Hillsdale, Mich. — From June 29 to July 7, Hillsdale College hosted the USA National Junior Olympic (JO) Skeet and Trap Championships at its John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center. Youth shooters, below the age of 21 and having qualified at an approved USA Shooting event, traveled to Hillsdale College to compete against their peers.
“This younger generation of shooters is an incredibly talented bunch,” said Jordan Hintz, head shotgun coach at Hillsdale College. “It is exciting to have a world-class facility like the Halter Center to be able to provide this opportunity for the youth to complete."
The JO Championship results for the open division were as follows:
Skeet Champions for junior open women:
Gold: Fayth Layne, Tennessee – 107 Final 53
Silver: Jessi Griffin, Georgia – 110 Final 51
Bronze: Julia Nelson, Minnesota – 100 Final 43
Skeet Champions for junior open men:
Gold: Benjamin Keller, Colorado – 123 Final 57 + 4
Silver: Elijah Ellis, Texas – 120 Final 57 + 3
Bronze: Jordan Sapp, Arizona – 116
Trap Champions for junior open women:
Gold: Carey Garrison, Tennessee – 108 Final 38
Silver: Ryann Phillips, Texas – 114 Final 36
Bronze: Kaleigh Castillo, California – 103 Final 30
Trap Champions for junior open men:
old: Jack Brosseau, Florida – 112 Final 44
Silver: Matthew Kutz, Texas – 113 Final 41
Bronze: Emanuel Butdorf, Ohio – 113 Final 31
Eight junior shooters were also selected from the match to join the JO squad, which was created to reward up-and-coming athletes that show a potential for the future. Membership on the squad opens up the opportunity for limited funding such as a team vest, an invite to team camp, and support in the form of match ammunition at the National Championships. Squad selections were separate from the medalists and based off of qualification scores. New JO squad members include:
- Eden Samson, Alaska
- Julia Nelson, Minnesota
- Hayden Clarke, Texas
- David Garza, Texas
- Aiko Bianca Coloso, Florida
- Kaleigh Castillo, California
- William Browning, Ohio
- Sam Blevins, Kentucky
Hillsdale College has been the home of the USA Shooting National Team since 2019. Earlier this month, the John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center hosted the USA Shooting Junior Olympic Trap and Skeet development camps. The Center boasts 113 range acres, four international skeet fields, a 22-station sporting clays course, five international bunkers, a small arms range, international archery range, American trap ranges, and AcuSport lodge.
Find photos from the event here and here. For more information about the event, email Sharee Waldron or Bart Spieth.
About the John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center
The Halter Center is a state-of-the-art shooting facility located five miles from the Hillsdale College campus. Opened in 2008, the Center aims to introduce individuals to shooting sports and encourage interest across all levels of experience. The Halter Center also serves an educational purpose by promoting the principles of the Constitution and teaching beginner and experienced shooters in various classes. Home to Hillsdale College’s collegiate shooting teams, the Halter Center is also a resource for the public through camps, conferences, and other programming. For more information, visit shootingsports.hillsdale.edu.
About Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 5.7 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.