For the third-straight season, the Hillsdale College Action Shooting team is bringing home a national title from the SASP College Nationals in Talladega, Alabama.
Hillsdale dominated the competition in the Centerfire Optic Division, beating out a field of eight competing teams to bring home the national crown in the event. The Chargers also took two of the top three spots as a team in both the Centerfire and 1911 Pistol Divisions, with their A and B squads finishing second and third in both divisions behind the always-tough Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit to bring home additional honors in both discplines.
In action shooting, competitors race to complete a target course in the shortest amount of time possible, with time added to the final total for each target missed or shot out of order. Competitors are divided into divisions based on the make of pistol used and the attachments to the pistol that are added.
Across all three competitions, senior Zechariah Steiger was the standout competitor for Hillsdale, as the Bentonville, Arkansas native and former U.S. Army veteran won the individual national title in the Centerfire Optic division with a time of 41.56 to help the Chargers take the team crown in the discipline. Steiger also was instrumental in Hillsdale's strong finishes in both the 1911 and Centerfire Divisions, placing second in the nation in 1911 with a time of 44.4 and taking third in the Centerfire Division with a time of 45.76.
Several other Chargers also stood out and earned medals for their performances at the national level. Senior Adam Bentley played a key role in Hillsdale's Centerfire Optics title with a third-place finish in 45.76, and junior William Hudson was critical in all three divisions for the Chargers, placing third in the nation in 1911 in 47.42, as well as placing fifth in the Centerfire Optic (47.61) and fifth in the Centerfire (51.52) divisions. Junior Alexander Vietor also placed sixth for the Chargers in the Centerfire Division (52.43) and seventh in 1911 (50.54).
Two Chargers women's competitors also earned medals for the Chargers, as sophomore Christina Lewis took third among female shooters in the Centerfire Division with a time of 65.6, and freshman Kayla Mullin took third among women in the 1911 Division in 82.72.
Hillsdale is coached by Adam Burlew, along with assistant coach Michael Sweeney. The team is supported by Springfield Armory, which has been a sponsor of the Hillsdale Action Shooting Team since 2019, providing XD-Ms, XD-M Elites, 1911 pistols, equipment, and access to training with 24-time national and seven-time international pistol-shooting champion, Rob Leatham.
Photo Courtesy of the Hillsdale College Action Shooting Team