As MC Prepares to Host 3-D Collegiate Regionals, Choctaw Archers Target Individual, Team Successes

Mississippi College archers will attempt to carry their spring success into the fall season at the 2023 USA Archery South Central 3-D Collegiate Regionals hosted by Mississippi College at Traceway Park.

Top-flight university archers from four states will demonstrate their poise, precision, and skill during the 2023 USA Archery South Central 3-D Collegiate Regionals at Traceway Park on Saturday, Sept. 16. Shooting will begin at approximately 8:30 a.m.

The annual competition, hosted by Mississippi College, is the first major archery tournament of the fall season.

John McDonald, MC archery head coach, said members of his team have been busy preparing the two ranges for the competition since mid-August.

“We are expecting 60 to 90 archers,” McDonald said. “Colleges and universities from Mississippi, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Arkansas will be attending, with others from Arkansas and Missouri showing interest.”

MC’s archers will come into the competition on a roll. During the spring season, the Choctaws performed well in collegiate indoor and outdoor tournaments.

Emilia Miceli took third place among collegiate archers in the women’s bowhunter category at the Vegas Shoot, captured first place in the women’s division at the 2023 USA Archery Collegiate Target Regionals, claimed first place in the women’s bowhunter category at the Mississippi Indoor State Collegiate Championships, and was the last archer from Mississippi standing in the head-to-head 2023 USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals.

Abigail Veidmark took first place in the women’s compound open division at the Mississippi Indoor State Collegiate Championship. The previous spring, Jack Thomas Spears finished first in the men’s bowhunter division of the Mississippi Indoor State Championship. All three archers will set their sights on reaching the medal stand in their host competition.

During the USA Archery South Central 3-D Collegiate Regionals, each archer will go through two courses of 20 targets, shooting and scoring one arrow on each target. The combined score of both courses will be the archer’s final score.

Men and women archers will compete in barebow (recurve), compound, fixed pins, and recurve disciplines. Barebow is a basic style of recurve bow that uses modern materials but does not permit accessories to aid aiming or stabilization. A compound bow uses a levering system of cables and pulleys to bend the limbs.

A fixed-pin sight style means pins in the housing are dialed to specific yardage by the archer and then locked down. Recurve is a traditional bowstyle and is the only archery discipline in the Olympics since the sport returned to the international event in 1972.

In addition to individual winners, the top three scorers from each college or university in each division will contribute to the team score. The top male and female scorers from each school will comprise the respective mixed-team scores.

Archers will shoot their first course in the morning, followed by their second course after lunch. Scoring and awards will be announced at the conclusion of the competition.

For more information about the regional event, email McDonald at jamcdonald@mc.edu.