The NCAA Rifle Committee has endorsed a proposal to add a finals round to the championships format in an attempt to create more excitement for student-athletes and fans.

The committee supported the measure during its annual meeting April 18-19 in Savannah, Georgia.

Finals are a 10-shot shoot-off after the end of regular competition used to determine winners in individual smallbore and air rifle events. Conducting the finals would be optional during regular-season competition, and the coaches or jury would need to determine whether they would be conducted before the start of the contest. Finals would be mandatory during the championships.

"Adding finals to the mix is an element that will demand even greater skill from the student-athletes," said Valerie Boothe, rifle coach at the University of Mississippi and interim chair of the NCAA Rifle Committee. "It will provide more excitement, and allow the absolute best competitors to rise to the top."

International shooting has been using the finals format since 1986, and the Olympics have been including finals since 1988. Moving toward a finals format would bring NCAA rifle closer to Olympic and international standards. During the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association meeting at the 2004 NCAA championships, most coaches favored adding finals.

The committee also voted to change the format of the championships to a half-course in smallbore with 60 shots (20 shots each position) and 60 shots in air rifle. Currently, competitors shoot a full-course in smallbore with 120 shots (40 shots each position) and 40 shots in air rifle.

The change, which will take effect in 2005 pending approval by the Division I Championships and Competition Cabinet at its June meeting, could increase the number of institutions willing and able to host the national championship tournament because the number of firing points necessary on the range is decreased in the new format.

In other action, the committee modified the order of the individual and team competitions for the championships. The individual and team competition for smallbore will be held on Friday of the championships and squads will compete for the air rifle individual and team championships on Saturday. Currently, individual competition for smallbore and air rifle are on Friday, followed by team competition in both disciplines on Saturday.

The group also established Friday-Sunday, February 11-13, as certified competition qualification dates for next year.

Committee members also voted to permit the use of electronic targets for smallbore during the regular season and the championships, while restricting them from use during qualifying events. This past year was the first year manufacturers made electronic targets for the NCAA smallbore target. Committee members noted that rapidly changing technology and higher scores than produced using traditional paper targets does not support the use of electronic targets during qualifications for smallbore at this time. Data currently support an electronic target as an acceptable target system for air rifle only.

The committee believes that during shoulder-to-shoulder competition and during the championships, all student-athletes must use the same targets, and if the scoring system was flawed, it could inflate scores. Until technical concerns are rectified, the committee does not want the electronic target for smallbore to be used during qualifiers.

"We just need a few more seasons for the technological bugs to work themselves out with regard to electronic targets. However, I believe this is the future direction that we would like to go since it would be more appealing to our spectators," said Boothe.

The group also voted to continue to use American Target Company targets, specifically A36 targets, in championships competition.

Also, committee members voted to increase several clothing standards. The maximum thickness for shooting jackets will be increased from 10 to 10.5 millimeters single thickness and from 20 to 21 millimeters double thickness. The upper part (above the line of the sole) material of the shoe's thickness will be increased from 4 to 4.5 millimeters.

The total thickness of the glove will increase from 12 to 12.5 millimeters.

In other items, the committee:

Shortened the length of time to register a challenge at the championships from one hour to 30 minutes.

Strongly encouraged match officials, referees and jury members to approve all equipment and rifles during the regular season to ensure that equipment will be in compliance with the rules during the championships.

All rifle rules proposals will be reviewed by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel during a conference call this spring. Effective dates will be announced at that time.