USA Shooting: Vincent Hancock, Austen Smith Win 2023 National Skeet Championship Titles

Olympians Vincent Hancock of Eatonton, Georgia, and Austen Smith of Keller, Texas, are the USA Shooting 2023 National Men’s and Women’s Skeet Champions.

The competition was also part one of the U.S. Olympic Trials for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The match went from May 17-22 at the John A. Halter Shooting Sports Education Center at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

Hancock, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, claimed gold after shooting the overall top score. Hancock qualified for the finals where he placed first, adding an additional three points to his total competition score.

In addition, Conner Prince of Burleson, Texas, finished second overall and Hayden Stewart (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit) of Columbia, Tennessee, finished third.

From left: Sam Simonton, Dania Vizzi, Caitlin Connor, Austen Smith and Kim Rhode, who is an NRA Board Member.

Austen Smith, a 2020 Tokyo Olympian, won gold, edging out Dania Vizzi of Odessa, Florida, the runner-up, and Samantha Simonton, (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit), from Gainesville, Georgia, who finished third.

Junior National Champions were also crowned at the annual competition. Alishia “Fayth” Layne of Columbia, Tennessee, and Benjamin Keller of Johnstown, Colorado, landed the Junior Women’s and Men’s titles.

Layne, a 2021 Junior World Cup medalist, won gold after besting Madeline Corbin of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, who placed second, and Gracie Hensley of Shelbyville, Tennessee, rounding out the top three shooters.

Keller, the 2022 Junior Men’s Skeet World Champion, captured his gold medal after shooting the top score for Junior Men. Jordan Sapp of Gilbert, Arizona, was the silver medalist, and Aidin Burns of Ingram, Texas, took the bronze. 

Additionally, the 2023 Pan American Games team, 2023 World Championships team and 2023 Junior World Championships team were also named based on scores from this competition, along with a match held earlier this year.

The following athletes will represent America at the above competitions.

Pan American Games: Dania Vizzi, Austen Smith, Vincent Hancock and Dustan Taylor. 

World Championships team: Dania Vizzi, Samantha Simonton, Austen Smith, Vincent Hancock, Dustan Taylor and Christian Elliot.

Junior World Championships team: Alishia “Fayth” Layne, Madeline Corbin, Karsyn Ross, Jessi Griffin, Julia “Lia” Nelson, Aidin Burns, Benjamin Keller, Jordan Sapp, Joshua Corbin and Kyle Fleck.

The following categories were also awarded medals at the USA Shooting 2023 Skeet Nationals.

Men 18 and under

1. Westley Kiter, gold
2. Shelby Smith, silver
3. Grant Hernandez, bronze

Women 18 and under

1. Karsyn Ross, gold
2. Haidyn Stewart, silver

Men 15 and under

1. Hunter Engholm, gold

Women 15 under

1. Chloe Chaleunsinh, gold
2. Kaela Hinze, silver

Men’s collegiate

1. Josh Corbin (Hillsdale College), gold
2. Kyle Fleck (Hillsdale College), silver
3. Eli Christman (University of Tennessee Southern), bronze

Women’s collegiate

1. Julia “Lia” Nelson (University of Florida), gold
2. Jessi Griffin (College of Coastal Georgia), silver
3. Emily Rasmussen (Concordia University), bronze

Senior

1. Diego Duarte Delgado, gold
2. Oscar Fernandez, silver
3. Jack Grehan, bronze

International

1. Richard McBride, gold
2. Charles Fisher, silver
3. Jose Giha, bronze

See the full results of the match here.

Learn more about USA Shooting at usashooting.org.