The Hillsdale College shotgun team has been a powerhouse in the shooting sports world since its inception.

A new wave of talented individuals will look to help keep the Chargers at the top of the standings, as five freshmen join the squad for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign aiming to help Hillsdale defend international trap and skeet national titles and contend for the ACUI/SCTP Division II crown this season.
 
David Texas Ardis (Manning, SC/Clarendon Hall) is a top sporting clays competitor at the junior level nationally, who's also had success in trap and skeet. Ardis has twice made the National Sporting Clays Association All-America first team for junior competitors and helped lead his high school program to a South Carolina Independent School Association state title in all three disciplines (skeet, trap and sporting clays) as well. An excellent student, Ardis was a member of his high school's National Honor Society, a Duke TIP scholar, and graduated with honors this past spring.
 
Roman Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/Wilbraham and Monson Academy) is one of the top recruits in the country for Bunker Trap. He won the SCTP International Trap varsity gold medal and has been named an All-American by the ATA four consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2025. Barrett also earned MATA Massachusetts State Team honors every year during that stretch, was 2024 SCTP All-Massachusetts for Trap and Sporting Clays, and won the ATA World Championship in Junior Doubles in 2023. A NRA Shotgun Distinguished Expert, Barrett also is a strong student, earning AP Scholar With Distinction honors, making the SSSF All-Scholastic team four straight years, and graduating with honors this past spring.
 
Zach Hinze (McCook, NE/McCook) is a promising prospect specializing in American Skeet. At the SCTP Nationals in July of 2025, Hinze was the top qualifier out of the entire field to the final and placed third overall, earning a spot on the SCTP International team for the third time in his career. He also was the Skeet Junior Champion for the state of Nebraska in 2020, 2021 and 2024. A three sport athlete, he also excelled at bowling in high school and was president of the McCook Bison Pickleball Club, and he's a strong student, earning membership in the National Honor Society and graduating with honors this past spring.

Henrik Kiledal (Hillsdale, MI/Homeschooled) is a hometown prospect from Hillsdale, and a competitor who's had his most success in American Trap, Kiledal has been a repeat medalist at local shoots and posted the second-best average in his USA high school clay target league conference, while also finishing third in his conference in skeet. An excellent student, Kiledal graduated with honors this spring, was the SCTP National Scholarship recipient for 2025, and won an American Literature award while attending Hillsdale Academy in 2024. He also was dual enrolled for two years at Hillsdale College prior to his high school graduation.
 
Max Versluys (Grand Rapids, MI/Homeschooled) is a top-notch skeet prospect who's posted impressive results in the discipline, including earning high overall average at the 2024 NSSA State Skeet Championships and the 2024 MISCTP State Championships, as well as winning the SCTP National Championship in skeet doubles. An excellent student, Versluys had great results in high school and was a successful dual enrollee at Grand Rapids Community College, making the presidents' list.
 
The Hillsdale College shotgun team opens the 2025-26 season on August 24, competing at the Lieske Signature Series Caesar Guerini Finale NCSA in Lake Orion, and will host its first home event of the season, the Chargers Classic NSCA, on September 12-14 at the Halter Shooting Sports Center.