Hillsdale College Student Jordan Sapp Earns Gold Medal at ISSF World Championship
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College shotgun team member Jordan Sapp took home a gold medal during the International Shooting Sport Federation Word Championship in Osijek, Croatia. Sapp, a Hillsdale College freshman, competed on USA Shooting’s three-man Junior Skeet Team.
“I was honored to represent my country,” said Sapp. “I’d like to thank everyone who has helped get me here – my parents, my coaches, and my teammates.” The Junior Skeet Team competed on Oct. 5 and received a total score of 6, earning them a gold medal. Sapp competed with the team and made it to the semifinals in the Junior Men’s Individual Skeet and ended in a three-way tie for fifth place. The gold medal comes in the midst several other individual and team victories for Hillsdale College’s shotgun team.
In March, now-senior shooter Ida Brown took home a silver medal at the Shotgun World Cup in Nicosia, Cyprus, as did one of the team’s assistant coaches, Caitlin Connor-Royer. Over the summer, sophomore Josh Corbin earned a silver medal for international skeet at both the Junior Olympics and USA Shooting National Championship. Sophomore Kyle Fleck earned bronze at both events.
In October, the Hillsdale College shotgun team placed second team high overall at the ACUI/SCTP Central Midwest Regional Championship and high overall at the ACUI/SCTP Upper Midwest Conference Championship. Corbin earned individual high overall honors at both events, and Brown earned women’s high overall honors at both events. “We really have an impressive team this year,” said Jordan Hintz, head coach of the Hillsdale College shotgun team. “They are good shooters who stay cool under pressure and have a serious desire to get better.”
USA Shooting had an excellent showing in other events, earning one gold medal, one silver medal, one bronze medal, and three Olympic quotas. Derrick Scott Mein was awarded a gold medal in the Men’s Trap Medal Match on Sept. 28, earning a total score of 33 and a quota to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Mein is the first Men’s Trap Champion from the United States since 1996. Samantha Simonton competed on Oct. 9 in the Women’s Skeet Medal Match and received a total score of 24. She was awarded a bronze medal and an Olympic quota. Vincent Hancock, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, competed in the Men’s Skeet Medal Match on Oct. 9 and received a total score of 35, earning him a silver medal and Olympic quota in Men’s Skeet.
In Sept. 2019, the Hillsdale College John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center became the official home of USA Shooting. “Our partnership with USA Shooting has been a real blessing,” said Rich Péwé, Hillsdale College’s chief administrative officer. “The USA Shooting team gets to practice and compete at one of the finest comprehensive shooting sports facilities in the country. The Hillsdale College team gets to interact, practice, and be coached by some of the best people you would ever want to meet, who are also some of the best shooters in the world.”
For headshots of Sapp, click here.
For photos (courtesy of ISSF) from the competition, click here.