The Michigan State University archery team competed at the U.S. National Outdoor Collegiate Championships in Newberry, Florida, at the Easton Newberry Training facility May 20-23, 2018.
There are 74 schools currently involved with collegiate archery. MSU is in a rebuilding year with men’s open compound and had only one male open archer, junior Corbin Boettcher. Boettcher placed in the top 15 archers in the country.
MSU also had a top five-finish with senior Tony Hazel in the male bowhunter category and graduate student Lucas Hesskamp in the barebow.
The women’s open compound did very well with freshman Valerie Aten bringing home the national title, besting two of the top compound women in the nation from Columbia University.
MSU’s women’s team also had two competitors place in the top ten for bowhunting. Women’s recurve was a surprise as all three women — freshman Madision McWethy, freshman Abigail van der Swaagh and sophomore Georgia Artsberger —finished in the top twenty. The lady Spartans took home the silver nationally.
Additionally, several members of the archery team were honored for their academic achievements. Senior Sarah Stickland, Aten, Hesskamp and graduate student Grace Ertle earned Academic All-American honors.
There have been 32 Academic All-Americans and 36 All-Americans since the Demmer Center opened its doors in 2009. In addition, Coach Glen Bennett was awarded USA Archery Northern Regional Coach of the Year. This was Bennett's fourth time receiving the award.