Ole Miss Rifle Secures NCAA Tournament Bid with Win at Qualifier

The University of Mississippi rifle team secured its spot in the NCAA Tournament with a victory Saturday at the NCAA Qualifier held at the Ole Miss Rifle Range in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels defeated Memphis 4,738-4,703, marking their third straight win against the Tigers in a week.

Ole Miss, now 10-2, achieved its 10th win of the season for the second consecutive year. The team’s seven-match winning streak is its longest since the 2020-21 season. The Rebels have scored at least 4,730 points in six matches this season, the most in program history. Their current average of 4,730.5 points per match is a program best, and they have yet to score below 4,700 in any match this season, according to team statistics.

Four counting scores contributed to the victory, each at least 1,180 points. Top performers included Audrey Gogniat, Gracie Dinh and Jordan de Jesus, who finished with aggregate scores of 1,189, 1,185 and 1,185, respectively. Dinh won the tiebreaker for second place with 90 center shots. The team has now won nine NCAA Qualifiers in a row, with the highest team score in that span.

Ole Miss’s success in the qualifier keeps its bid to the NCAA Championships alive. The Rebels are aiming for their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. They will learn their postseason fate during the selection show scheduled for Monday, Feb. 23, at 5 p.m. Central Time.

In the event, Ole Miss dominated the first relay, with Gogniat, de Jesus and Regan Diamond each scoring 589. Gogniat led in center shots with 35, finishing the day with an 1,189 aggregate score. Dinh and de Jesus scored 588 and 596, respectively. Diamond added a 591, giving Ole Miss a 2,383 total in air rifle—the sixth-highest in program history.

Gretchen Schleinkofer led the second relay, setting personal bests with 589 in smallbore and a total of 1,178. Claudia Muzik also hit a season high with a 592 in air rifle. The team’s performance sets the stage for potential NCAA Tournament participation, with the selection show scheduled for Monday, Feb. 23. If selected, Ole Miss will compete in Columbus, Ohio, from March 13-14.

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