You read that right. Nebraska has a women's rifle team. We shoot guns, hit targets, and win prizes. The Big XII doesn't really sponsor this sport and Nebraska has to play whomever steps up to the plate. The NCAA classifies rifle as a co-ed sport, but it's a women's sport at Nebraska. It sport got its start in Lincoln in 1998.
The two schools that tend to dominate the scene nationally are West Virginia and Alaska-Fairbanks. These two schools have won the NCAA title 24 times since 1980. It's very common for Nebraska to play both of them at meets most years. Kentucky also has a very good rifle team and Nebraska plays them a lot too.
The Huskers have appeared at the NCAA tournament eight times (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010) and has two individual National Champions (Nicole Allaire, Smallbore, 2000 and Kristina Fehlings, Air Rifle, 2006). This year, Katie Kostal represented Nebraska at the NCAA championships for the air gun event.
So, with Nebraska's move to the Big Ten, what does the rifle team have to look forward to? Well, only Ohio State has a pistol/rifle team. Getting them onto the schedule will likely happen and maybe it will help to spark the much anticipated rivalry between the schools. Otherwise, it should be business as usually for the rifle team. Expect most of the same schools on the schedule for next year.
Jon's Comment:
A while back we were asked about what might happen to Nebraska's rifle team upon joining the Big Ten:
Not many Big 10 schools have "Rifle" as a sport. Any chance Nebraska scraps that sport, or will they continue to compete against other rifle schools?
HM: Nope. Gender equity means women's sports stay.
Jon: One thing you should know about Nebraska women. They're tough as nails. Then you have some who have rifles. You go tell them you're taking away their sport and I'll sell tickets to what happens next.