Ceccarello, Peiser Earn CRCA All-America Honors
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky sophomore Sofia Ceccarello and freshman Braden Peiser have earned Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association All-America honors for their strong seasons in the range, it was announced recently.
Ceccarello has earned first-team honors in all three categories for the second straight year, being honored in aggregate, smallbore and air rifle. Peiser earned second-team honors in air rifle for his first All-America honor of his young career.
“Very proud of Sofia and Braden for earning CRCA All-America honors,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “They both had great seasons and worked really, really hard to earn these honors. We had several other athletes have great seasons and overall, I was very proud of the team. Emmie and Jaden were not eligible for the team as fifth-year seniors but I thought that they great seasons and we are going to miss them next year.”
It was another strong season for Ceccarello, leading the Wildcats in smallbore average at 587.571, air rifle average at 597.429 and aggregate average at 1185.000. The Italian superstar posted a 590 or higher three times in smallbore and a 599 in air rifle five times. She had two aggregate scores of 1190 or higher on the season. Ceccarello made two individual finals during the year, finishing fifth in both the Great America Rifle Conference air rifle final and NCAA smallbore final. Earlier this year, Ceccarello was named All-GARC Smallbore Second Team, All-GARC Air Rifle First Team and All-GARC Combined First Team.
Peiser had a great rookie season for Kentucky, finishing second on the team in smallbore average at 584.786, air rifle average at 594.214 and aggregate average at 1179.000. Peiser really shined late in the season, posting and then besting career high marks in all three categories in the final three matches of the year. His hot streak started in the NCAA Qualifier, setting career highs in smallbore, air rifle and aggregate with a 593 in smallbore, 598 in air rifle and 1191 aggregate. The Texas native then bested that smallbore score at the GARCs with a 597, which helped him secure a new career-best aggregate score of 1194, which was one of the highest scores in the nation this season. At NCAAs, Peiser posted a 599 in air rifle, which was a new career high. He made all four individual finals at the GARCs and NCAA, finishing with GARC gold in air rifle and bronze in smallbore. At the NCAA Championships, Peiser finished sixth in the smallbore final and took home silver in the air rifle final.
Sellers would have been CRCA Second-Team Air Rifle if she was eligible but fifth-year seniors are not eligible on the CRCA All-America Team. Sellers had a great final season with Kentucky, averaging 583.929 in smallbore and 594.214 in air rifle.
For more information on the Kentucky rifle team, visit UKathletics.com or follow UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
2024 Collegiate Rifle Coaches Associated All-America
Sofia Ceccarello
First-Team Aggregate
First-Team Smallbore
First-Team Air Rifle
Braden Peiser
Second-Team Air Rifle
