The Mid-Atlantic Rifle Conference (MAC) is set to expand its competitive footprint for the 2026-27 season, welcoming two new programs: Hillsdale College and Indiana Tech. These additions bring the conference's total to ten teams, all vying for the coveted conference championship trophy to be awarded in February. The expansion signals a growing landscape for collegiate precision rifle shooting, with new talent and established programs converging.
Hillsdale College, hailing from Michigan, arrives with a notable track record from the previous season. Despite being a relatively young program, the Chargers demonstrated strong performances in the Western Intercollegiate Rifle Conference and at the ASSA Intercollegiate Rifle Club National Championships. A key standout for Hillsdale was Benjamin Roche, whose consistent shooting prowess saw him post scores above 590 in air rifle on multiple occasions and surpass the 580 mark in smallbore. Roche’s individual achievements culminated in national titles in smallbore and two-gun aggregate, along with multiple ASSA All-Star First Team honors, establishing Hillsdale as a formidable new contender within the MAC.
Indiana Tech, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, marks its entry into the collegiate rifle scene with its inaugural season this fall. The Warriors hold a distinctive position as the first rifle program sponsored by an institution in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to join the MAC, and currently the sole NAIA program nationally. This pioneering step by Indiana Tech highlights the broadening appeal and development of collegiate rifle sports beyond traditional NCAA structures, adding a unique dimension to the MAC.
The expanded ten-team field will also see the return of eight veteran MAC programs, including past champions and consistent podium finishers. Mount Aloysius College, recognized as the top NCAA Division III program in the country, will be on the hunt for a three-peat, bringing back its full scoring squad from the 2025-26 season, augmented by three rookie athletes. Also expected to be strong contenders are last year’s podium finishers, MIT and the University of Rhode Island, both returning many of their starters who contributed significantly to the All-MAC Smallbore and Air Rifle teams in the past season.
The 2026-27 MAC season officially commences on September 19, with both new programs immediately entering competition. Hillsdale College will head to Ohio to participate in the CMP Monthly Air Rifle Match, utilizing it as a postal against MIT. Concurrently, Indiana Tech will travel to Akron for the Zippy Open Tournament, engaging in back-to-back days of postal matches against both MIT and Norwich. The first shoulder-to-shoulder MAC match is slated for September 26, featuring an annual rivalry as MIT competes at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, promising an exciting opener for both teams.
Further into the fall schedule, October 24-25 will see Schreiner University making the substantial trek from Texas to New England for a weekend of matches against four conference opponents. December 5 brings together John Jay College and SUNY Maritime for the Big Apple Classic, a decades-running air rifle-only tournament historically contested between New York City-based rifle programs. The following day, these New York programs will extend their competition by facing off with the University of Rhode Island, in what has become an annual tradition, marking the conclusion of the fall half of the rifle season.
The spring semester promises its own share of high-stakes competition. MIT will host its 37th annual Beanpot tournament, drawing a field that includes Norwich, the Coast Guard Academy, and the University of Rhode Island. Notably, Norwich and Coast Guard each boast ten Beanpot titles, while URI seeks its inaugural win in the event. The NCAA Championship Qualifying Match is scheduled for February 20 for all NCAA rifle programs across all divisions, a critical date for those seeking national tournament bids. This same weekend also marks the final competitive period for the Mid-Atlantic Rifle Conference regular season. All ten MAC teams will be working to finalize their standings and secure their spots in the 2027 Mid-Atlantic Rifle Conference Championship tournament, set for February 27-28, where the season's ultimate victor will be crowned.
This expansion and the robust schedule indicate a vibrant and increasingly competitive landscape within the Mid-Atlantic Rifle Conference, setting the stage for a dynamic season of collegiate precision shooting.