The UTM rifle team turned in its best air rifle score of the season at this past weekend's National Rifle Association Sectional and NCAA Qualification.

The Skyhawk team of Jennie Fladebo, Byron Godbee, Courtney Rea and Jessie Wilson turned in a 1,530.

"This was an excellent air rifle score for us," said Bob Beard, Tennessee-Martin's head rifle coach. "It was our best score of the season with Jennie, Courtney and Jessie all turning in very good scores."

Beard said Wilson, who made the All-Ohio Valley Conference team, has an outside chance of making the NCAA championship as an individual.

"Jennie's 387 was outstanding," Beard said. "She has an outside chance, although I expect the cut-off will be a couple of points higher."

Fladebo, a freshman from Mora, Minn., matched her career-high with her 387 in the air rifle. In the smallbore competition, the Skyhawk team of Godbee, Wilson, Amanda Karns and Devra Harvey turned in a 4,389. Godbee, a junior from Athens, Ala., shot a 1,114 in smallbore. He shot a 391 prone, 341 standing and 382 kneeling.

"This was Byron's season high in smallbore," Beard said. Wilson also turned in a season-high smallbore score at 1,109. Wilson, from Hickman County, Ky., shot a 372 prone, 367 standing and 370 kneeling.

When you add the Skyhawks' air rifle score, 1,530, and their smallbore total, 4,389, you get the team's total points. The total score will reflect where the Skyhawks finish in the final national rankings.

For the past 20 years, the Skyhawks have finished in the top 20. A year ago the team finished 19th with a total score of 6,007 (4,506 smallbore and 1,501 air rifle). "This year's score of 5,919 is about 100 points below our total last year," Beard said. "My best guess for this year will be 22nd to 25th." Beard also said the team could finish among the top 20 in air rifle. At the NRA sectional and NCAA qualification at Murray State's Pat Spurgin Rifle Range, Tennessee-Martin finished 8th.