The Hillsdale College Shotgun Team completed another successful season with the conclusion of the ACUI/SCTP Collegiate Clay Target Championships in March. Although they narrowly missed the podium, they earned plenty of accolades at the National event and brought home many trophies at intercollegiate shoots over the course of the season.
 
At the USA Shooting Selections in Tucson, AZ, three Chargers were named to both the Open and Junior Women's National Teams: Madeline Corbin (Skeet), Taylor Dale (Trap), and Ava Downs (Trap). Davis Hay and Kyle Fleck each earned medals for Skeet. Hay, Luke Johnson, and Zach Hinze made the Junior Men's Skeet final. On the Trap side, Marin McKinney also performed well enough to shoot in the Junior Women's final alongside Downs and Dale.
 
A handful of Hillsdale student-athletes competed at the National Sporting Clays Association's National Championship in October. Leif Andersen, Corbin, Alex Hoffman, Dale, and McKinney were all recognized within their classes for their performances. The team also finished as 3^rd place Collegiate 5-Man Team with additional contributions from David Texas Ardis and Fleck.
 
The Chargers took 1^st place Team High Overall at their own Invitational shoot in February. They also earned 1^st in Trap Doubles, Skeet Doubles, 5-Stand, and 2^nd in Trap. Hillsdale athletes swept the podium individually in Trap Doubles and 5-Stand and won all but 3 of 12 honors in Skeet Doubles and Trap. Johnson, Roman Barrett, and Hay took 1^st-3^rd respectively in men's High Overall while Dale, McKinney, and Lucci Kern were 1^st-3^rd for women's HOA.
 
The Michigan College Tri-State Shoot was also hosted at Hillsdale College's own Halter Center. As a team, the Chargers earned 1^st HOA and top honors in all three disciplines. 1^st through 3^rd Men's High Overall went to Andersen, Hinze, and Hay plus Corbin and Dale earned 1^st and 2^nd Women's HOA. 15 of 18 individual awards were given to Hillsdale student-athletes.
 
Hillsdale traveled to Marengo, OH to compete in the ACUI/SCTP Upper Midwest Conference Championship in October. They took 1^st place team in Doubles Skeet, Super Sporting, Skeet, and Trap Doubles as well as 2^nd in Sporting Clays and Trap leading to a 1^st place Team High Overall finish. Gold medals for disciplines went to Fleck (Men's Skeet Doubles), Corbin (Women's Skeet Doubles, Super Sporting, Sporting Clays, Trap), Dale (Women's Skeet), Kern (Women's Trap Doubles), and Andersen (Men's Trap Doubles). Corbin, Dale, and McKinney swept the Women's HOA podium and Andersen took bronze in Men's HOA.
 
At the ACUI/SCTP Fall Central Midwest Conference Championship, the first of two trips to Sparta, IL for the Chargers this season, Hillsdale took 2^nd Team High Overall. Johnson and Dale earned 3^rd place Men's and Women's HOA respectively. Dale was also 1^st in Women's Super Sporting. As a team, the Chargers won 3^rd in Skeet Doubles and Sporting Clays as well as 1^st in Super Sporting.
 
The second trip to Sparta was for the ACUI/SCTP Spring Central Midwest Conference Championship. Hillsdale again finished 2^nd Team High Overall as well as 2^nd in Skeet Doubles, Trap Doubles, Sporting Clays, Super Sporting, and Trap plus 1^st in Skeet. Dale and Corbin took 2^nd and 3^rd Women's High Overall respectively. The latter also secured 1^st place Women's Skeet.
 
The final and largest event of the year was the ACUI/SCTP Collegiate Clay Target Championships in San Antonio, TX. The Chargers were just 6 targets shy of the Division 2 podium, defined as teams with 11-20 athletes competing at the shoot. They finished 4^th within the division and 7^th of any team. Hillsdale earned 1^st place DII team, tied for highest regardless of division, plus 2^nd DII Super Sporting and 3^rd DII Doubles Skeet. Luke Johnson, David Texas Ardis, Davis Hay, Zach Hinze, Taylor Dale, Kyle Fleck, and Madeline Corbin were each named All-Americans for their performances. Hillsdale also brought home the trophy for the Make-A-Break side event after going 4-0 in the bracketed team competition.
 
Individually at Nationals, Davis Hay was given the honor of High Men's Combined Skeet. He was also 1^st place Men's AA Class Skeet and 3^rd in Men's AA Class Skeet Doubles. Madeline Corbin finished as 2^nd in Women's AA Class Trap and 3^rd Women's AA Class Skeet. Kyle Fleck was 3^rd Men's AA Skeet. 3^rd Men's A Class Sporting Clays went to Luke Johnson. Marin McKinney was given honors as 1^st place Women's B Class Super Sporting.
 
Hillsdale now looks ahead to the summer off-season and some additional events. Coming up at the Halter Center are the USA Shooting National Championships and Junior Olympics. Taylor Dale, Madeline Corbin, and Ava Downs all earned the opportunity to travel to Germany to compete in the ISSF Junior World Championships. Members of the Chargers Shotgun Team will also compete in SCTP's High School National Championship in July.