University of Memphis Athletics
Zych Named as Recipient of NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
May 15, 2026 | Rifle
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA announced its list of postgraduate scholarship recipients for the winter 2025-26 sports season, with former Memphis rifle student-athlete Gabriela Zych being named a recipient.
"I am incredibly honored to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship," Zych said. "Memphis has shaped me so much as both an athlete and a person, and I am extremely grateful for my teammates, coaches, mentors and opportunities that have developed me into who I am today. I am excited to continue pursuing my goals while being able to give back to the sport and community that have given so much to me."
Zych becomes the seventh student-athlete to earn the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and joins Jack Kersey, Beth Lee and Beth Hausauer as one of four recipients at Memphis from the rifle program.
"Gabriela has represented the University of Memphis so well," said faculty athletics representative Lynda Wray Black. "She demands excellence from herself; the high grades and rifle scores are simply the byproduct of who Gabriela is. Her academic success, athletic accomplishments and leadership, as well as her desire to give back, make her a most-deserving recipient of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship."
Zych, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, was also a four-time CRCA Scholastic All-American and earned the 2024 NCAA Rifle Championships Elite 90 Award, an honor given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average at the NCAA Championships for a given sport.
She recently graduated summa cum laude in the spring of 2026 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in human resources and a minor in project management and has transitioned into a role as coordinator of the rifle program, following former head coach Morgan Wilson stepping away.
Academically, Zych was a member of the Helen Hardin Honors College and was a student marshal for the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, an honor given to the graduate with the highest grade-point average. Additionally, she was the first Memphis student-athlete to earn an NCAA Elite 90 Award, while also being named as a finalist for the Walter Byers Scholarship.
With the rifle program, Zych was an efficient athlete throughout her four years at Memphis, finishing her career as a two-time CRCA First Team All-American, two-time CRCA Second Team All-American and a seven-time All-GARC honoree.
In her final collegiate season, Zych posted averages of 585. In smallbore, 594.0 in air rifle and 1179.5 in aggregate, garnering higher honors as the 2025 USA Shooting 50m Smallbore Champion in the Women's and Junior Women's Divisions and a runner-up in the Junior Olympics division.
Zych was an honorable mention on the All-GARC team in smallbore, air rifle and aggregate. Zych's season culminated in a ninth-place finish at the GARC Championship, a second-team CRCA All-American nod in smallbore and being selected as an NCAA Championships Alternate in smallbore.
As a sophomore, Zych had one of the most decorated seasons in program history. With averages of 586.786 in smallbore, 595.357 in air rifle and 1182.143 in aggregate, Zych was a First Team All-GARC selection in all three phases, along with being a First Team CRCA All-American in smallbore and air rifle and a Second Team CRCA All-American in aggregate.
She also showed promise in her freshman campaign, earning honorable mentions in air rifle on the All-GARC and CRCA All-American teams.
Details regarding the scholarship can be found below.
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.
The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sports season (fall, winter and spring). Each sports season, there are 21 scholarships available each to men and women for use in an accredited graduate program.
All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by that school for an NCAA graduate degree scholarship, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Rifle, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.
"I am incredibly honored to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship," Zych said. "Memphis has shaped me so much as both an athlete and a person, and I am extremely grateful for my teammates, coaches, mentors and opportunities that have developed me into who I am today. I am excited to continue pursuing my goals while being able to give back to the sport and community that have given so much to me."
Zych becomes the seventh student-athlete to earn the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and joins Jack Kersey, Beth Lee and Beth Hausauer as one of four recipients at Memphis from the rifle program.
"Gabriela has represented the University of Memphis so well," said faculty athletics representative Lynda Wray Black. "She demands excellence from herself; the high grades and rifle scores are simply the byproduct of who Gabriela is. Her academic success, athletic accomplishments and leadership, as well as her desire to give back, make her a most-deserving recipient of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship."
Zych, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, was also a four-time CRCA Scholastic All-American and earned the 2024 NCAA Rifle Championships Elite 90 Award, an honor given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average at the NCAA Championships for a given sport.
She recently graduated summa cum laude in the spring of 2026 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in human resources and a minor in project management and has transitioned into a role as coordinator of the rifle program, following former head coach Morgan Wilson stepping away.
Academically, Zych was a member of the Helen Hardin Honors College and was a student marshal for the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, an honor given to the graduate with the highest grade-point average. Additionally, she was the first Memphis student-athlete to earn an NCAA Elite 90 Award, while also being named as a finalist for the Walter Byers Scholarship.
With the rifle program, Zych was an efficient athlete throughout her four years at Memphis, finishing her career as a two-time CRCA First Team All-American, two-time CRCA Second Team All-American and a seven-time All-GARC honoree.
In her final collegiate season, Zych posted averages of 585. In smallbore, 594.0 in air rifle and 1179.5 in aggregate, garnering higher honors as the 2025 USA Shooting 50m Smallbore Champion in the Women's and Junior Women's Divisions and a runner-up in the Junior Olympics division.
Zych was an honorable mention on the All-GARC team in smallbore, air rifle and aggregate. Zych's season culminated in a ninth-place finish at the GARC Championship, a second-team CRCA All-American nod in smallbore and being selected as an NCAA Championships Alternate in smallbore.
As a sophomore, Zych had one of the most decorated seasons in program history. With averages of 586.786 in smallbore, 595.357 in air rifle and 1182.143 in aggregate, Zych was a First Team All-GARC selection in all three phases, along with being a First Team CRCA All-American in smallbore and air rifle and a Second Team CRCA All-American in aggregate.
She also showed promise in her freshman campaign, earning honorable mentions in air rifle on the All-GARC and CRCA All-American teams.
Details regarding the scholarship can be found below.
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.
The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sports season (fall, winter and spring). Each sports season, there are 21 scholarships available each to men and women for use in an accredited graduate program.
All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by that school for an NCAA graduate degree scholarship, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Rifle, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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