Two archers from Penn College finished in sixth place at the USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals, which took place May 18 in East Lansing, Michigan.
The event is significant for the college’s archery program as it demonstrates competitive success on a national level and provides valuable experience for student-athletes. The competition featured both individual and team events, with participants representing various colleges.
Eli Bartron competed in men’s compound and Liz Gruodis participated in women’s barebow, each reaching the quarterfinal round of head-to-head eliminations. The men’s fixed pins team—Josiah Hinojos, Tayton Roys, and Anthony Olenchak—also reached the quarterfinals. Bartron and Gruodis were awarded sixth place for their performances. Three athletes—Hinojos, Bartron, and Gruodis—came close to earning All-American recognition by finishing just outside the top ten based on their combined indoor and outdoor national scores.
In qualifying rounds held Friday, Bartron ranked fifth out of 61 competitors in men’s compound with a score of 696 points. Gruodis placed ninth among 66 entrants in women’s barebow with 522 points. Other notable finishes included Hinojos placing eleventh out of 69 in men’s fixed pins with 667 points. Several other Penn College archers also competed across different categories.
Head coach Dustin Bartron said: “It was a rough day (Saturday), with wind and competition that many of these archers have not experienced.” He continued: “We had a good season with a young team. We have seen a lot of growth in talent. The competition at this level was phenomenal, what you would expect to see at a national championship. I look forward to seeing what this group does next season, with us only losing three to graduation,” the sixth-year coach added.
Penn College Wildcats Archery competes under the Wildcats nickname with both men’s and women’s archers as part of its intercollegiate athletics program; it offers collegiate-level opportunities for student-athletes from freshman through senior classes to compete nationally while operating from Williamsport, Pennsylvania according to the official website.
The team’s season will resume next year as they prepare for future competitions.
