Hillsdale College Student Ava Downs Wins USA Shooting Trap Junior Olympic Championship
Hillsdale’s Halter Center Hosted the USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships for trap and skeet.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College’s John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center hosted the 2025 USA Shooting Shotgun Junior Olympic National Championships. Shotgun athletes ages 12-21 competed in trap from June 20-22 and skeet from June 27-29. The competition determined the 2025 Junior Olympic Champions and the Junior Olympic Squad.
“It was exciting to host the Junior Olympic Championships at the Halter Center once again,” said Range Manager Matt Little. “We are honored to partner with USA Shooting to develop the next generation of world-class shotgun athletes.”
Ava Downs ’27, a member of the Hillsdale College Shotgun Team, won gold in women’s trap.
“Our shotgun athletes are skilled and diligent, and Ava has gone above and beyond to excel in her sport,” said Head Shotgun Coach Jordan Hintz. “It is rewarding to see her efforts pay off.”
Trap results for men:
Gold: Cylas Prince
Silver: Owen Bin
Bronze: Ethan Hemsath
Trap results for women:
Gold: Ava Downs
Silver: Olivia Krauss
Bronze: Joy Chen
Skeet results for men:
Gold: Grant Hernandez
Silver: Westley Kiter
Bronze: Dustin Wood
Skeet results for women:
Gold: Madalynn Schroder
Silver: Madison Smith
Bronze: Kaitlyn Scanlon
The top-scoring athletes in the competition who did not make the national or junior national teams were named to the Junior Olympic Squad. Squad members will receive free entry to the next USA Shooting selection match and be invited to any training camps USA Shooting might host in the future.
Junior Olympic Squad selection:
Trap: Cylas Prince, Owen Bin, Olivia Krauss, Joy Chen
Skeet: Grant Hernandez, Dustin Wood, Madalynn Schroder
For official trap results, click here. For official skeet results, click here. For official photos from the trap championship, click here. For official photos from the skeet championship, click here. For photos from previous events at Hillsdale’s John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center, click here. For photos of Hillsdale College, click here. For a high-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo, click here.
About the John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center
The Halter Center is a state-of-the-art shooting facility located five miles from the Hillsdale College campus. Opened in 2008, the Center aims to introduce individuals to shooting sports and encourage interest across all levels of experience. The Halter Center also serves an educational purpose by promoting the principles of the Constitution and teaching beginner and experienced shooters in various classes. Home to Hillsdale College’s collegiate shooting teams and the USA national team, the Halter Center is also a resource for the public through camps, conferences, and other programming. For more information, visit shootingsports.hillsdale.edu.
Hillsdale College has been the home of the USA Shooting National Team since 2019 and has hosted USA Shooting Junior Olympic trap and skeet development camps and championships. The Center boasts 113 range acres, four international skeet fields, a 23-station sporting clays course, five international bunkers, an action shooting range, an enclosed and climate-controlled five-stand range, an international archery range, eight American trap fields, the AcuSport Lodge and Grille, and six cottages to accommodate overnight lodging. A 62,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor rifle and pistol building will be completed in summer 2025.