The 2026 North Carolina Rifle Championship is here. The championship qualifiers were announced in a selection show on NCAA.com on Monday, February 23.
The 2026 NC rifle championships will take place on March 13 and 14 at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio. Individual and team smallbore competitions will take place on Friday, March 13, with air rifle competitions on Saturday, March 14. NCAA.com will stream the championships live.
2026 NC rifle championships schedule
- Monday, Feb. 23
- Selection show on NCAA.com | Watch the selection show
- Friday, March 13 — Livestream on NCAA.com
- Individual smallbore championship
- Team smallbore championship
- Saturday, March 14 — Livestream on NCAA.com
- Individual air rifle championship
- Team air rifle championship
NC Rifle Championship History
The NCAA Rifle National Championship has long been a showcase of precision, discipline and consistency. Programs from across the country compete in smallbore and air rifle, with combined scores determining the national champion.
West Virginia enters the 2026 season as the reigning national champion. The Mountaineers captured the 2025 title with a winning score of 4,738, securing the program’s 20th national championship — the most in NCAA rifle history. Their sustained dominance has helped define the modern era of collegiate rifle competition.
Below is a look at the previous 10 NCAA Rifle National Champions:
| Year | Champion | Coach | Points | Runner-Up | Points | Host or Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | West Virginia | Jon Hammond | 4,738 | Kentucky | 4,737 | West Virginia |
| 2024 | TCU | Karen Monez | 4,732 | West Virginia | 4,729 | West Virginia |
| 2023 | Alaska-Fairbanks | Will Anti | 4,729 | TCU | 4,717 | Ohio State |
| 2022 | Kentucky | Harry Mullins | 4,739 | TCU | 4,736 | Colorado Springs |
| 2021 | Kentucky | Harry Mullins | 4,731 | TCU | 4,722 | Ohio State |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | TCU | Karen Monez | 4,699 | West Virginia | 4,692 | West Virginia |
| 2018 | Kentucky | Harry Mullins | 4,717 | West Virginia | 4,708 | The Citadel |
| 2017 | West Virginia | Jon Hammond | 4,723 | TCU | 4,706 | Ohio State |
| 2016 | West Virginia | Jon Hammond | 4,703 | TCU | 4,694 | Akron |
| 2015 | West Virginia | Jon Hammond | 4,702 | Alaska-Fairbanks | 4,700 | Alaska-Fairbanks |
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