One of Hillsdale's top competitors in its shooting sports program is taking the next step after earning a once in a lifetime opportunity this fall.

Jordan Sapp, a three-year competitor and two-time ACUI/SCTP All-American with the Chargers, is forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility to join the prestigious U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in time for the next Olympic cycle. 

"I'm honored to get the call to such a prestigious and selective unit," Sapp said. "The Army Marksmanship Unit is the pinnacle, and it's an opportunity that competitors spend years and years training to give themselves a shot at.

"It's the only place in the world I could go from Hillsdale to give myself a better shot at my ultimate goal, which is to represent the USA at an Olympic games."

Founded in 1956 to showcase the U.S. Army's shooting capabilities at the highest level competitions in the world and to promote the Army on a world stage, the Army Marksmanship Unit has a storied legacy in international competition, producing 20 Olympic medal winners since its inaugural appearance at the 1960 Olympic Games. The ultra-selective program only brings in new recruits to replace departing members and generally asks for a 10-year commitment for members of its unit, or two and a half Olympic cycles. Members of the Army Marksmanship Unit are enlisted soldiers in the U.S. Army and go through the same basic training and requirements as every other soldier in the Army.

That selectivity and the requirements of becoming a soldier necessitated Sapp's early departure from Hillsdale to join the unit. Sapp originally hoped to finish out his senior year at Hillsdale, but with the next Olympic Games coming in 2028, waiting that long did not leave enough time to get acclimated to the Unit and be ready to compete for a spot in the upcoming Olympics.

"It was a really hard decision," Sapp said. "Everything in me wanted to finish out my time here, because I love Hillsdale and I owe a lot to this place. 

"But if I was going to go through a proper training cycle ahead of selection matches for the 2028 Olympics, it was really important that I get through basic training as soon as possible. If I was going to commit to the Army Marksmanship Unit, this was really the only option. If I had passed on this opportunity to join the Unit, the next shot I would have to take this step was probably 2030 at the earliest, and there are no guarantees that I would still be an option then. I didn't want to let this opportunity slip by."

While Sapp is moving on from Hillsdale, he's deeply grateful to the school, the shooting program and Head Coach Jordan Hintz for opening the door to this possibility.

"Hillsdale really broadened my horizons," Sapp said. "Coming out of high school, I had thought that there wasn't much more room for me to grow in this sport, but coming here really showed me how off-base that perspective was, and helped push me to reach heights I never would have thought possible.

"I owe a ton to Coach Jordan for understanding my goals and working tirelessly to reach them. I wouldn't be the competitor I am today without him making the range available to me for practice whenever I wanted to, his advice and coaching, and the competitive atmosphere he fosters here in both practice and events that drive you to be better. Hillsdale College and the professors here have been amazing as well. Competing overseas in big international events meant that I was gone for weeks at a time, which made it challenging to stay on top of classes, but every single professor I've had here has been incredibly understanding and put in a ton of time and effort to make sure I was getting the education I needed to grow despite the challenges of my schedule."

Sapp leaves Hillsdale having helped the Chargers capture the 2024 ACUI/SCTP Team National title, earning two All-American honors in the process, while also bagging an individual national championship in International Skeet in 2023, and Combined Skeet in 2025. He's also one of the most decorated competitors as a member of USA Shooting that Hillsdale has had on the roster, with an impressive array of gold, silver and bronze medals in international competition while attending Hillsdale.

Currently ranked sixth in the nation thanks in part to his achievements at Hillsdale, Sapp is hoping his time with the Army Marksmanship Unit can catapult him to even greater heights.

"Of the five Americans ahead of me in the rankings, four of them are a part of the Army Marksmanship Unit," Sapp said. "Every competition you go to, when you look at the podium, they're there. 

"The resources you have access to and their ability to focus solely on training and improvement are unmatched, and I'm excited to see how much I can improve in that environment."

Through the Army Marksmanship Unit, Sapp will look to become the Hillsdale Shooting Sports program's first Olympian by qualifying as a part of the U.S. team for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. He'll also be part of the Unit for selection matches for the 2032 Games, scheduled to be held in Brisbane, Australia, and the 2036 Games, with the host site to be determined.