Reiver Shotgun Sports Wins ACUI National Championship
SAN ANTONIO (March 22, 2022 – March 26, 2022) – After five days and 3000 targets, Iowa Western Shotgun Sports finished at the top of the standings in Division 4 School High Overall competition of the 2022 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships. "I am so proud of this team's mental game," said Head Coach Derek Pollock. "We came out of day two feeling beat up and discouraged, but they pulled it back together for three days of absolute focus. I am extremely proud of all of them."
The Reivers and William Penn both broke 2708/3000 targets over six different disciplines throughout the competition, Iowa Western earning the 2-year crown and William Penn was awarded the 4-year title.
The story of the championships would be Doubles American Trap. The Reivers defeated Lindenwood University by a score of 487 to 482 and became the first 2-year school in the 55-year history of the championships to win an event. "This squad showed us just how important it is to be in the right mindset for each discipline. They went into this event focused and ready to break targets," mentioned Pollock.
Iowa Western swept the top three spots out of all four divisions and 636 competitors. Sophomore Mitch Germany was perfect in the event, breaking all 100 of his targets, giving him the individual title. "Overall, I would say my performance was good," said sophomore Mitch Germany. "I struggled on a few events but it shows me what I need to work on and improve. I couldn't be more thankful for my coaches Anthony and Derek for helping me exceed what I thought was possible."
"I am so incredibly proud of Mitch," said Coach Pollock. "He told me earlier in the year that this was the event he wanted to win. The hours he spent on the practice field have definitely paid off."
Sophomore John DeFord and Freshman Nathan Schulte each broke 99/100 along with Tech College's Hunter Seymore to force a tiebreaker. DeFord would go on to break 19 in a row to claim second place while Schulte earned third place with nine targets in a row before missing.
In American Skeet, Jordyn Smedra (99), DeFord (98), Jacob Slieter (98), Shane Manyik (97), and Germany (96) took the Division 4 team title, shooting a collective 488/500 targets.
In American Trap, DeFord (99), Andrew Mount (99), Smedra (99), Germany (98), and Tyler Uhri (97) finished 2nd over all four divisions and took home the title in Division 4 with a score of 492/500.
Super Sporting saw Jacob Muller (84), Germany (84), Tevin Statzer (81), Gage O'Connor (81), and Slieter (80) combined for a score of 410/500, good for 3rd place in Division 4.
In Sporting Clays, Uhri (74), Germany (72), Schulte (72), DeFord (71), and Manyik (70) finished in 5th place in Division 4 with a combined score of 359/500.
Finally, Doubles American Skeet, Slieter (95), Manyik (95), DeFord (94), Statzer (94), and Clayton Moore (94) rounded out the championships with a 2nd place finish in Division 4, scoring 472/500 targets.
On the women's side, both Reegan Filip and Meagan Werth finished inside the top 70 out of 150 competitors. Filip finished with a six-discipline score of 471/600 and Werth ended her week with 432/600.
Complete 2022 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championship Results