2026 NASP State Championships Set for March 18-20 at Murfreesboro’s Miller Coliseum

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will host the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) 18th State Championships, March 18-20 (Wednesday-Friday) in Murfreesboro.

The 2026 NASP State Championships will be returning to the Tennessee Miller Coliseum for the 15th time. More than 1,900 students representing 88 schools are registered. There are three divisions for elementary, middle school, and high school participants. Awards will be presented to the top teams and individual finishers in each division at the championships' conclusion on Friday evening.

Many of the state's best student archers will again participate in this year's event. Central Magnet High School, Stewarts Creek Middle School, and Christiana Elementary School will defend team titles in their respective divisions from the 2025 championships.

Competition begins Wednesday with a pair of flights at 3 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. On Thursday, the competition starts with the first of seven flights at 8:30 a.m., with the final flight scheduled to start at 5:15 p.m. On Friday, six flights are scheduled starting at 8:30 a.m. with the final flight at 4 p.m. The awards ceremony is expected to begin after the results are tallied around 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome and invited to attend. There is no admission charge.

Each student will shoot 30 arrows, 15 from 10 meters and 15 from 15 meters, with a maximum score of 300. The top team and top 10 individuals in each division automatically receive a bid to compete in the 2026 National NASP Tournament to be held May 7-9 in Louisville, Ky. There will also be at-large bids for those who qualify.

In addition, NASP will be hosting a 3D tournament where archers will shoot at six targets from various distances. More than 600 students representing 47 schools are registered.

Tennessee began NASP in late 2004 with 12 pilot schools participating and has seen tremendous growth over the past 20-plus years. The number of schools has grown close to 700 now participating in the program. NASP is a two-week curriculum taught during school that teaches International Style Target Archery.

If a school or teacher is interested in starting a NASP program, please contact Don Crawford, Assistant Chief, Public Relations Division at [email protected] or (615) 293-5746.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

---TWRA---