2022-23 NCSSAA Excellence in Academics Award Winners
SEWARD, Neb. – Sixteen Bulldogs from Head Coach Dylan Owen’s Concordia Shooting Sports program have been recognized for their work academically. The National Collegiate Shooting Sports Athletic Association (NCSSAA) recently announced recipients of the 2022-23 Excellence in Academics award. The full list of Bulldog honorees can be found below.
To be recognized for this award, student-athletes must meet the following requirements:
· Student must have been on the team's roster for at least one NCSSAA event (sanctioned, regional, or national)
· Student must be in good standing with their team and school
· Student must have a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA
· Student must have been enrolled full-time (per NCSSAA eligibility rules) during the 2022 fall and 2023 spring semesters
There were plenty more performances that stood out for the program in 2022-23. In addition to his HOA national championship, Wyatt Hambly won the men’s sporting clay national title and placed third in men’s trap. Additionally, Sam Blevins was the men’s skeet national champion while places finishes of second and third, respectively, were claimed by Abby Keppelin and Claire Kee in women’s skeet. In women’s trap doubles, Katelyn Welker and Angie Wolfert placed second and third, respectively, in the nation. As a team, Head Coach Dylan Owens’ Bulldogs placed third out of 11 teams in the Division IV breakdown of the NCSSAA National Championships. Other top-three team placements throughout the year included finishes of second at the Fort Hays State Intercollegiate Shoot, second place at the Midland Warrior Open, third place at the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships and third place at the NCSSAA Central Regional Qualifier. At the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships, six Bulldogs earned all-conference awards, including Kee, Breyer Meeks, Tanner Muff, Wolfert, Welker and Kaylee Hinton. In his first year leading the program, Owens helped Concordia remain at a high level on the national landscape.
Concordia Excellence in Academics Award Winners
· Jessica Ciezki (Waterford, Wis.)
· Andrew Fynaardt (Oskaloosa, Iowa)
· Colby Gaines (Tulsa, Okla.)
· Kaylee Hinton (Hiawatha, Kan.)
· Claire Kee (Gibbon, Neb.)
· Abby Kepplin (Omaha, Neb.)
· Wayne Moore (Surprise, Neb.)
· Tanner Muff (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Monica Reed (Natural Bridge, N.Y.)
· Haley Schmutzer (Waterford, Wis.)
· Emma Singer (Spearfish, S.D.)
· Breanna Tarras (Antigo, Wis.)
· Buchannan Tietjen (Hebron, Neb.)
· Emily Uitermarkt (Otley, Iowa)
· Katelyn Welker (Hamill, S.D.)
· Angeline Wolfert (Waterford, Wis.)