For the third straight year, the Pennsylvania College of Technology archery team is No. 2 in the nation.
During competition May 18-20 at the U.S. Intercollegiate Archery Championships in Harrisonburg, Va., the Wildcats of first-year coach Brian Parker had two individual champions and four team champions.
In addition, six Wildcats were named All-Americans and four took Best New Archer awards.
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The Pennsylvania College of Technology archery team secured a ranking of No. 2 in the nation following competition at U.S. Intercollegiate Archery Championships in Harrisonburg, Va., from May 18 to 20.
Forty-three teams and nearly 300 archers competed.
"I am ecstatic with them (individual place winners) and the team in general overall ... We did very, very, very well. I'm happy and pleased with the team. I think we did better than I could have ever hoped for," Parker said.
Taking individual titles for the Wildcats were Glen Thomas, of Mercer, in men's recurve, and Jordan McGowan, of Carlisle, in men's bowhunter.
Also for Penn College, Zachary Bixby, of Gillett, was second in men's compound; Brianna Batykefer, of Butler, was second in female bowhunter; and Kendel Baier, of Jersey Shore, was third in female bowhunter.
Wildcat team champions included:
Honored as All-Americans were Thomas, Allison, Lapinski, Bixby, Cummings and Everett. It marked the fifth time during his career that Thomas has been so honored, the most ever for a Penn College archer.
Since 1997 28 Penn College archers have earned 60 All-American honors.
Best New Archer awards went to Carrie Eichenlaub, of Neelyton, in women's recurve; Rebecca Boyer, of Palmerton, in female compound; and Batykefer and McKinney in women's bowhunter.
Former coach honored
Although Chad Karstetter "retired" as the team's coach a year ago, honors continue to come his way as he recently won the 2012 Graham-Ryder Award for significant and extemporary service to the U.S. Collegiate Archery Association.
In 11 seasons under Karstetter, Penn College teams finished second in the nation twice and took one third and one fourth-place finish. Also, 16 of his archers earned All-American status 40 times. Last year he was cited as National Coach of the Year.
According to the USCAA release:
"Chad has coached all levels of archers, from beginning to elite. His efforts are always to help the archers achieve their best regardless of their level of experience. His team's performance includes regional, national and international awards.
"Chad has taken many students who have never shot a bow before and developed them into a competitor in their respective division with his excellent coaching skills. Chad started and developed a women's compound team, a women's recurve team and a bowhunter team at the college, as well as provide a team of archers for the first 3-D USIAC, fully supporting the efforts of USCA to provide competition opportunities to all college archers regardless of their discipline and gender.
"Chad has fostered a desire in his archers to give back and they have been involved with the Read Across America program with the college, sending athletes to a local elementary school to 'Read with the Wildcats' as well as hosting the first Youth Fun Day" where members of the Youth Hunter Education Challenge attended the event.
"Chad's contributions to college archery are significant. They include serving on the board of the U.S. Collegiate Archery Association for the past four years. He has held the Eastern Regional Archery championships at Penn College for six years.
"Chad was instrumental in working with Executive Director Lorretta Sinclair in establishing 3D archery as part of the US Collegiate Archery. His belief that archery in college should be open to all college students has been part of the success in the growth of USCA."
