FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The 17th ranked University of Nevada rifle team posted its best finish at the Patriot Rifle Conference Championships taking third at the weekend event hosted by the University of Alaska the past two days.  The Wolf Pack shot 4665 to finish behind Air Force (4708) and TCU (4695).  Ohio State was third with a score of 4661, Alaska finished fifth shooting 4660 and UTEP was sixth posting a score of 4610.
 
"It was a great finish to our last season," said head coach Fred Harvey.  "We look forward to the post season NCAA Qualifier at UTEP on Feb. 16."
 
As a team the Pack earned a pair of third place trophies, for the overall finish and in air rifle.
 
Sunday Nevada shot 2361 in air rifle to finish third in the event and earn a trophy.  Senior Mitchell Van Patten shot 594 and was fifth heading into the finals but shot to the top of the leader board in the finals to win by a slim margin of 247.9-247.8 over TCU's Casey Lutz.
 
Junior Rachell Benesh finished just outside the top 10 placing 12^th with a score of 591.  Alec Patajo posted a score of 588 to earn 20^th with Nadine Ahola one spot back with her own 588 in 21st.  Eli Larimer shot 584 to place 26th and Andrew Pham took 32nd with his 581.
 
In Saturday's smallbore the Pack was fourth as a team with a score of 2304.  Van Patten earned his second trophy of the weekend placing third with a score of 584.  Patajo shot 577 to take 13th, Benesh was 17th with a score of 575 and Larimer placed 20th shooting 574 as Nevada had four shooters in the top 20.  Ahola placed 30th with a score of 569 and Pham posted a 557 to earn 38th place.