle.    Pham is also tied for third with an 1163 aggregate score.  Larimer missed most of the season with a shoulder injury and has competed in just four events heading into the qualifier.
 
Another freshman Alec Patejo has the second best smallbore score of 583 on the team as is his 1165 aggregate score that he equaled at the PRC Championships.  Patejo's 588 in air rifle is tied for fourth on the team.
 
Sophomore Nadine Ahola is third on the team with a 577 in smallbore, is tied for fourth with a 588 in air rifle and has a 1160 aggregate score that is fifth on the team.