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THE FIELD C OL L EGE SP O T L IGH T LAST NOVEMBER, some of the best col- lege clay target teams in the nation compet- ed in the first in-person USA College Clay Target League National Championship at Brittany Shooting Park in Illinois. Perse- vering through stiff competition, the Lin- denwood University Shotgun Sports team triumphed with an overall team score of 965, sweeping the top three in the Female High Gun Gold division. Fo r h e a d c o a c h L a u r e n D u n n , t h e moment was special. Dunn grew up shoot- ing at Brittany Shooting Park—her family built the range in 1971 and still owns it. She's also an alumna of the Lindenwood Shotgun Sports team, and this past season marked her first year as head coach of the program. "Shooting twice a week, every week, rain or shine, wind, it didn't matter—we were pulling the trigger," Dunn said. "There was a lot of dedication and a lot of grit put in by the athletes to get good enough to win the National Championship." Dunn says the goal going into 2025 is continuing to work hard and defend the crown. With a National Championship under their belt, the team is hungry for another one. "To pick one favorite moment is hard to narrow down. However, standing in the small group of teammates, including Coach Lauren, when we found out we won Nationals is my favorite moment," said sophomore Dylan Bollman. THE LINDENWOOD LIFE Lindenwood University is a private uni- versity located in Saint Charles, Missou- ri, near the Illinois border. Dunn says Lindenwood is a small school with a big campus—roughly 7,000 students current- ly attend the university. Small class sizes are an important draw for students, with a 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The univer- sity offers more than 100 degree and cer- tificate options and provides on-campus, hybrid, and online learning experiences. "Being a student at Lindenwood Uni- versity was one of the best decisions I made in life," said senior Jessilyn White. "The friendships that have been made and the community on the Lindenwood Shotgun Sports team is like no other. I never thought I would make friends from all over the world, but here I am. To this day, Lindenwood University is my why." TEAM SPIRIT Anyone who applies and is accepted to Linden- wood University has the opportunity to join the Lindenwood Shotgun Sports team. Scholar- ships are available and many costs—including travel, targets, and a m m u n i t i o n — a r e covered by the team and university. T h e t e a m c u r - r e n t l y h a s 7 0 a t h - l e t e s c o m p e t i n g , and despite its large s i z e , c a m a r a d e r i e is strong. " T h e t e a m h a s become one big fam- ily to me," said senior M a t t h e w K e i s t . "Even with the team being so big, every- one knows everyone, which makes college life even more enjoyable with everyone on your side." ✪ ROARING TO VICTORY LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY SHOTGUN SPORTS IS BUILDING A LEGACY by EMILY SIZEN 38 PULLUSA MAGAZINE E N R O L L M E N T S I Z E O F T E A M L O CAT I O N 7,000 70 Saint Charles, MO lindenwood.edu DID YOU KNOW? With an overall team score of 965, Lindenwood captured the first-ever in-person USA College Clay Target League National Championship in November. JACOB DEANE