Walter finishes fifth nationally in air rifle

University of North Georgia (UNG) freshman Elysa Walter made history with her fifth-place finish in the air rifle event at the NCAA championships March 11 at the University of Akron in Ohio. She became the first UNG rifle student-athlete to reach the NCAA individual finals, which include the top eight, in an event.

"Elysa is incredibly mentally resilient. She has maintained her composure through many hardships and struggles and has surpassed all of them," UNG rifle head coach Tori Kostecki said. "This ability to stand strong in the face of adversity allows her to be a very strong athlete, especially in high-pressure situations."

Rifle is a sport that puts all competitors — including mostly Division I shooters — together at the NCAA championships.

"It was exciting to be in the presence of Olympians and top schools," Walter said. "You get to meet interesting people and see how they have different processes for preparation and competing."

Walter finished qualifications with a score of 596, using 53 center-shots and two 100 series to finish tied for sixth and move on to the finals. Walter scored a 205.5 in the finals, finishing fifth out of 47 of the top air rifle shooters in the NCAA.

The Suwanee, Georgia, native who is on the pre-nursing track said she takes a simple approach to matches.

"I don't think about my score. It allows me to not stress out about anything," Walter said. "When I step on the line, it's just shooting. Whatever happens before the match or after the match doesn't matter. It's just me shooting at targets."

Walter was the second Nighthawk to qualify for the NCAA rifle championships individually. Kimberlee Nettles finished 36th in the 2021 air rifle event at the NCAA championships.

Walter was also the top finisher from the Southern Conference and earned conference Freshman of the Year honors earlier this season. She has embraced working alongside Kostecki and her teammates.

"I am really happy that I picked UNG," Walter said. "Our team dynamic is great. My teammates have been so welcoming to me."

The UNG men's basketball team continued to make history at the NCAA Southeast Regional. After earning their first NCAA postseason berth ever, the seventh-seeded Nighthawks defeated second-seeded UNC Pembroke 76-58 in the first round. Giancarlo Bastianoni paced UNG with 25 points, with Frank Champion adding 17 and A.J. White chipping in 13 in the victory.

UNG dropped its NCAA Southeast Regional semifinal against Lincoln Memorial University by an 84-74 score.

The Nighthawks completed their best season of the NCAA era with a 21-8 final record.