STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of the Cumberlands retained their National Team Champion title on Sunday as the curtain came down on a wonderful 2023 USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals at Georgia Southern University.
“It’s absolutely been an incredible weekend,” admitted a proud University of the Cumberlands’ head coach, Kris Strebeck. “The kids came out and showed what they’ve been working hard for all year, day in and day out, and it’s just sweet relief at the end of a wonderful season to do it here, and to be back-to-back champs, is amazing.”
The final day of the Collegiate Target Nationals began below rain clouds with the individual gold medal matches, and ended with mixed team finals and the sun shining. The day was filled with color, characters, passion, smiling faces and plenty of cheering.
The University of the Cumberlands claimed gold in the fixed pins mixed team, as well as barebow. The recurve mixed team and compound were both won by Texas A&M University (TAMU), the latter coming against rivals from the Cumberlands.
Earlier, with heavy rain adding to the challenge, the individual gold medal matches were played out in front of a vocal crowd.
Micheal Plummer (Mount Marty University) gave a fist pump as he defeated TAMU’s Nikolas Swidryk 6-2 in the recurve men’s event. Judith Gottlieb (Columbia University) started well against Casey Kaufhold but the TAMU archer proved too strong as she fought back to win 6-2 in the recurve women.
Sawyer Sullivan (TAMU) overcame Chase Herndon of Union College 147-145 in compound men. Marissa Harding beat her University of the Cumberlands teammate Danielle Woodie 145-140 in the compound women.
There was tremendous drama in the barebow women, which needed a second one arrow shoot-off. Sierra Nation from Metro State University, Denver (MSU) battled back to level at 5-5 after the fifth end, forcing a shoot-off.
Both Nation and Britney McCarthy of Lindsey Wilson College scored nines in the first shoot-off, and after inspection they again could not be separated. McCarthy held her nerve for the second shoot-off to take gold, triggering tears of joy.
Barebow men was won by Kyle Coffey from Union College. Coffey, who is studying to be a middle school teacher, got the better of teammate Johnathan Stanley 6-2.
Clay Dempsey of Wabash Valley College is the fixed pins men’s champion. He proved too strong for TAMU’s Gage McCallum. The final day began with an emotional Kimber Wheeler overcoming top seed and teammate Kaitlyn Shields in the fixed pins women 141-130.
For all the results, including All-American Team and All Around Archers of the Year, check Between Ends.
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