HILLSDALE, Mich. — Aeriel Skinner, instructor and clay target range operator at Hillsdale College’s John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center, has earned a spot on the U.S. Women’s National Bunker Team for her performance at the 2024 Olympic Trials.

“Aeriel is a strong competitor and will represent our country well,” said Matt Little, range manager at the Halter Center. “We are proud to have talent like hers on our team.”

After placing fifth in the 2024 Olympic Trials, Skinner earned a spot competing on the U.S. Women’s National Bunker Team. In recent years, Skinner has had a successful run on the World Cup circuit. She earned two bronze medals in international trap or bunker, one individual and one mixed team medal shooting at the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico. Then in 2019, she clinched the title of World Cup Final Women’s Trap Champion. In 2022, Skinner earned a team silver in women’s trap at the Nicosia, Cyprus, World Cup, a team gold in women’s trap at the Baku, Azerbaijan, World Cup, a team gold in trap shooting at the Lima, Peru, World Cup, and a team gold in trap shooting at the Rabat, Morocco, World Cup.

“I am honored to have been named to the National Bunker Team,” said Skinner. “I want to thank everyone who has supported and encouraged me over the years.” Skinner, who has been shooting competitively since 2013, joined the staff at Hillsdale College in October of 2023. Skinner previously worked as a club assistant at Camanche Hills Hunting Preserve in Ione, CA.

For a headshot of Skinner, click here.

About the John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center

The Halter Center is a state-of-the-art shooting facility located five miles from the Hillsdale College campus. Opened in 2008, the Center aims to introduce individuals to shooting sports and encourage interest across all levels of experience. The Halter Center also serves an educational purpose by promoting the principles of the Constitution and teaching beginner and experienced shooters in various classes. Home to Hillsdale College’s collegiate shooting teams and the USA national team, the Halter Center is also a resource for the public through camps, conferences, and other programming. For more information, visit?shootingsports.hillsdale.edu.

Hillsdale College has been the home of the USA Shooting National Team since 2019 and has hosted USA Shooting Junior Olympic Trap and Skeet development camps and championships. The Center boasts 113 range acres, four international skeet fields, a 22-station sporting clays course, five international bunkers, a small arms range, an action shooting range, a five-stand range, an international archery range, nine American Trap fields, and an AcuSport lodge and grill.

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent, nonsectarian, Christian liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 6.4 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.