The Charger shotgun team took third place overall in NCAA Division II after a week-long championship tournament in San Antonio, Texas. 

After winning the NCAA DII championships in 2024, the Chargers were beaten this year by Fort Hays State University and William Penn University. William Penn won with a team total of 2,840 targets hit between all six events, while Fort Hays State finished second with 2,836, just ahead of the Chargers, who had 2,822 total.

“It was not our best showing this year,” senior Gavin Drill said. “There were some unfortunate circumstances that took place weather-wise and we struggled to adapt. It was definitely tough to not repeat as champions, but it was still nice to place in the top three and have a podium finish.”

Senior Josh Corbin led Hillsdale in two of six events, shooting a perfect 100/100 in American Skeet and 95/100 in Sporting Clays. Corbin took fifth place overall among the men with a score of 571. 

Junior Jordan Sapp also led Hillsdale in two different events, taking first place among his teammates in the Double American Skeet and Super Sporting Clays events. Sapp, who recently made the USA National Shooting team, was 40th overall among the men with 553 total targets. 

Sophomore Luke Johnson and junior Davis Hay finished right behind Sapp in the men’s individual leaderboards. Johnson tied Sapp with 553 total targets, while Hay finished 45th overall with 552 total targets. Johnson finished second among Hillsdale shooters in the Double American Skeet event with 94 total targets, and Hay finished third among Hillsdale shooters in American Skeet and Doubles American Trap events. 

“For me it was an overall improvement from last year so I’m glad I could do well and help contribute,” Hay said. “That being said, this competition showed what we need to work on as a team and I’m sad for our seniors who ended their collegiate careers like this.”

Other Charger seniors shooting in their final match for the men were Johnathan Calabrese, Leif Andersen, and Kyle Fleck. Fleck finished 89th overall, while Andersen and Calabrese finished 151st and 171st, respectively.

“It was definitely a tough battle and it’s unfortunate to not win back to back,” Calabrese said. “But, it’s tough to complain about a podium finish and I can still walk away from my collegiate career with a national championship ring.”

On the women’s side, sophomore Madeline Corbin finished eighth overall with 543 total targets, and led Hillsdale in the American Trap event with 98 total targets. Following Corbin was senior Jessica Strasser, who ended her collegiate shotgun career with a 17th place finish, hitting 536 total targets. 

Freshmen Taylor Dale and Marin McKinney both finished their first national championship shoot placing 33rd and 36th, respectively. Dale finished with 536 total targets, and took third overall among Hillsdale shooters in Sporting Clays with 84 total targets. 

While their season has come to a close, many Chargers will be participating in shoots for the Team USA National and Junior National Teams this summer, as Sapp and sophomore Ava Downs have both qualified for the ISSF World Cup shoots in Peru and Argentina later this year.