Tritons finish as National Runner-Up High Overall at ACUI/SCTP National Championships
Triton Shooting Sports are always in the hunt for a national title when they travel to the ACUI/SCTP National Championships held at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, TX. This year was no different as the Tritons battled to a National Runner-Up High Overall finish.
The championships see 107 total colleges competing across six days with over 1150 total student-athletes participating. Seventeen schools competed in Division 4 (junior college) with eight competing for High Overall – which is a combination of all six events.
"We finished 5th overall at our conference championships in October," said Triton Head Coach, Jessica Gunderson on how the Tritons performed. "The team got busy working hard and now they are National Runner-Ups."
The Tritons' American Skeet team of Kaelan Smith, Ryder Keck, Allen Brenner, Nathan Swanson, and Aidan Hanson led the way with 480 of 500 targets and a second-place finish. Smith hit 99 of 100 targets. The Doubles Skeet and Super Sporting teams also had second-place finishes with Sporting Clays and Doubles Trap both finished third.
Individually, Kaelen Smith (1st Team) and Nathan Swanson (2nd Team) were named All-Americans and Ryder Keck finished 3rd in C Class Super Sporting.
"Kaelan Smith and Nathan Swanson tore up the course this week," said Gunderson on some of the individual performances during the week. "Trevor Blauert and Ryder Keck found themselves in shoot offs against Division I athletes and performed well too."
The Tritons also had seven team members earn the championship's Academic Achievement Award. Those student-athletes were Trevor Blauert, Aidan Hanson, Ryder Keck, Jacob McDaniel, Kaelan Smith, Nathan Swanson, and Jewell Ulrich.
"I'm proud of how our group competed," said Gunderson. "We're so thankful for our administration that supports us doing what we love."
ACUI/SCTP National Championships Results -
High Overall – 2nd place (full team award)
American Skeet - 2nd place - 480/500 – Kaelan Smith (99), Ryder Keck (97), Allen Brenner (96), Nathan Swanson (96), Aidan Hanson (92)
Doubles Skeet – 2nd place - 455/500 – Kaelan Smith (94), Nathan Swanson (94), Trevor Blauert (90), Allen Brenner (89), Hunter Winker (88)
Super Sporting – 2nd place - 449/500 – Kaelan Smith (93), Allen Brenner (91), Tyler Resor (90), Nathan Swanson (89), Aidan Hanson (86)
Sporting Clays – 3rd place - 411/500 – Kaelan Smith (89), Nathan Swanson (89), Trevor Blauert (84), Tyler Resor (75), Ryder Keck (74)
Doubles Trap - 3rd place - 455/500 – Kaelan Smith (94), Aidan Hanson (93), Tyler Resor (91), Grant Clark (89), Allen Brenner (88)
American Trap – 479/500 - Kaelan Smith (99), Nathan Swanson (98), Ryder Keck (95), Grant Clark (94), Jacob McDaniel (93)