FAIRBANKS - Your 2023 NCAA Rifle Champion Nanooks rifle team gathered 20 more individual awards to end the season. The Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) announced their 2022-23 All-American teams, their 2022-23 Special Awards and the CRCA Scholastic All-American honorees.
"The All-American nominations are always a nice way to finish the season." Said head coach Will Anti, "We are fortunate to have garnered many accolades this season honoring the bodies of work these select student-athletes have put forth through the season."
Rylan Kissell led the way for the Nanooks as their lone CRCA Aggregate All-American First Team selection. Alongside the First Team honor, Kissell was named the CRCA Most Valuable Shooter after his 1190 aggregate score at the NCAA Rifle Championships won him the Most Outstanding Performer honor. He shot a 590 in smallbore on the first day of championships before taking sixth in the individual finals before posting the first-ever 600 in air rifle at the NCAA Championships and winning the individual title, besting WVU's Mary Tucker for the title. Alongside his Aggregate First Team honor, Kissell was named a CRCA Smallbore First Team All-American as well as a CRCA Air Rifle First Team All-American. Kissell ended the season fifth in the nation with an aggregate average of 1186.616. In smallbore, he averaged a 588.154, good for ninth in the nation and he led the way in air rifle with an average of 598.462. This season, Kissell shot a pair of 600's making it four-career; he also never shot under 597 in 13 matches shot. "Rylan continued to lead the NCAA and team with First Team All-American status in all events." Added Anti, "It's an appropriate distinction and fitting end to a record-breaking year. These awards fit nicely on the shelf with his NCAA Championships Top Performer, Team National Championship, Individual National Championship and four 600's in competition. He was basically Adele at the Grammys this year - needs a bigger shelf."
Gavin Barnick and Sára Karasová garnered CRCA Aggregate All-American Second Team selections for the Nanooks. Alongside the Aggregate honor, Barnick was also named a CRCA Smallbore All-American First Team selection and a CRCA Air Rifle All-American Honorable Mention selection. On the year, Barnick averaged an aggregate score of 1181.750, good for the 14th-best in NCAA Rifle. He averaged a 593.583 in air, earning the Honorable Mention honor and added a 588.167 in smallbore to earn the First Team honor. Barnick posted a season-high 597 in air on two occasions, one at the PRC Championships on Feb. 4 and at UTEP for the NCAA Qualifier. In smallbore, Barnick posted a season-high score of 592 on Oct. 7, 2022. Karasová posted a season aggregate average of 1182.385 behind a 588.308 smallbore average and 594.077 average in air rifle. Alongside her Second Team All-American honor, she earned CRCA Smallbore First Team All-American and CRCA Air Rifle All-American Second Team honors. Karasová saved her best for last in air rifle as she shot a season-high 597 at UTEP in the NCAA Qualifier on Feb. 18. In smallbore, she posted a pair of 594's in back-to-back matches on Oct. 8, 2022 and Nov. 2, 2022. "I was proud of Sára and Gavin also securing status in all three categories. It can be daunting to follow up a phenomenal freshman debut - some athletes definitely experience a sophomore slump of sorts." Said Anti, "They both persisted through the season and were aptly awarded as some of the finest athletes in the NCAA. Gavin was a beacon of consistency and Sára provided several moments of brilliance."
The final Nanooks officially named to the CRCA Aggregate All-American teams was freshman Rachael Charles. The freshman earned the CRCA Aggregate All-American Honorable Mention honor after her first season. In aggregate, she fired an average of 1178.917 with a smallbore average of 585.5 and an air rifle average of 593.417. In smallbore, Charles posted a season-high 592 on Feb. 4 at the PRC Championships and saved her best for last in air rifle, posting her second 598 of the season at the NCAA Championships on March 11. Her first 598 came on Jan. 13. Alongside her Aggregate All-American Honorable Mention honor, Charles also earned a CRCA Smallbore Second Team All-American honor. "Rachael is our newest minted first-time All-American." Stated Anti, "Rachael's growth this season is incredible. She went from a solid recruit, to a counting team member, to one of the top performers at the NCAA Championships which helped secure a team championship and an individual bronze medal in a seven-month timeframe. That's not luck or talent, that's a bunch of hard work."
The Nanooks also earned eight CRCA Scholastic All-American honors as their entire team was named a Scholastic All-American for their work in the range and in the classroom.
2022-23 CRCA Special Awards
CRCA Head Coach of the Year: Morgan Phillips, University of Memphis
CRCA Assistant Coach of the Year: Connor O'Mara, University of Akron & Jean-Pierre Lucas, West Virginia University
CRCA Rookie of the Year: Julie Johannessen, Texas Christian University
CRCA Senior of the Year: Mary Tucker, West Virginia University
CRCA Rifle Athlete of the Year: Mary Tucker, West Virginia University
CRCA Most Valuable Shooter: Rylan Kissell, Alaska
Head coach Will Anti finished his thoughts on the honors with some recognition for his fifth-year seniors Peter Fiori and Kellen McAferty, "Our two fifth-year seniors, Kellen and Peter, are not eligible to be All-Americans as fifth-year student-athletes, which is true to all fifth-years across NCAA Rifle. But it's worth noting they too would have garnered All-American status."
To view all honors, click here.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks rifle team, follow @NanooksRifle on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Rifle team page on Facebook.
