Minnesota-Crookston Trap Team Wins First-Ever Conference Championship

The University of Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles topped the USA College Clay Target League’s 1A-Conference 6 trapshooting leaderboard this spring—marking its first conference title in program history.

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posted on May 14, 2024
Minn Crookston 2024May 1
The University of Minnesota-Crookston Trap Team recently finished its most successful campaign after five years as a program, winning its first-ever USA Clay Target League Conference Championship.
Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota-Crookston Athletics

After five years as a program, the University of Minnesota-Crookston Trap Team has completed its most successful season ever after claiming the USA College Clay Target League’s 1A-Conference 6 title. The Golden Eagles finished with a five-week score of 3,704.50, edging out runner-up Williston State College’s 3,199.0.

In addition, Minnesota-Crookston topped Bethany Lutheran College, Saint John’s University, Mount Aloysius College and Indiana Wesleyan University on the USA College Clay Target League 1A-Conference 6 leaderboard.

“We had a very successful season and congratulations to the whole team,” University of Minnesota-Crookston Trap Team Head Coach Anne Prudhomme said. “They all pushed themselves inside and outside the classroom and accomplished their goals. All successes were well earned.”

This USA Clay Target League Conference Championship win caps off the most successful season in Minnesota-Crookston trapshooting program history, after taking second place in the conference during the fall season, as well as runner-up at the USA College Clay Target League National Championship last year.

During week five, sophomore Heather Kaup (Forest Lake, Minn.), juniors Lily Krona (Bemidji, Minn.), Gracie Lunsetter (Gatzke, Minn.) and Collin Schlomann (Lake Lillian, Minn.), along with freshman Louis Siegel, all connected on 25-straight. Additionally, Krona finished tied for third among all women in the USA College Clay Target League with an average of 23.90, with Kaup taking fifth place with 23.80.

Another sophomore, Jayden Bergerson (Gully, Minn.) finished sixth among men in the conference with an average of 23.80. Junior Hunter Kasprowicz (Radium, Minn.) notched a seventh-place finish with 23.60. Krona was the women’s conference champion, with Kaup in second place. Lunsetter was in fifth place with an average of 22.9. Plus, junior Ellen Payne (St. Louis Park, Minn.) posted a sixth-place finish with an average of 22.80. Among the underclasswomen, sophomore Kelsey Harms (Norwood Young America, Minn.) tied for seventh with a 22.10 average, and freshman Allison Jepson (Frazee, Minn.) finished tied for 10th with 21.20.

During week five, the Golden Eagles were led by Krona and Siegel, who connected on 49 of 50 targets. Kaup and Lunsetter were not far behind, hitting 48 of 50 targets. Kasprowicz and Payne each went 47 of 50 in week five. A freshman, Chase Nelson (Oklee, Minn.), hit 46 of 50 targets. Sophomore Ethan Benedict (Maple Grove, Minn.) and a trio of Golden Eagles—Harms, Schlomann and freshman Codey Wolff (Wadena, Minn.)—went 45 of 50. Additionally, Bergerson, senior Zach Olson (Parkers Prairie, Minn.) and freshman Hunter Pierson (Saint Hilaire, Minn.) hit 44 of 50 targets. Finally, Jepson and freshman Braxton Qual (Mahnomen, Minn.) went 41 of 50.

Learn more about the University of Minnesota-Crookston Trap Team and the USA Clay Target League’s collegiate programs.

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