FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks rifle team had three student-athletes earn Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association All-American awards for their 2023-24 seasons.

Rachael Charles, Sára Karasová and Elli Spencer all earned awards. "We are thrilled to have three All Americans this year." said Will Anti, Nanooks head coach, "This season has seen historically high scores and averages from a number of teams and shooters - so to put three people on the list is great."

Rachael Charles earned CRCA First Team honors in all categories; aggregate, air rifle and smallbore. On the season, Charles fired an aggregate average of 1184.25, good for the top-spot on the team and sixth in the nation. In smallbore, she posted an average of 587.917 and in air rifle, she averaged a 596.333. This season, Charles shot over 1180 aggregate in all but one match. Her season and career-high 1190 came on Nov. 19, 2023 against Akron and Kentucky, a three-team match the Nanooks took the victory in. On the season, she shot a smallbore high of 592, coming at the PRC Championships at The X Count in Fort Wayne, Ind. on Feb. 3, 2024. Her air rifle season-high came on Nov. 19, 2023 at TVSA in Fairbanks and was a 599. Joining Charles on an aggregate team was Karasová; the junior earned a CRCA Aggregate Third Team All-American spot alongside Smallbore Second Team and Air Rifle Second Team honors.

"Rachael led the team for most of the season and in most matches in both guns - she asserted herself as one of the top collegiate athletes in the country as just a sophomore. Sara was on her heels all season. I think that duo is really good for one another - there is a lot of healthy competition and support on and off the range. They willed this team into championship contention in a year where many expected us to be in more of a transition and rebuild position. On top of a great season Sara's performance at NCAA's was one of the highest NCAA aggregate scores ever fired." added Anti.

Karasová fired the 11th-best aggregate average in the country during the 2023-24 season. On average, she shot an 1182.25 with averages in smallbore of 587.417 and air rifle at 594.833. In nine matches this year, Karasová fired an aggregate score of 1180 or better. Her best came at the NCAA Championships on March 8-9, 2024. She used a 593 in smallbore and 596 in air rifle to score 1189. The 593 was her best smallbore score of the season and happened twice; alongside the NCAA Championships, she posted a 593 on Nov. 19, 2023 at TVS against Akron and Kentucky. Her best air rifle score came on Dec. 6, 2023 at Air Force. She fired a near-perfect score with a 599 - that day she ended with an aggregate of 1184. At the NCAA Championships, Karasová finished eighth in the individual smallbore final after firing the second-best smallbore score of the championships. 

The final Nanooks athlete to earn a CRCA All-American nod was freshman Elijah Spencer. She earned a CRCA Air Rifle Honorable Mention honor after her strong freshman season and her great showing at the NCAA Championships. On the season, Spencer fired an average score of 1175.417. Behind that aggregate average she had a smallbore average of 581.667 and a strong average of 593.75 in air. On the season in air, Spencer fired 10 scores of 590+, including six-straight matches of 590+. She claimed the individual title at the PRC Championships before riding the momentum into the postseason. Her final match of the season saw her fire a new career-high and some history. She shot a 600 at the NCAA Championships, making her just the second athlete ever to shoot perfection at the Championships, joining former-Nanook, Rylan Kissell as the only other athlete to do so. She would use that to qualify for the individual finals and finish fifth. "Elijah becoming an All-American as a freshman is a tremendous accomplishment. She finished the season winning the conference championship in airgun and firing a perfect 600 at the National Championship. She certainly earned her spot on the All-American list. What is most exciting is that she still has so much potential in both guns and is gradually getting more consistent and confident. She is going to be dangerous for years." 

As a team, the Nanooks wrapped-up the 2023-24 season earning the bronze trophy at the 2024 NCAA Rifle Championships. They took fourth in smallbore (2337) before taking silver in air rifle (2382) and earning a spot on the podium for their aggregate total of 4719. 

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