University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Criticos, Rischling Earn Conference Academic Honors
Mar 07, 2018 | General, Rifle, Men's Track and Field
Both named AAC Male Scholar-Athletes for their respective sports, earn scholarships.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – University of Memphis seniors Michael Criticos and Eli Rischling have been named American Athletic Conference Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year in their respective sports, the league office announced Wednesday.
Criticos earned the honor for men's outdoor track and field, and Rischling was an at-large male scholar-athlete recipient in his sport of rifle. The at-large honorees are student-athletes who participate in a varsity sport that is not sponsored by the conference.
Criticos and Rischling both receive $2,000 scholarships from the league office that can be applied to graduate or professional studies. In all, 23 American Athletic Conference student-athletes earned scholarships (12 female/11 male).
Criticos has a 3.71 grade-point average and is a physical education for teacher education major. He graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Memphis in May.
The Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, native is a three-time United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic selection (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17). He has been named to the Dean's List five times and also has been a Tiger 3.0 Club member all seven semesters of his academic career. Criticos was named to the Tiger Academic 30 for the 2016 spring semester. The Tiger Academic 30 recognizes student-athletes with the highest grade-point averages on their respective teams each semester.
In the athletics arena, Criticos is a two-time USTFCCCA All-American in the men's javelin (2015, 2017). He finished 13th in the men's javelin at the 2015 and 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Criticos has 13 career men's javelin titles and 20 career top-three finishes in the event. He won the 2016 American Athletic Conference men's javelin crown with a school-record 235-9 (71.85m) throw. He also won silver in the event at the 2015 and 2017 conference outdoor championships. Criticos is a three-time competitor at the NCAA East Preliminaries.
Rischling holds a 3.33 grade-point average as a double major in accounting and management. He graduates from the University of Memphis in May.
The Alliance, Neb., native is a three-time Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Scholastic All-American (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17). Rischling also has earned Dean's List distinction three times and Tiger 3.0 Club recognition six semesters in his Memphis career.
Rischling is a four-year member of the Tigers rifle team. He competed in 37 career matches and shot in four NCAA Sectional Qualifiers and two Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships. Rischling posted career-bests in smallbore (576), air rifle (577) and aggregate (1150) his freshman season in 2014-15. He tied his career-best air rifle mark (577) as a junior in 2016-17.
Criticos earned the honor for men's outdoor track and field, and Rischling was an at-large male scholar-athlete recipient in his sport of rifle. The at-large honorees are student-athletes who participate in a varsity sport that is not sponsored by the conference.
Criticos and Rischling both receive $2,000 scholarships from the league office that can be applied to graduate or professional studies. In all, 23 American Athletic Conference student-athletes earned scholarships (12 female/11 male).
Criticos has a 3.71 grade-point average and is a physical education for teacher education major. He graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Memphis in May.
The Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, native is a three-time United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic selection (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17). He has been named to the Dean's List five times and also has been a Tiger 3.0 Club member all seven semesters of his academic career. Criticos was named to the Tiger Academic 30 for the 2016 spring semester. The Tiger Academic 30 recognizes student-athletes with the highest grade-point averages on their respective teams each semester.
In the athletics arena, Criticos is a two-time USTFCCCA All-American in the men's javelin (2015, 2017). He finished 13th in the men's javelin at the 2015 and 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Criticos has 13 career men's javelin titles and 20 career top-three finishes in the event. He won the 2016 American Athletic Conference men's javelin crown with a school-record 235-9 (71.85m) throw. He also won silver in the event at the 2015 and 2017 conference outdoor championships. Criticos is a three-time competitor at the NCAA East Preliminaries.
Rischling holds a 3.33 grade-point average as a double major in accounting and management. He graduates from the University of Memphis in May.
The Alliance, Neb., native is a three-time Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Scholastic All-American (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17). Rischling also has earned Dean's List distinction three times and Tiger 3.0 Club recognition six semesters in his Memphis career.
Rischling is a four-year member of the Tigers rifle team. He competed in 37 career matches and shot in four NCAA Sectional Qualifiers and two Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships. Rischling posted career-bests in smallbore (576), air rifle (577) and aggregate (1150) his freshman season in 2014-15. He tied his career-best air rifle mark (577) as a junior in 2016-17.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Men's Track and Field
/ Rifle
Wolfchase Toyota Insider: Track and Field - Feb. 27
Thursday, February 27
Memphis Track & Field: NCAA Preview
Monday, June 03
Memphis Track & Field: Tigers Prep for East Preliminaries
Wednesday, May 22
Wolfchase Toyota Insider: Track & Field - May 9
Thursday, May 09