Trap and Skeet team holds
highest ranking in
country
By Mark Wiley
Staff Writer
Unknown to many students, Purdue has the top ranked
collegiate trap and skeet team in the nation.
On Aug. 11, the Purdue Trap and Skeet team won
its 17th consecutive world title at the Grand American Trap Shoot in
Vandalia, Ohio.
Competing against the top collegiate shooters in
the nation, Purdue beat the second place team by 33 targets. The winning
squad consisted of five shooters. Eric Weikum, a senior in the School
of Technology, shot a perfect 100 of his targets. Jordan Myers, a senior
in the School of Agriculture, broke 99 out of 100.
Club president Lou Schultz and Mark Sollman, both
seniors in the School of Agriculture, broke 95 and 91 targets, respectively.
George Gray, a freshman in the School of Agriculture, rounded out the
winning five by breaking 97 targets.
In addition to winning 17 world titles, Purdue
has also won the national shootout in Texas in five out of the last
six years. Gun sports leading magazine, "Shotgun Sports," has ranked
Purdue number one in trap and skeet for the last three years.
Each semester, the team has five meets in the Midwest
and across the nation. Next weekend, Purdue travels to Indianapolis
for the IU Fall Classic, which is considered the second biggest meet
of the year.
All the top teams of the Midwest will be there
including Indiana University, Kentucky, Iowa State, Illinois and a host
of other smaller schools. Purdue has won this meet during the past two
years and expects to take first again this year.
Other meets this semester include Purdue’s
Invitational on Friday and Saturday and the Iowa State Fall Shoot on
Oct. 6-7. The nationals are held in San Antonio in March, and the world
championship is held every August in Ohio. The team also travels to
New York during the summer.
With 40 plus members, the club is always open to
new shooters.
"We highly encourage anyone to come out,"
Shultz says. "The club’s not just for men either. We have
five or six female members, two that shoot on a regular basis. All are
welcome. Whoever wants to go to the meets can go, not just the best."
Star shooter Weikum says, "I’ve met my
best friends here with the team, ones that I’ll keep for the rest
of my life. It’s also very competitive; we constantly work to get
better and have a blast travelling around the country."
For those interested in joining the team or coming
out to shoot for fun should contact club president Lou Schultz at 746-5989.
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