For the third straight year, the Pennsylvania College of Technology archery team is No. 2 in the nation.
During competition over the weekend (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. In all, 43 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 Bixby, Clint Hinton, of Lock Haven; and Matt Cummings, of Mountville, in men's compound; Thomas, Brandon Allison, of Roaring Springs; and Stephen Keys, of Reynoldsville, in men's recurve; Joe Dowdrick III, of Lebanon; Kelvin Dewalt, of Easton; and McGowan in men's bowhunter; and Baier, Batykefer and Eileen McKinney, of New Brighton, in women's bowhunter.
Nicole Lapinski, of Bloomsburg; Ashley Baker, of Coudersport; and Rebecca Boyer, of Palmerton, placed second in female compound; Baier and McGowan were second in mixed bowhunter; Ashley Mull, of Williamsport, and Thomas were third in mixed recurve; and Baker and Bixby were third in mixed compound.
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.
Also earning Academic All-America honors were Bixby, Cummings, Everett, Lapinski and Thomas.