Wildcats Win Bowhunter Championship, Compete at Nationals

Published 05.26.2017

News
Athletics

In its 15th season under coach Chad Karstetter, the Wildcats competed last weekend at the season-ending outdoor national championships in Chula Vista, California, where the men's bowhunter team placed first, one archer earned All-American honors and the team ended eighth in the country for the second year in a row.

Competing on the national-championship bowhunter team were Andrew Rupp, of Dayton; John Kleinfelter, of Lebanon; and Adam Thomas, of Shade Gap. Rupp earned All-American status, as a result of his indoor and outdoor national scores, and Kleinfelter placed eighth individually in the men's bowhunter event.



Andrew Rupp“John shot very well in the elimination round, might have been the best all season for him,” Karstetter said. “He fell just short to an archer that went on to win the class. Andrew shot strong all season long with a good finish at nationals and earned a spot on the All-American team.”

“It was a long, very hot week. We shot well, but a point here or a point there kept us from bringing home more awards,” the coach continued. “The men’s bowhunter team shot well all day Saturday and just edged out Texas A&M for the gold."

Both compound men and women ended fourth, just missing a podium finish, Karstetter said. Those teams consisted of Markus Weber, of La Plata, Maryland; Tim Lamont, of Eldred; Tyler Schoonover, of Bradford (men’s compound); and Chelsea Douglass, of East Greenville; Sabrina Toplovich, of Spring Creek; and Rylee Butler, of Bellefonte (women’s compound).

Three Penn College archers — Rupp, Thomas and Logan Booth, of New Kensington, graduate and, according to the coach, “They were key players throughout the whole year and will be hard to replace for next season.”

“(Assistant coach) Dustin (Bartron) and I are already looking forward to next season,” Karstetter added.