Peiser, Ceccarello, Adkins, Probst, Papasodora Earn CRCA Honors
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Several members of the University of Kentucky rifle team were honored this week by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association as All-America honorees with assistant coach Cathryn Papasodora earning national assistant coach of the year from the association.
Junior Braden Peiser, senior Sofia Ceccarello and sophomores Sam Adkins and Liz Probst all earned All-America honors in several categories, while Peiser was named the CRCA Athlete of the Year and Papasodora the assistant coach of the year.
On top of his athlete of the year award, Peiser was tabbed first-team All-America in air rifle, smallbore and aggregate. This is the second straight season he has claimed first-team honors in all three categories from the CRCA. As a freshmen, he was CRCA All-America second team in air rifle.
Peiser led Kentucky in smallbore average, air rifle average and aggregate average this season. his aggregate average of 1192.917 was the best in the nation this season as was his 595.5 smallbore average. His 597.416 air rifle average was top-10 nationally. He was the only athlete in the NCAA to post a 597 or higher in smallbore during the season, accomplishing the feat four times, including a NCAA record smallbore score of 599. He also had a NCAA-record tying 1198 aggregate score during the season.
Individually, Peiser won the national championship in smallbore at the NCAA Championships and was the GARC Smallbore Individual Champion. Recently, Peiser was named to USA Shooting’s National Team for this summer’s international competition.
Ceccarello earned second-team honors in air rifle and smallbore and third-team honors in aggregate. Ceccarello has earned CRCA All-America all four years at UK, including first team in all three categories her first three seasons in Lexington.
Ceccarello was second on the team with a 1183.583 aggregate average, adding a 587 smallbore average and 596.583 air rifle average. During the season, she posted season highs in smallbore with a 591 and air rifle with a 599.
Adkins has earned CRCA All-America honors for the first time in his career after being honorable mention last season. Adkins was tabbed second-team air rifle and smallbore and third-team aggregate.
Adkins was fantastic during his sophomore season, posting a smallbore average of 586.857 and air rifle average of 596.571 for an aggregate average of 596.571. He posted career highs during the season in both disciplines with a 593 in smallbore – twice – and 599 in air rifle. Adkins made the GARC air rifle individual final, finishing sixth.
Probst also earned her first CRCA All-America honor, being tabbed second-team air rifle. Last year, Probst was CRCA honorable mention in air rifle.
Probst was a star for Kentucky in 2025-26, earning a 586.61 smallbore average, 596.75 air rifle average – the second best on the team – and 1182.5 aggregate average. During the year, she recorded two perfect 600 air rifle scores, one of four athletes in the nation to claim that honor this season. Probst made the air rifle final at the GARC Championships, finishing third. She also made the smallbore final at the NCAA Championships, finishing fourth by 0.1 points.
Papasodora has been a huge part of Kentucky’s success over the last few seasons, helping UK to multiple podium finishes at the NCAA Championships since joining the program as an assistant coach. An All-American herself as an athlete at UK, Papasodora’s experience, professionalism and calm demeanor have helped propel several UK athletes to national championship and conference championships. This year alone, UK tied the NCAA record team score and then broke it weeks later.
A full list of Kentucky’s CRCA honors are below.
CRCA Awards
Braden Peiser – Athlete of the Year
Cathryn Papasodora – Assistant Coach of the Year
CRCA All-America Smallbore
Braden Peiser – First Team
Sofia Ceccarello – Second Team
Sam Adkins – Second Team
CRCA All-America Air Rifle
Braden Peiser – First Team
Sofia Ceccarello – Second Team
Sam Adkins – Second Team
Liz Probst – Third Team
CRCA All-America Aggregate
Braden Peiser – First Team
Sofia Ceccarello – Third Team
Sam Adkins – Third Team
