Eastern Oregon University Shotgun Sports Secures Victory in West Coast Championship

Eastern Oregon University Shotgun Sports Secures Victory in West Coast Championship

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University’s Shotgun Sports Team secured a major victory at the West Coast Championship in Las Vegas, earning multiple team and individual titles. The Mountaineers competed against 11 universities, including Arizona State, Colorado State, and Boise State, ultimately bringing home 19 medals and two championship trophies.

“The team performed exceptionally well across all events,” Head Coach John Shorts said. “We won first place in trap as a team and had outstanding individual finishes, including sweeping the podium in men’s trap and securing first in women’s trap.”

EOU athletes showcased their skills in six events: trap, skeet, sporting clays, doubles trap, doubles skeet, and super sporting. Notable performances included online student Eli Tolfesson of Ohio, who claimed the men’s title, and freshman Ashley Huff, who placed second overall in the women’s division. Additionally, Savannah Shorts won the women’s sporting clays event, and Makenna Shorts took first in women’s trap.

The team-first mentality was evident throughout the competition, particularly in six shoot-offs, where the Mountaineers won five tiebreakers. Athletes emphasized the camaraderie and support among teammates, which played a crucial role in their success.

“When you’re competing, every target counts for the team,” freshman Clayton Dill said. “We push each other to improve, and that makes all the difference.”

With their West Coast Championship victory behind them, the Mountaineers now set their sights on the ACUI National Championships in San Antonio, Texas, where they will compete against more than 100 teams and 1,000 shooters this spring.

“We know what we’re capable of,” Shorts said. “Now, we just have to go out there and prove it.”