By USA Archery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Eighteen colleges received much-needed funding this year, provided through the USA Archery Collegiate Archery Program Grant, and thanks to contributions from the Easton Sports Development Foundation.

Funding went toward a variety of needs, including new equipment, travel, and coaching certification. Easton’s generous involvement meant that two schools – Buena Vista University and Southeastern Illinois College – benefitted from equipment kits.

Conner Ellinghuysen is head coach at Buena Vista University in Iowa. He said, “As a result of the Collegiate Archery Grant we have been able to offer greater services to our team and community.

“To start, it has allowed us to have new archers try out different equipment, whether they have an interest in trying archery for the first time, or maybe they have only shot compound, and want to try recurve as well.

“The grant has also allowed us to host recruiting events on campus. These allowed us to show off our program and because of all these efforts, we have seen our team grow.

“Another thing the grant has allowed us to do, is offer our program at no cost to our archers because we are not having to spend all of our travel budget on supplies.”

Muskingum University has enjoyed notable success in 2024. Among the many highlights, freshman Kelly Hawvermale finished first overall in barebow women at last month's USA Archery Collegiate 3D Nationals, becoming the school's first national champion in program history!

At the same event, the fixed pins mixed team of Samantha Hibbler and Wes Ellsworth finished third overall, gaining the program's first ever mixed team national podium.

Their head coach, Craig Holycross, said, "Our team would not be where they are today without these grants. They have heavily contributed to the development and success of our program; the funding that has come from them has provided equipment for the team, covered travel expenses, and allowed for coaching education.

"With the help of these grants, the student athlete experience at Muskingum University has been able to grow both on and off the range. In addition to benefiting our team, we have also been able to promote the sport of archery within the local community."

There are three types of grants currently registered collegiate programs can receive. These are:

Equipment
The intent of the equipment grant is to support long-term equipment usage for the program; equipment requested should be for beginner-intermediate level archers, target bales, target stands etc. (Schools are unable to request high-performance equipment that would benefit individual archers).

Travel
The intent of the travel grant is to support athlete travel to Collegiate Target Nationals and Collegiate 3D Nationals.

Instructor and Coach Certification/Development
The intent of the instructor and coach certification grant is to support coach development.

Coach Ellinghuysen added, “These grants are extremely significant as they allow us to get our name out there, recruit and to thrive. Colleges typically have limited budgets, so grants go a long way to ensure that we can have programs that are sustainable.”

Echoing those sentiments, Holycross commented, "It’s extremely important that we highlight these grants across all levels of archery if we intend for collegiate programs and the sport to grow.

"Creating awareness around the many program grants that USA has to offer is one of my biggest initiatives each year. I can’t say enough good things about these grants and the positive impact it’s made with our program and the region around Muskingum."

Schools to receive support through the USA Archery Collegiate Archery Program Grant in 2024: