INDIANAPOLIS – UTEP Rifle freshman Carlee Valenta has earned a spot in the 2025 NCAA Rifle Championship for air rifle, as announced by the NCAA on Monday.

Valenta becomes the first Miner to compete on the national stage since 2012 and the first individual qualifier since Alix Moncada in 2011, who finished seventh in air rifle.

Valenta has put together an exceptional freshman season, holding a 594.429 average in air rifle. She set the UTEP school record with a 599 in the Miners' NCAA Qualifier match against Alaska Fairbanks on Feb. 22. She has led the Miners in air rifle 12 times this season, including the last seven consecutive matches, and has scored 590 or higher in every match except her first, where she fired a 589.

A total of 49 competitors will compete at the NCAA Championships, with 40 coming from the top eight teams and nine individuals, including Valenta, earning selection based on their scores in the designated qualifier.

UTEP's last appearance at the NCAA Championships came in 2012, when the Miners finished fifth as a team.

Hosted by the University of Kentucky, the championships will be held March 14-15 on campus at Historic Memorial Coliseum, Lexington, Kentucky. Individual and team competitions in smallbore three-position (60 shots) will be held Friday, March 14, and individual and team competitions in air rifle (60 shots) will be held Saturday, March 15.

NCAA Release 

Qualifying Teams and Individuals (listed alphabetically)

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