Hillsdale College recently hosted a celebration of its partnership with USA Shooting on May 29 with leaders of Hillsdale College and USA Shooting in attendance, along with members of the U.S. National and Hillsdale College shotgun teams.
During the event, the group enjoyed a facilities tour, spent time on the range and enjoyed a celebratory reception and dinner.
The Hillsdale College John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center has been the official home of the U.S. National Shotgun Team since 2019.
“It was an honor to host our friends at USA Shooting, who have been our partners for five years,” Hillsdale College Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said. “We were glad to celebrate with them.”
The event was also an opportunity for USA Shooting’s new CEO, Kelly Reisdorf, to see the Halter Center for the first time. Range Manager Matt Little provided a tour of the range’s 113 acres of facilities, including four international skeet fields, 22-station sporting clays course, five international bunkers, small arms range, action shooting range, covered and heated five-stand range, international archery range, nine American Trap fields, the AcuSport lodge and grill and four new cottages with 16 private bedrooms and amenities. Over the next year, Hillsdale College will build a state-of-the-art indoor-outdoor rifle, pistol and archery range.
“USA Shooting is thrilled to strengthen our partnership with Hillsdale College, a true champion of the shooting sports,” Reisdorf said. “This collaboration not only provides our athletes with world-class facilities but also fosters an environment where excellence and sportsmanship thrive. We look forward to many more years of shared success and inspiring the next generation of shooters.”
Several members of the Hillsdale College staff and shotgun team are on the U.S. National Team roster. For example, Dale and Caitlin Connor Royer, who are both international medalists, juggle their time managing programs and competitions at the Halter Center, coaching the Hillsdale College shotgun team and training for competitions around the world.
Aeriel Skinner, who is an instructor and clay target range operator at the Halter Center, recently earned a spot on the U.S. Women’s National Bunker Team after the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
“The partnership has been great and has given the athletes of USA Shooting a world class facility to train at,” Skinner said. “I am excited to see what the future holds with Kelly as USA Shooting’s CEO.”
Trapshooter Derrick Mein represented the United States at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and will be doing so again in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“It is exciting to have the opportunity to work with such a prestigious organization as Hillsdale College,” Mein said. “The opportunities they offer will most certainly be a huge benefit to all USA Shooting and the athletes.”
Four current Hillsdale College shotgun athletes—senior Josh Corbin, sophomore Madeline Corbin, sophomore Ava Downs and junior Jordan Sap—are members of the U.S. Junior National Team, along with junior Sophia Bultema, who competes on the U.S. National Paralympic Team.
Recent Hillsdale College graduate Ida Brown, the first Hillsdale shotgun athlete to secure an International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup medal, spoke at the celebratory dinner.
“For me, the partnership between Hillsdale and USA Shooting is what jumpstarted my career in bunker,” Brown said. “It has provided me with an incredible facility to train at and some of the best coaches in the world. Without it, I would never have started shooting bunker, and because of this, I have been given the incredible opportunity to travel the world while representing the U.S.”
Hillsdale College is becoming a national and international hub for the shooting sports.
“Over the last decade, our shooting sports facilities have grown substantially,” Péwé said. “Presently, we can accommodate world-class shotgun competitions and camps. When our new indoor-outdoor facility is completed, that will extend to rifle and pistol, as well.”
Learn more about USA Shooting and Hillsdale College.
