2021-22 Shooting Sports Schedule/Results
Placed second at 2021 Prairie Circuit Classic Conference Championships
| Date | Event | Location | Placement |
| Aug. 28-29 | Fort Hays State Freshman Intercollegiate Shoot | Hays, Kan. | 9 a.m. |
| Sept. 11-12 | Fort Hays State University Intercollegiate Shoot | Hays, Kan. | Results |
| Sept. 17-19 | Midland Warrior Open | Lincoln, Neb. | Results |
| Sept. 24-26 | Prairie Circuit Conference Championships | North Platte, Neb. | Results |
| Oct. 2-3 | Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational | Brainard, Neb. | Results |
| Oct. 9-10 | Hastings College Bronco Invitational | Grand Island, Neb. | Results |
| Feb. 26-27 | Lindenwood University Spring Open | St. Charles, Mo. | Results |
| March 5-6 | Doane University Tiger Invitational | Lincoln, Neb. | Results |
| March 12-13 | Simpson College Invitational | Waukee, Iowa | Results |
| March 19-26 | ACUI International & National Championships | San Antonio, Texas | Results |
2021-22 Shooting Sports Roster
| Year | Hometown | Previous School | |
| Ames Andelt | So. | Crete, Neb. | Crete HS |
| Samuel Blevins | So. | La Grange, Ky. | Oldham County HS |
| Nicole Breese | Sr. | Solon, Iowa | Solon HS |
| Sophia Bultema | Fr. | Colorado Springs, Colo. | St. Mary's HS |
| Jessica Ciezki | So. | Waterford, Wis. | Waterford Union HS |
| Logan Collier | Fr. | Gardner, Kan. | Gardner Edgerton HS |
| Wyatt Eriksen | Sr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island Northwest HS |
| Wyatt Hambly | Sr. | Passo Robles, Calif. | Paso Robles HS |
| Claire Kee | So. | Gibbon, Neb. | Gibbon Public Schools |
| Abby Kepplin | So. | Omaha, Neb. | Home Schooled |
| Kyndle Kirby | Sr. | Palmer, Alaska | Palmer HS |
| Sydni Kroll | Sr. | Gibbon, Neb. | Gibbon Public Schools |
| Russell Malterud | Sr. | North Branch, Minn. | North Branch Area HS |
| Breyer Meeks | So. | Filer, Idaho | Filer HS |
| Wayne Moore | So. | Surprise, Neb. | David City HS |
| Jack Nelson | So. | Kimberly, Idaho | Lighthouse Christian HS |
| Mackenze Origer | Sr. | Willow, Ark. | Houston HS |
| Emily Rasmussen | Sr. | Union Grove, Wis. | Union Grove HS |
| Monica Reed | Jr. | Natural Bridge, N.Y. | Home Schooled |
| Cally Rogers | Sr. | Bellevue, Neb. | Platteview HS |
| Steven Schmidt | Fr. | St. Louis, Mo. | Christian Brothers College HS |
| Haley Schmutzer | Fr. | Waterford, Wis. | Waterford Union HS |
| Sarah Schwacher | Sr. | Waterford, Wis. | Waterford Union HS |
| Emma Singer | Jr. | Spearfish, S.D. | Belle Fourche HS |
| Thomas Sosso | Sr. | Papillion, Neb. | Papillion La Vista HS |
| Brock Steuben | Fr. | Milligan, Neb. | Milligan Public School |
| Damien Stewart | Sr. | Glenwood Springs, Colo. | Glenwood Springs HS |
| Brennen Stones | Fr. | Crete, Neb. | Crete HS |
| Breanna Tarras | Jr. | Antigo, Wis. | Antigo HS |
| Madeleine Taylor | Fr. | Eagle River, Alaska | Eagle River HS |
| Buchannan Tietjen | Fr. | Hebron, Neb. | Thayer Central HS |
| Colten Uitermarkt | Sr. | Otley, Iowa | Pella Christian HS |
| Emily Uitermarkt | Fr. | Otley, Iowa | Pella Christian HS |
| Cael Washburn | Fr. | Fort Collins, Colo. | Liberty Common HS |
| Grace Weber | Sr. | Edwardsville, Ill. | Metro East Lutheran HS |
STAFF
Scott Moniot, Head Coach (4th Year)
Russell Malterud, Graduate Assistant Coach
Season Preview: 2021-22 Shooting Sports
Sep. 8, 2021
Head Coach: Scott Moniot (4th year)
2021 National Finish: 7th (out of 12 teams in “Division 2”)
*Prairie Circuit Classic Champions*
2020-21 Team Highlights: Broke school records in skeet, trap and super sporting; won conference title at the Prairie Circuit Classic; claimed first place at the Midland Ice Out and Hastings Invite; took second place at the fifth annual Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational.
Outlook
The level of competitiveness and excellence continues to grow within the Concordia Shooting Sports program, which is at the outset of year four as a varsity athletic program. That time period coincides with the tenure of Head Coach Scott Moniot, who presided over a Prairie Circuit Classic conference championship squad in 2020-21. Along the journey, the Bulldogs broke school records in the disciplines of skeet, trap and super sporting.
Moniot was pleased with the progress the Bulldogs made during an unusual campaign that came with challenges precipitated by COVID-19. Concordia placed seventh out of 12 teams in “Division 2” at the 2021 ACUI National Championship while being hampered a bit by a reduced event that cut out two disciplines the program has excelled in.
“You felt like you were on unsteady ground,” Moniot said of last season. “You really weren’t sure how to plan your season. We planned it according to what we wanted to do and what we wanted to accomplish. Taking that next step and raising the bar was what we wanted to do. There was a lot of anxiety … Overall we did a really good job with what we were able to handle and maintain. All in all, it was a good season for not being what a ‘normal’ season would be.”
The Prairie Circuit Classic championship was celebrated on Sept. 27 of last season when Erin Lokke also claimed the individual conference title. Neither achievement had been done in the history of the program. A major figure in bringing visibility upon the program, Lokke put the finishing touches on an impeccable collegiate shooting career by seizing the women’s skeet national title this past March. Lokke leaves a lasting legacy that sets a high standard for Bulldogs of the present and future.
In addition to the team records that were broken last season, Concordia won the Midland Ice Out and Hastings Invite and placed second at its own fifth annual Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational. When the Bulldogs were on their game, they believed they could compete with any program in the country. Veteran Russell Malterud (who competes and serves as a graduate assistant coach) has seen the transformation of Concordia Shooting Sports.
“It’s completely different,” Malterud said. “My first year here when everything changed (with the move to a varsity sport), there were a lot of growing pains. With that kind of transition, there were ups and downs with figuring out how things are going to work. We ended up finding our way. This year everyone hit the ground running and everyone’s been working together. We’re all hungry and know what it takes … We know when we shoot our game where we’re going to end up. We know what we’re capable of.”
Malterud referred to some of the recent individual and team achievements as “groundbreaking stuff.” The roster of 35 competitors now looks to build upon what was achieved last season. There are many names to mention in terms of Bulldogs who have rose to great heights already in their careers. Returners who placed in the team’s top five in either trap, skeet and/or double skeet at the conference championships include Wyatt Ericksen, Wyatt Hambly, Claire Kee, Wayne Moore, Jack Nelson, Mack Origer and Tommy Sosso. The likes of Nicole Breese, Malterud and Breyer Meeks were also key contributors, among others, at the regional and national levels.
It’s not uncommon for Concordia athletes to rub elbows – or rank among – the best shooters in the entire country. Lokke has taken advantage of numerous opportunities to compete at prestigious events (placed eighth at the Olympic Trials) and has even represented the country for Team USA in international competitions. Nelson has also earned a spot with Team USA and Sophia Bultema will soon be traveling to Italy to represent the USA in the World Paralympic Championships. In addition, Breese (skeet) and Uitermarkt (sporting clays) won Iowa state titles and have earned bids to the national championships. (Notably, Moniot coached 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Maddie Brenau in his previous coaching stop at Simpson College).
A native of Natural Bridge, N.Y., Monica Reed is another upperclassman with the ability to make an impact. She can talk first-hand about the program’s rising expectations and team atmosphere. Said Reed, “We’ve got a really great group of seniors right now and our incoming group of freshmen look really promising right now. Everybody’s working hard on the range and making really good connections. I think our first competition looks promising with what I see in practice. I think it will be interesting to see how it’s going to come together.”
The 2021-22 schedule sets up similarly to last season. Although the national championships take place in the spring, the fall is the much busier period of competition. As an unofficial start to the season, Fort Hays State University (Kan.) held a shoot for freshmen on the weekend of Aug. 28-29. Moniot saw confirmation in a strong recruiting class, but also the ramp up in competition on the outside.
The collegiate shooting scene just keeps getting better as more schools pour resources into their respective programs. Said Moniot, “It’s the fastest growing sport, especially at the high school level. More programs are popping up in our state here in Nebraska. They’re starting to pop up everywhere. What that has done has put a lot more talent into the national championships and all the regional events. We went to the national championships with pretty high expectations. Two of our best events were dropped out of the national championships to condense it (due to COVID-19). In the four events we shot, we broke three of our team records and we placed seventh in the nation. That’s how competitive it has gotten.”
The competition that is so fierce that sometimes even a perfect score at the national championships in San Antonio, Texas, won’t be enough to claim a title. Take for example, Wayne Moore shooting 100/100 in trap at the 2021 event. He wound up losing the tiebreaker. In that same event at nationals, teammates in Uitermarkt (99), Rebecca Tierney (98), Breese (98) and Hambly (97) were close behind. It’s also worth nothing that Concordia finished four measly targets behind Midland for fifth place at nationals.
If each individual “does their job,” as Moniot likes to say, the results will be there. Moniot takes joy in just the achievements on the range, but also the attainments in the classroom and the bonds that are formed throughout the course of the season. As Moniot noted, the team GPA has risen dramatically over the past few years.
“Seeing the whole team gel and help each other work as a unit, to me, that is success,” Moniot said. “If we do our jobs right, we’ll have success on the fields too. I know that’s what most everybody sees at the end. There’s so much more that happens than the wins and the losses that defines the success of the program.”
If things come together, the Bulldogs certainly have the potential to win more invitationals and perhaps even place inside the top three nationally this coming spring. Right now, they will keep the focus on the process of what it takes to get there.
“I’m not going to put any numbers out there. I don’t like doing that,” Malterud said. “There’s so much that can take place throughout the year. There’s no reason we can’t duplicate our success from last year and have even more success this year. Our freshmen we have in this year have been phenomenal. We lost some major pieces from last year, but we still have a great core group coming back. I think it’s going to be a really fun year.”
The season will officially begin this Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 11-12) at the Fort Hays State Fall Intercollegiate Shoot. The conference championships are set for Sept. 24-26 with the sixth annual Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational booked for Oct. 2-3. Concordia also has a trip to Nashville, Tenn., to look forward to in mid-November.
Uitermarkt, Blevins lead Bulldogs to third-place claim at Fort Hays State Shoot
Sep. 13, 2021
HAYS, Kan. – The gun has gone off on the start of the 2021-22 season for Concordia University Shooting Sports. The Bulldogs officially began the new campaign this past weekend (Sept. 11-12) at the Fort Hays State University Fall Intercollegiate Shoot at Hays City Sportsmen’s Club in Hays, Kan., where the Bulldogs placed third high overall out of 11 teams. Colten Uitermarkt and Sam Blevins paced Concordia by cracking the most overall targets over the two-day event.
Head Coach Scott Moniot’s program is coming off a Prairie Circuit Classic Conference title last season. In the first outing of the fall, the Bulldogs turned in the following placements across the different disciplines:
· 2nd in skeet doubles (239)
· 2nd in sporting clays (411)
· 3rd in trap (493)
· 4th in trap doubles (462)
“It went better than what my expectations were,” Moniot said. “The freshmen and the transfer students we brought in have added a great balance to the team. They brought a lot of raw talent to the team too. We had some kids shoot personal bests by more than 10 targets. There’s also something special about this group of seniors and the tone they’ve set for this season. They’ve made it their mission to give us a good solid base for Concordia moving forward. They want to leave a legacy. They really did a great job this weekend of leading like that.”
With 1,568 total targets struck as a team, the Bulldogs placed behind only Fort Hays State (1,629) and Midland (1,605). Concordia’s top five overall shooters were Uitermarkt (326), Blevins (322), Wyatt Hambly (310), Damien Stewart (308) and Jack Nelson (302). Uitermarkt was five targets shy of the Fort Hays State Shoot HOA individual winner and placed in a tie for fourth among all competitors. Blevins also placed inside the top 10.
Said Moniot, “Colten did a solid job all the way through. I think he had three freshmen on his squad so he did a lot of coaching up. That was pretty exciting. Russell (Malterud) shot a 99 (in trap), Brennen (Stones) shot a 99 (in trap) and our freshmen shot well. All in all, it was a good weekend. Sam Blevins was our high shooter in double trap into the wind. He backed it up with our second-best sporting clays total. He’s a rock-solid addition.”
Below is a listing of Bulldogs who finished in the team’s top five in each of the disciplines that Concordia placed either second or third in. Uitermarkt’s name appears in all three categories.
Skeet Doubles
Sam Blevins – 49
Damien Stewart – 49
Claire Kee – 47
Mack Origer – 47
Colten Uitermarkt – 47
Brock Steuben – 47
Sporting Clays
Colten Uitermarkt – 88
Sam Blevins – 84
Claire Kee – 80
Damien Stewart – 80
Wyatt Hambly – 79
Trap
Russell Malterud – 99
Brennen Stones – 99
Colten Uitermarkt – 99
Wayne Moore – 98
Jack Nelson – 98
Concordia took 32 competitors to the Fort Hays State Shoot. The team’s six through 10 spots (in terms of high overall) were held down by Claire Kee (298), Sarah Schwacher (293), Bryce Meeks (292), Wyatt Eriksen (292) and Brennen Stones (291).
The Bulldogs will return to action this Friday through Sunday at the Midland Warrior Open at Lincoln Trap & Skeet Club. The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. CT each day.
Bulldogs place second at Warrior Open, break sporting clays record
Sep. 22, 2021
LINCOLN, Neb. – In another battle with familiar rivals, the Concordia University Shooting Sports team placed second while in action at the three-day Midland Warrior Open (Sept. 17-19) held at Lincoln Trap & Skeet Club. In the process of knocking out 1,913 targets as a team, the Bulldogs broke the program record in sporting clays. Individually, Colten Uitermarkt (high male) and Nicole Breese (high female) were the top shooters in super sporting at the Warrior Open.
Head Coach Scott Moniot’s squad placed behind only Fort Hays State University (Kan.) (1,935) on the overall team leaderboard. This marked the second outing of the season for Concordia, following the previous week’s Fort Hays State Intercollegiate Shoot.
Broken down by discipline, the Bulldogs turned in Warrior Open placements of first in super sporting, second in sporting clays, second in double skeet and third in skeet. Both Utitermarkt and Wyatt Hambly cracked 49/50 targets in super sporting while Breese hit 45 as the top female. The top contributors to the new school record in sporting clays were Hambly (95), Uitermarkt (94), Wyatt Eriksen (93), Bryer Meeks (93), Sarah Schwacher (93), Mackenzie Origer (92) and Damien Stewart (92). The program sporting clays record now stands at 468, eclipsing the previous standard of 457.
In terms of high overall individuals, Uitermarkt (Otley, Iowa) led the way for Concordia with a total of 387. That figure put him just one target off the first-place performance of Fort Hays State’s Riley Ross (388). In addition, Schwacher (371) was just three targets behind Fort Hays State’s Katie Peterson for the title of high overall female. The top five HOA for the Bulldogs also included Hambly (373), Meeks (370) and Origer (366).
Among other highlights, Uitermarkt and Breese (both 99/100) shot near perfect scores in skeet with Schwacher (98) close behind. As part of his impressive weekend, Uitermarkt also shot 48 in double skeet and 97 in trap. Two of his teammates managed to edge him in trap – Meeks and Russell Malterud (98 apiece).
The Warrior Open featured 170 competitors from 11 different institutions. A total of 33 Bulldogs took part in the event. Concordia placed above in-state foes such Doane, Hastings and Wayne State College.
Next up, the Bulldogs hope to defend their conference title from a year ago as they prepare for the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships in North Platte, Neb. The event will run Friday through Sunday with action beginning at 9 a.m. CT each day. At the 2020 conference shoot, Concordia cracked 2,227 targets while beating out Midland (2,257) and Connors State College (2,155).
Bulldogs place second in conference; Hambly wins individual HOA title
Sep. 27, 2021
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – Concordia University Shooting Sports emerged from the 2021 Prairie Circuit Conference Championships with a large haul of awards. As a team, the Bulldogs (2020 conference champions) placed second high overall while cracking just three fewer targets than champion Fort Hays State University (Kan.). Individually, Wyatt Hambly won the high overall title with a score of 375 while Nicole Breese was the female runner up. The event was held at Lincoln County Wildlife Gun Club in North Platte, Neb., this past Thursday through Saturday (Sept. 24-26).
Head Coach Scott Moniot’s squad came away from the shoot with team championships in trap (485), trap doubles (473) and skeet doubles (246). In addition, five Bulldogs were honored as all-conference performers: Sam Blevins, Breese, Hambly, Russell Malterud and Emily Rasmussen. Below is a summary of the team and individual awards that were earned.
Due to the growth of the conference in terms of number of participants, each shooter was limited to 400 targets (down from 500 last season).
“To be only three targets off from Fort Hays State shows we’ve come a long way,” Moniot said. “It was pretty exciting to see what we did. We definitely set the bar pretty high. It’s a little disappointing when you do the math and realize you were three targets short of winning a conference championship. But to have the individual champion two years in a row is pretty special. As a team, we won three of the five events and we almost won skeet (one target shy). The seniors led really well and helped the freshmen settle in. It took the whole team to do what we did.”
Concordia awards earned at 2021 Prairie Circuit Conference Championships
TEAM
· Second HOA (1,861)
· Trap Champions (485)
· Trap Doubles Champions (473)
· Skeet Doubles Champions (246)
HOA top three teams: 1. Fort Hays State – 1,864 | 2. Concordia – 1,861 | 3. Midland – 1,814.
Individual
· Sam Blevins – All-Conference
· Nicole Breese – HOA female runner up (348); All-Conference; Women’s Sporting Clays Conference Champion
· Wyatt Hambly – HOA Champion (375); All-Conference; Men’s Trap Doubles Champion
· Russell Malterud – All-Conference; Men’s Skeet Doubles Champion
· Emily Rasmussen – All-Conference; Women’s Skeet Conference Champion
· Sarah Schwacher – Women’s Skeet Doubles Champion
· Colten Uitermarkt – Men’s Skeet Conference Champion
· Emily Uitermarkt – Freshman All-Conference
Concordia can boast of having the HOA individual conference champion for the second year in a row. Erin Lokke rose above all other competitors last year in a championship performance. This time around, Hambly (Paso Robles, Calif.) outshot Fort Hays State’s Riley Ross by two targets, 375-373, for the title. The same margin (350-348) separated Brees from female champion Emily Miller of Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.
In winning specific disciplines, Breese shot 76 in sporting clays, Hambly shot 97 in trap doubles, Malterud shot a perfect 50 in skeet doubles, Rasmussen shot a perfect 50 in skeet, Schwacher shot 48 in skeet doubles and Colten Uitermarkt shot a perfect 50 in skeet. In terms of top HOA scores, Hambly was followed by Blevins (363), Malterud (361), Colten Uitermarkt (360) and Jack Nelson (356).
Concordia’s top shooters in the disciplines it placed first in as a team were as follows:
Trap (485)
· Damien Stewart – 98
· Jack Nelson – 97
· Brennen Stones – 97
· Drew Schmidt – 97
· Madeleine Taylor – 96
Trap Doubles (473)
· Wyatt Hambly – 97
· Jack Nelson – 97
· Ames Andelt – 94
· Breyer Meeks – 93
· Wyatt Eriksen – 92
Skeet Doubles (246)
· Wyatt Hambly – 50
· Russell Malterud – 50
· Colten Uitermarkt – 49
· Damien Stewart – 49
· Sarah Schwacher – 48
The field of competitors at the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships included shooters from Colorado State University, Connors State College, Hastings College, University of Jamestown, Midland University, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Northwest Kansas Technical College, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Pratt Community College, Wayne State College and the University of Wyoming. The Prairie Circuit features teams from a seven-state region.
Next up is the sixth annual Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational. The Bulldogs will host the event Saturday and Sunday at their home range, Oak Creek Sporting Club in Brainard, Neb. Last year’s event featured nearly 100 collegiate shooters from seven different institutions. Concordia placed second behind rival Midland.
Shooting Sports to host sixth annual Bulldog Sporting Invitational
Sep. 30, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia Shooting Sports program is preparing to host the sixth annual Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational. The 2021 edition of the event is set to run this Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 2-3) at Oak Creek Sporting Club in Brainard, Neb., where action will begin at 9 a.m. CT both days. Oak Creek Sporting Club serves as the home range for the Bulldogs, who hosted nearly 100 collegiate competitors at the 2020 invitational. This weekend, 12 teams and approximately 160 athletes are expected to be on hand.
Head Coach Scott Moniot’s squad carries momentum into its annual home event. At last week’s Prairie Circuit Conference Championships, Concordia placed second overall (just three targets out of first place) while being led by the likes of Wyatt Hambly, the conference high overall champion, and Nicole Breese, the conference female runner up. The Bulldogs came away from the Prairie Circuit shoot with team championships in trap (485), trap doubles (473) and skeet doubles (246).
Colten Uitermarkt is the reigning Concordia Invitational champion having cracked 276 total targets at last year’s event. The Bulldogs boasted the top three females in the competition: Monica Dale (253), Sarah Schwacher (251) and Breese (249). Hambly earned the title of super sporting male champion while Schwacher was the female titlist in super sporting. Midland emerged with the high overall team championship.
2020 Concordia Sporting Invitational Team Results
1. Midland University – 1,335
2. Concordia University – 1,316
3. Iowa Western Community College – 1,280
4. Doane University – 1,189
5. Northwest Kansas Technical College – 998
6. Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture – 881
7. Oklahoma Panhandle State University – 847
Due to COVID-19, the 2020 field of competitors decreased as compared to 2019. The ’19 Concordia Invitational featured 11 teams, 144 collegiate competitors and 10 high school participants. The Bulldogs welcome fans to attend this weekend’s event. More information on Oak Creek Sporting Club can be found via its website HERE.
The fall season is slated to continue next week with the SCTP International and National Championships (Oct. 6-10) in Marengo, Ohio, and the Hastings College Bronco Invitational (Oct. 9-10).
Bulldogs win own Sporting Invitational; Schwacher shines
Oct. 4, 2021
BRAINARD, Neb. – After placing second at the event last season, the Concordia University Shooting Sports program rose to the top while hosting the sixth annual Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational this past weekend (Oct. 2-3). The Bulldogs beat out a field of 11 teams that convened at Concordia’s home range, Oak Creek Sporting Club in Brainard, Neb. The Bulldogs cracked 1,338 targets as a team, holding off second-place Midland (1,319).
The event featured roughly 150 collegiate competitors. Each athlete shot at 300 overall targets in the disciplines of super sporting and sporting clays. This particular event does not include trap or skeet.
Head Coach Scott Moniot’s squad had just come off a second-place claim at the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships a week earlier. From an individual standpoint, Sarah Schwacher shined while taking the title of high overall female.
“Sarah did a fantastic job to shoot those kind of numbers,” Moniot said. “She was in a zone and outpaced all the females by quite a bit. This is the only event we shoot all year that only has super sporting and sporting clays. This gives us an indication of where we’re sitting in relation to the teams in our area. Midland and Fort Hays State are teams we will face at the national championships. Not everyone was at full strength this weekend, but it was nice to see us perform at a high level.”
Not only was Schwacher (Waterford, Wis.) the top overall female shooter with 270 targets hit, she also was the top female in both super sporting (93/100) and in sporting clays (177/200). On the men’s side of things, Concordia’s Colten Uitermarkt placed second (96/100) in super sporting. Among Bulldogs, Uitermarkt was followed in super sporting by Wyatt Hambly (93), Russell Malterud (93), Schwacher (93) and Damien Stewart (89). The team’s top five in super sporting were Schwacher (177), Malterud (176), Uitermarkt (176), Hambly (173) and Sam Blevins (172).
In terms of high overall performance at the Concordia Invitational, the top Bulldogs were Uitermarkt (272), Schwacher (270), Malterud (269), Hambly (266), Blevins (259) and Stewart (259). The top three shooters at the event were Midland’s Dalton Wilcox (279), Hastings’ Tanner Dager (276) and Fort Hays State’s Hank McVeigh (275).
The final team standings were as follows:
1. Concordia University – 1,338
2. Midland University – 1,319
3. Fort Hays State University – 1,317
4. Hastings College – 1,292
5. Wartburg College – 1,253
6. Iowa Western CC – 1,210
7. Doane University – 1,180
8. University of Wyoming – 1,087
9. University of Nebraska – 1,071
10. Northwest Kansas Technical College – 1,071
11. Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture – 1,048
The quality of the event has earned high praise from opposing teams since its inception in 2016. Much of the action this past weekend took place on Saturday. Most teams finished the shoot on Sunday morning.
“We got a lot of compliments. A lot of teams say this is one of their favorite events,” Moniot said. “Wartburg was new this year and they said it was the first time they’ve had a chance to shoot at anything quite like this. They had a fantastic time and really want to come back.”
Next up for the Bulldogs is the Hastings College Bronco Invitational this Saturday and Sunday in Grand Island, Neb. The shoot is slated to get started at 9 a.m. CT on both days.
Traumatic injury steered conference champ Hambly towards competitive shooting
Oct. 8, 2021
On December 13, 2013, Wyatt Hambly experienced one of those days that changes a person’s life forever. Then a carefree eighth grader, Hambly rode as a passenger on what seemed to be a routine stroll with a buddy on a four-wheeler. No one would have ever imagined that Hambly would spend the next five days in a pediatric intensive care unit.
The native of Paso Robles, Calif., can’t remember the exact details of how things went down. His consciousness faded to black. Next thing he knew, he was relegated to a dark room and a hospital bed.
Explains Hambly, “I was riding on a ranch quad with a buddy and my feet caught the ground. It caused my tailbone to hit first and my head whipped back – It must have been right on the gravel – and fractured my skull from top to bottom and side to side on the back. I also had a severe concussion. I had quite a recovery after that.”
Never again would Hambly be able to participate in any type of contact activity, but he’s found his passion in competitive shooting. Eight years after that horrific accident, Hambly celebrated a major accomplishment in winning the individual Prairie Circuit conference championship while representing Concordia Shooting Sports. Thus, the date of September 26, 2021, will go down as another that Hambly will never forget. On that day, Hambly could revel in his marksmanship. Not only did he emerge as the overall conference champion, Hambly captured the trap doubles title.
It took a moment for reality to sink in. Hambly watched as a shoot-off for second and third place got underway from the conference event held in North Platte, Neb. Unaware of the final results, Hambly wondered who had won.
Said Hambly, “I was thinking, these guys are shooting off for second and third. I wonder who beat them. People were telling me, ‘You got it. You won it.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way.’ I didn’t shoot that good, for my own standards anyway. Then we go into the awards ceremony and sure enough I won the HOA individual title. It was pretty surreal. It was pretty awesome. I was not expecting it whatsoever.”
This was one of those crowning achievements that Hambly started working towards when the craft chose him. He grew up playing baseball and basketball and had planned on giving high school football a try. However, Hambly could not risk another potential blow to his skull and the likely permanent disabilities that would result.
Hambly had to find some new hobbies. The severity of Hambly’s fracture meant it would take a good 18 months for his skull to heal. He spent roughly three of those months confined to a bed, away from friends and classmates. He also had to be kept out of bright light. Slowly, he started to become more active. Hambly raised a steer and took care of pigs as a member of 4-H.
“I had to find something to stay active,” Hambly said. “I’m not a huge video gamer and I don’t like sitting still. My dad said, ‘Hey, you want to try shotgun shooting?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ We went to my grandparents’ place and threw clays around and we found out about the junior program at our local gun club. The first day we showed up to shoot happened to be a registered competition, so I signed up for it. In the singles event, I broke a 47/100 and for the handicap event I think I broke a 62/100. They weren’t the greatest scores, but man it was fun. I was hooked from there.”
Hambly turned in that old bolt action 20 gauge and Remington 870 as he got more serious about upping his game. He acquired a new competition gun in 2014 (that he still uses today) and began to make his way around the state of California for registered events. The first time using his competition firearm, Hambly cracked 74 out 75 targets. As he puts it, “I’ve fired a lot of rounds with that gun.”
There’s something uniquely satisfying about the concentration and precision it takes to square up a target and then watch it explode – and then do it again. Hambly caught a bug for one of America’s fast-growing sports, one that can also be seen on the Olympic stage. What makes it all the more rewarding in the current setting for Hambly is his ability to grow the program at Concordia and to positively influence his teammates. There’s friendly competition amongst each other, and there’s also a pride in how far the program has come since Hambly arrived in Seward in the fall of 2018.
“It’s insane how much this team has grown,” Hambly said. “We won the conference trap event as a team with 485 out of 500 and we’re looking at it like we really didn’t shoot that well. It wasn’t quite good enough for our standards. My freshman year, Fort Hays State beat us by 220 targets overall – 220 targets. This year they beat us by three … the camaraderie between teammates and the friendships we have really helps.”
The Golden State native made his first appearance in Nebraska as a high school junior. Hambly came across Concordia as he was researching which schools could potentially offer scholarship aid to shoot competitively. He made two separate campus visits and became sold on not just the shooting sports program, but also the business programs. Hambly says he actually has learned to appreciate the cold winter season in the Midwest.
Competitive shooting will likely always be part of Hambly’s life. He says he might even want to take up coaching at some point but is going to “wait it out and see where life goes.” Before thinking about what might be next after graduation in May 2022, Hambly wants to make the most of each collegiate shoot he has left. His run with the Bulldogs will culminate with the ACUI National Championships in San Antonio this coming March.
Says Hambly, “I’m looking to post the best scores that I can. Senior year really catches up with you. Wow, this is it. We want to make maximize the practice time that we have.”
To be sure, Hambly is grateful for every moment he spends shooting at targets. This was how it was meant to be. Even a rough day on the range feels much better than how Hambly felt on December 13, 2013. If anyone can place the highs and lows of life into proper perspective, it’s Wyatt Hambly.
Stated Hambly simply, “Being able to go from five days in pediatric ICU to where I am now is pretty special. It’s tough to fathom waking up in the hospital and thinking, ‘What just happened?’ You know then the rest of your life is going to be completely different. I was very fortunate to recover as well as I did.”
Bulldogs win Hastings Invite; Schwacher, Uitermarkt take HOA titles
Oct. 11, 2021
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – For the second outing in a row, Concordia University Shooting Sports celebrated a team championship. The Bulldogs took first place overall out of 10 teams at the Hastings Bronco Invitational held at Heartland Shooting Park in Grand Island, Neb., over the weekend (Oct. 9-10). Concordia cracked 1,845 total targets while outshooting second place Midland (1,829).
Head Coach Scott Moniot’s squad also captured the team title at its own Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational a week earlier. On the way to the top of the Hastings Invite leaderboard, the Bulldogs won the events of trap, skeet doubles and sporting clays. Individually, Concordia’s Colten Uitermarkt seized the high overall men’s individual title and Sarah Schwacher did the same on the women’s side.
In winning team performances, the Bulldogs shot 464 in trap, 242 in skeet doubles and 419 in sporting clays. Concordia finished two targets shy of first in super sporting and four away from the lead in skeet. In terms of total targets hit at the Hastings Invite, the top five Bulldog competitors were Uitermarkt (376), Wyatt Hambly (373), Schwacher (359), Sam Blevins (356) and Breyer Meeks (355). Below is a summary of the best Concordia shooters in each of the disciplines won by the Bulldogs. Uitermarkt shot a perfect score in skeet doubles.
Trap – 464
· Colten Uitermarkt – 95
· Wyatt Hambly – 94
· Buchannan Tietjen – 93
· Sarah Schwacher – 92
· Emily Rasmussen/Wyatt Eriksen/Mack Origer – 90
Sporting Clays – 419
· Wyatt Hambly – 88
· Sam Blevins – 85
· Colten Uitermarkt – 84
· Breyer Meeks – 83
· Sarah Schwacher – 79
Skeet Doubles – 242
· Colten Uitermarkt – 50
· Sam Blevins – 49
· Breyer Meeks – 49
· Emily Uitermarkt/Nicole Breese/Wyatt Hambly/Sarah Schwacher – 47
Schwacher also starred as the top overall female shooter at the Concordia Invitational. Meanwhile, Hambly won the conference title the week prior to the home shoot. It’s been an impressive fall season for the Bulldogs, who have placed third or better as a team at all five competitions. They finished as the runner up at the Midland Warrior Open and at the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships.
Team overall finishes in 2021:
Fort Hays State Shoot (Sept. 11-12) – 3rd
Midland Warrior Open (Sept. 17-19 – 2nd
Prairie Circuit Conference Championships (Sept. 24-26) – 2nd
Concordia Bulldog Invitational (Oct. 2-3) – 1st
Hastings Invitational (Oct. 9-10) – 1st
Concordia is scheduled to return to action Oct. 28-31 at the ACUI Midwest Super Shoot in Grand Island. The final event on the fall schedule will be the ACUI Easter Super Shoot in Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 11-14.
Concordia Athletics celebrates the life of Coach Scott Moniot
Nov. 22, 2021
It is with a heavy heart that Concordia University, Nebraska acknowledges the passing of Shooting Sports Head Coach Scott Moniot, who was called to be with the Lord on November 20, 2021. He is survived by his wife Donna, three children and grandchildren.
Enthusiastic, passionate and faith-filled, Moniot will be greatly missed within the Concordia community. His impact went well beyond the accolades that were attained on the range. Said Moniot when first hired at Concordia, “I count it a privilege to partner with Concordia and to invest in the lives of young people as they pursue their faith, educational and personal goals.”
Wrote Director of Athletics Devin Smith in a statement, “We are deeply saddened about Coach Moniot’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, children and grandchildren as we mourn his loss and celebrate his life. Scott will be forever etched into our minds as we all saw him walk amongst us with such optimism, conviction and grace. He openly conveyed a love and zeal for our God, his family and the members of our Bulldog Shooting Sports team. Every time Coach spoke, you could easily tell his heart was full of joy. Scott ‘stayed awake’ in our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus and we will have peace, comfort and strength knowing he was ready for this time in his journey (Mark 13:35-37).”
Named head coach of the Concordia Shooting Sports program in June of 2018, Moniot was in the midst of his fourth season with the Bulldogs. Moniot met the challenge of transitioning the program to a varsity intercollegiate sport, growing the roster to more than 30 student-athletes and elevating it to the level of being recognized as one of the top programs in the region. In the fall of 2021, Concordia Shooting Sports enjoyed some of its greatest successes to date, winning team championships at the Concordia Bulldog Invitational and Hastings Bronco Invitational while placing second at the conference shoot. Moniot led the Bulldogs to a Prairie Circuit Conference title in 2020.
Most importantly, Moniot developed positive relationships with student-athletes that allowed them to grow not only in their craft, but also as people. Moniot aided in the development of the program’s most decorated shooter to date, Erin Lokke, a USA Collegiate Team qualifier and Olympic Trials competitor. After graduating from Concordia, Lokke served a two-year graduate assistantship under Moniot and saw first-hand how the Lord worked through Moniot.
Wrote Lokke, “Coach Moniot displayed positivity in everything that he did. He was a dedicated coach, mentor, husband, father and grandfather. Many of his current and former students would agree when I say that Coach Moniot always saw potential in someone, even when they couldn’t see it within themselves. Coach Moniot was passionate about the mission at Concordia. He taught the shooting sports team many lessons that each person will cherish forever. As Coach Moniot would say, ‘everyone has a job to do.’ The team has a lot to focus on with nationals coming up in March and I believe the shooting team will grow together and work hard for everything he did for each and every one of them. I will always be thankful for the late night and tireless training sessions that coach Moniot pushed me through.”
Social media messages circulated within the shooting sports community on Sunday in light of Moniot’s passing, further detailing his kindness, compassion and immense contributions to the sport. Home to Bulldog Shooting Sports, Oak Creek Sporting Club posted the following message on its Facebook page: “Our hearts are broken. He will be so missed. The Oak Creek family shares their prayers and hugs to not only his family but the entire Concordia family. Lord take care of him, he was a great one.”
The joy Moniot felt in seeing his student-athletes succeed was evident in the way that he spoke about them. His expertise helped pave the way for Lokke (2020) and Wyatt Hambly (2021) to win individual conference titles in back-to-back years and for a complete re-writing of the program record books each successive season. Lokke and a number of others Moniot has coached have earned spots on the USA Shooting National Junior Team. In addition, a former student-athlete, Maddy Bernau, earned a bronze medal in mixed trap shooting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Moniot had coached Bernau during his time as head coach at Simpson College (Iowa).
Born in 1961, Moniot went on to graduate from Vennard College (Iowa) and served many vocations beyond coaching. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a son, a Christian educator, a church worker, a teacher and pastor.
Concordia Athletics celebrates the life of Coach Scott Moniot and continues to send prayers to his wife Donna and family. His service to Concordia will not be forgotten.
Three Bulldogs earn medals, nine compete at USA Shooting Shotgun Selection
Jan. 26, 2022
TUCSON, Ariz. – Nine past or present members of the Concordia University Shooting program took advantage of an opportunity to showcase their talents at the 2022 Shotgun Selections event hosted by USA Shooting in Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 11-16. The results included three medals for current Bulldogs as Sam Blevins took home the men’s trap junior bronze medal, Sophia Bultema earned the women’s para silver medal in trap and Jack Nelson emerged with the men’s collegiate trap silver medal. Concordia put more competitors in the event than any other collegiate shooting sports team in the nation.
As an official collegiate shooting team, Concordia last competed back in mid-October at the Hastings Bronco Invitational. During the fall, Head Coach Scott Moniot guided the Bulldogs to two team event championships and to a pair of second-place claims. Moniot was called to be with the Lord on Nov. 20, 2021. The Bulldogs will resume their season in late February while carrying on Moniot’s memory.
Moniot would have been proud of what took place in Tucson. Additional past and present Concordia shooters at the Shotgun Selection match included Jessica Ciezki, Monica Dale, Blake Greckel, Erin Lokke, Emily Rasmussen and Emma Van Donselaar (see results at bottom). The most accomplished competitor in school history, Lokke shot a 229 in skeet at the selection event and placed fifth out of all shooters in a discipline that featured some of the very best in the world.
Blevins and Nelson had previously earned spots on the USA Shooting Junior Team and are hopeful of making their way onto the National Junior World Travel Team. The selection in Tucson was the first step towards determining team members in the junior category (under 21). Another event will be held in Kerrville, Texas, in March. The January selection featured 250 targets while the upcoming shoot in March (March 2-7) will feature 125 targets. National Junior World Travel Team members will have the honor of shooting in Suhl, Germany, in May.
Past/Current Bulldogs at USA Shooting Shotgun Selection (Jan. 11-16)
· Sam Blevins – 214 in trap (Bronze Junior Medalist)
· Sophia Bultema (Para Silver Medalist in trap)
· Jessica Ciezki – 169 in trap
· Monica Dale – 179 in trap
· Blake Greckel – 192 in trap
· Erin Lokke – 229 in skeet
· Jack Nelson – 210 in trap (Collegiate Men Silver Medalist)
· Emily Rasmussen – 206 in skeet
· Emma Van Donselaar – 219 in skeet
In first shoot since Moniot's passing, Bulldogs place fifth at Lindenwood Spring Open
Mar. 1, 2022
BRIDGETON, Mo. – There may have been some heavy hearts this past weekend (Feb. 26-27) as the Concordia University Shooting Sports team resumed the 2021-22 season without Head Coach Scott Moniot, who took the reins of the program in the summer of 2018. Moniot was called to be with the Lord on Nov. 20, 2021, but his impact carries on. The Bulldogs got back to business and placed fifth high overall in a highly competitive Lindenwood University Spring Open held at Gateway Gun Club in Bridgeton, Mo.
While the search continues for the next head coach of the program, Concordia has gotten help from all-time great Bulldog Erin Lokke and Russell Malterud remains the graduate assistant coach.
The first shoot of the spring semester saw the Bulldogs crack a total of 1,414 targets while competing in the disciplines of sporting clays, skeet and trap. Concordia may have placed fifth (out of 11 teams), but it wasn’t far behind the top four teams who descended upon the St. Louis area: William Penn (1,422), Hillsdale (1,421), Midland (1,416) and Iowa Western (1,415). The Bulldogs did manage to outgun its competition in sporting clays with a total of 462. Meanwhile, Concordia tied for fifth in trap (479) and placed sixth in skeet (473).
Individually, Colten Uitermarkt led the Bulldogs to the team sporting clays title while placing in a tie for first with 97 targets hit in that discipline. The next best Concordia shooters in sporting clays were Sam Blevins (93), Wyatt Hambly (93), Wyatt Eriksen (91), Breyer Meeks (88) and Jack Nelson (88).
In trap, the top Bulldogs were Meeks (98), Nelson (97), Blevins (95), Abby Kepplin (95), Hambly (94) and Moore (94). Finally, the team was paced in skeet by Sarah Schwacher (97), Damien Stewart (96), Hambly (94), Buchannan Tietjen (93), Cally Rogers (93), Colten Uitermarkt (93) and Emily Rasmussen (93).
In terms of high overall, Concordia’s top 10 shooters at the Lindenwood Open were:
· Wyatt Hambly – 281
· Colten Uitermarkt – 280
· Bryer Meeks – 278
· Jack Nelson – 274
· Sam Blevins – 272
· Wyatt Eriksen – 271
· Damien Stewart – 271
· Tom Sosso – 270
· Wayne Moore – 263
· Sarah Schwacher – 263
The Bulldogs will return to action this Saturday and Sunday at the Doane University Tiger Invitational held at Lincoln Trap & Skeet in Lincoln, Neb. The Doane Invite and the Simpson College Invitational (March 12-13) will be the final two events this season prior to the ACUI National Championships later this month.
Hambly paces group of 19 Bulldogs at Doane Invitational
Mar. 7, 2022
LINCOLN, Neb. – In the second outing of the spring season, the Concordia University Shooting Sports team went up against competitors from nine other institutions as part of the Doane Tiger Invitational held at Lincoln Trap & Skeet Club in Lincoln, Neb., this past Saturday and Sunday (March 5-6). The Bulldogs came up just short of the award stand but got stellar across-the-board scores from senior Wyatt Hambly, whose high overall total of 311 was tops on the team.
Concordia first started back up this spring with the Lindenwood Spring Open on Feb. 26-27 when it placed fifth out of 11 teams that descended upon the St. Louis area. A group of 19 Bulldogs competed at the Lincoln Trap & Skeet Club.
At the Doane Invite, trophies were handed out to the top three teams (based on overall targets hit), which were Fort Hays State University (Kan.), Midland University and Iowa Western Community College. Based on its top five individual scores from each of the four disciplines that made up the Doane Invite, Concordia shot 468 in skeet, 399 in sporting clays, 450 in trap and 212 in super sporting for a high overall total of 1,529. There were more than 100 shooters that competed in each of the four categories.
Below is a summary of the top five Bulldogs by discipline. Not only did Hambly crack the most overall targets, he was Concordia’s best performer in skeet (tied with Wyatt Eriksen), sporting clays (tied with Eriksen) and super sporting. Wayne Moore led the way in trap. The team’s top overall female shooter was Nicole Breese with a 289. Breese shot a 94 in skeet and a 43 in super sporting.
Concordia top shooters – Doane Invite
High Overall
1. Wyatt Hambly – 311
2. Wayne Moore – 304
3. Wyatt Eriksen – 298
3. Breyer Meeks – 298
5. Ames Andelt – 297
Skeet
1. Wyatt Eriksen – 95
1. Wyatt Hambly – 95
3. Nicole Breese – 94
4. Wayne Moore – 93
5. Claire Kee – 91
Sporting Clays
1. Wyatt Eriksen – 81
1. Wyatt Hambly – 81
3. Ames Andelt – 80
4. Breyer Meeks – 79
5. Wayne Moore – 78
Trap
1. Wayne Moore – 93
2. Wyatt Hambly – 91
3. Ames Andelt – 90
4. Wyatt Eriksen – 88
4. Abby Kepplin – 88
4. Monica Reed – 88
Super Sporting
1. Wyatt Hambly – 44
2. Nicole Breese – 43
3. Buchannan Tietjen – 42
3. Cael Washburn – 42
5. Claire Kee – 41
The final competition prior to the ACUI National Championships (March 19-26) is coming up this Saturday and Sunday when the Bulldogs will be at New Pioneer Gun Club in Waukee, Iowa, for the Simpson College Invitational. Action is scheduled to get underway at 9 a.m. CT both days. Late Head Coach Scott Moniot previously led the Simpson program before being hired at Concordia.
Nelson paces team HOA, Origer cracks 100 straight as Bulldogs place second
Mar. 16, 2022
WAUKEE, Iowa – In the final outing prior to the national championships, the Concordia University Shooting Sports team ventured to New Pioneer Gun Club in Waukee, Iowa, this past weekend and placed second out of eight squads at the Simpson College Invitational (March 12-13). In a shoot that featured four separate disciplines, the Bulldogs cracked 1,517 total targets while finishing behind only William Penn University (Iowa), which hit 1,547 targets. Individually, Jack Nelson emerged as Concordia’s top overall shooter while Mack Origer ran off 100 straight in skeet.
The event marked the Bulldogs’ third outing during the spring semester and eighth overall during the 2021-22 season. With the passing of Head Coach Scott Moniot in November, former Concordia star Erin Lokke has been among those who have lent their services to the program this spring.
By category at the Simpson Invite, Concordia won skeet (492) and placed second in trap (469), second in sporting (346) and second in super sporting in what was a clear two-horse race between the Bulldogs and William Penn. The top five individual overall shooters for the Bulldogs were Nelson (299), Sam Blevins (294), Wyatt Hambly (294), Russell Malterud (293) and Nicole Breese (290). In the HOA competition, Nelson finished eight targets off the male champion and Breese was five targets off the female champion.
Below is a summary of the top five Concordia competitors in each discipline. Officially, Origer placed second in skeet after shooting a perfect 100. William Penn’s Dominick Ver Meer also shot a 100 and was the male high overall champion. Concordia’s Emily Rasmussen shot 99/100 in skeet. The top Bulldog female shooters after Breese were Claire Kee (289), Emily Uitermarkt (285) and Sarah Schwacher (282).
Concordia top shooters – Simpson Invite
High Overall
1. Jack Nelson – 299
2. Sam Blevins – 294
2. Wyatt Hambly – 294
4. Russell Malterud – 293
5. Nicole Breese – 290
Trap
1. Sam Blevins – 97
2. Jack Nelson – 95
3. Brennen Stones – 93
4. Wayne Moore – 92
4. Emily Rasmussen – 92
Sporting
1. Wayne Moore – 70
1. Jack Nelson – 70
3. Claire Kee – 69
3. Russell Malterud – 69
5. Wyatt Hambly – 68
Skeet
1. Mack Origer – 100
2. Emily Rasmussen – 99
3. Nicole Breese – 98
3. Wyatt Hambly – 98
5. Russell Malterud – 97
5. Thomas Sosso – 97
Super Sporting
1. Sam Blevins – 42
1. Wyatt Eriksen – 42
1. Claire Kee – 42
1. Sarah Schwacher – 42
1. Emily Uitermarkt – 42
The 2021-22 season will wrap up with the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships from March 19-26. The event is staged at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas. At the 2021 national shoot, the Bulldogs placed seventh in the division 2 breakdown. More information on the National Championships can be found via the ACUI’s website HERE.
Bulldogs place fifth, win two event titles at ACUI National Championships
Mar. 28, 2022
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – In the wrap up to the 2021-22 season, the Concordia University Shooting Sports team traveled 25 competitors to the 2022 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships that played out over the course of a week and concluded on March 26. Out of 17 teams in the Division 2 breakdown of the national shoot, the Bulldogs placed fifth while cracking a total of 2,774 targets. Concordia captured national titles in Doubles American Skeet and International Skeet and Emily Uitermarkt took home an individual championship in women’s Doubles American Skeet (additional special awards are listed below).
A team inspired and pushed forward by the late Scott Moniot beat out rival Midland while moving up from last season’s seventh-place national finish. At the 2022 event, the Bulldogs placed behind only the University of Tennessee Southern, Emmanuel College (Mass.), Fort Hays State University (Kan.) and Angelo State University (Texas). Once again, the national championships were staged at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas.
The championship winning total for Emily Uitermarkt in Doubles American Skeet was 96. Meanwhile, Concordia posted team title-claiming totals of 479 in Doubles American Skeet and 245 in International Skeet. In American Skeet, three Bulldogs – Colten Uitermarkt, Wyatt Hambly and Mackenze Origer – each shot 99s while Damien Stewart and Brennen Stones did the same in American Trap. Concordia was not far off school records with its team scores of 491 in American Trap and 490 in American Skeet. The Bulldogs placed second in American Skeet.
In terms of high overall performances, conference champion Wyatt Hambly (565) paced Concordia on the men’s side while Sarah Schwacher (540) led the way for the women. Schwacher took third place high overall among women’s competitors. Hambly emerged as the top Bulldog in American Skeet (99), Sporting Clays (83), Super Sporting (93), Doubles American Skeet (98) and Doubles American Trap (94). The team’s top shooters by discipline are broken down at bottom.
From a high over all perspective, the top five Concordia men were: Wyatt Hambly (565), Colten Uitermarkt (554), Russell Malterud (539), Breyer Meeks (537) and Joseph Blevins (529). The top five women were: Sarah Schwacher (540), Claire Kee (515), Nicole Breese (514), Emily Rasmussen (498) and Emma Singer (493). The ACUI National Championships featured 597 men and 150 women that qualified for the high over all leaderboard.
It was a strong finish to a season that would have made Moniot proud. Before his passing in November 2021, Moniot guided the Bulldogs to team championships at the Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational and the Hastings Bronco Invitational and to runner-up claims at the Midland Warrior Open and the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships. Throughout the second semester, members of the team have worn “Shooting For Scott” t-shirts in honor of Moniot, who served as the program’s head coach from the summer of 2018 through the fall of 2021.
In Moniot’s absence, the likes of graduate assistant Russell Malterud, former graduate assistant Erin Lokke and Terry Kriz of Oak Creek Sporting Club have collaborated on coaching duties. So too has Associate Athletics Director Angela Muller. The 2021-22 season included a total of nine events over the fall and spring. The program will have a new head coach for the 2022-23 season.
2022 ACUI National Championships
Concordia placed 5th out of 17 teams in Division 2 with a total of 2,774 targets.
Concordia Special Awards
- International Skeet 3-Man Team - 1st Place
- International Skeet 1 Man/1 Woman Team - 1st Place
- Open Individual Doubles Skeet - Claire Kee (2nd Place); Emily Uitermarkt (3rd Place)
- Individual Women's Super - Sarah Schwacher (1st Place)
- ISO Women's Skeet - Emily Rasmussen (2nd Place); Sarah Schwacher (3rd Place)
Top five Concordia performances, by event
American Skeet – 490 (2nd)
1. Colten Uitermarkt – 99
1. Wyatt Hambly – 99
1. Mackenze Origer – 99
4. Breyer Meeks – 97
5. Sarah Schwacher – 96
American Trap – 491 (4th)
1. Damien Stewart – 99
1. Brennen Stones – 99
3. Wyatt Hambly – 98
3. Joseph Blevins – 98
5. Colten Uitermarkt – 97
Sporting Clays – 402 (6th)
1. Wyatt Hambly – 83
2. Russell Malterud – 81
2. Colten Uitermarkt – 81
4. Breyer Meeks – 79
5. Sarah Schwacher – 78
Super Sporting – 451 (4th)
1. Wyatt Hambly – 93
2. Colten Uitermarkt – 91
2. Russell Malterud – 91
4. Sarah Schwacher – 88
4. Joseph Blevins – 88
Doubles American Skeet – 479 (1st)
1. Wyatt Hambly – 98
2. Claire Kee – 96
2. Emily Uitermarkt – 96
4. Colten Uitermarkt – 95
5. Damien Stewart – 94
Doubles American Trap – 461 (4th)
1. Wyatt Hambly – 94
2. Nicole Breese – 92
2. Joseph Blevins – 92
2. Jack Nelson – 92
5. Colten Uitermarkt – 91
International Skeet – 245 (1st)
1. Damien Stewart – 86
2. Emily Rasmussen – 80
3. Sarah Schwacher – 79
International Trap – 227 (4th)
1. Joseph Blevins – 83
2. Jack Nelson – 74
3. Madeleine Taylor – 70
Owens tabbed to lead Shooting Sports program
Apr. 18, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Athletic Department has identified a rising star on the competitive shooting sports scene in the form of Dylan Owens. Owens has been hired to take the reins of the Concordia Shooting Sports program, making him the third head coach in program history. The native of Moscow, Tenn., will be tasked with building upon the work of former Head Coach Scott Moniot, who passed away in November 2021 after helping transition Bulldog Shooting Sports into an official varsity collegiate sport at Concordia.
The announcement of Owens’ hiring was made official on Monday (April 18). Owens has already started his duties as head coach. This is the type of opportunity he had been searching for.
Wrote Owens in a statement, “As a former collegiate athlete in the shooting sports, having the opportunity to raise up more athletes in this sport and represent a fantastic university really excites me. I endeavor to help the shooting sports athletes achieve their personal goals while giving all glory to our amazing Creator and Savior.”
Director of Athletics Devin Smith sees Owens as a strong Christian leader equipped to move the program forward. Said Smith, “Coach Owens stood out in the process during our national search to find Coach Moniot’s successor. We are confident that Dylan will continue to expand upon the foundation that has been built for Concordia Shooting Sports and take the program to new heights. We believe Dylan is a young star in the shooting sports landscape and admire his commitment to representing Concordia Athletics with class and Christian character. I want to thank Associate Director of Athletics Angela Muller for taking on many of the program’s day-to-day responsibilities as we dealt with the tragic passing of Coach Moniot. We look forward to working with Coach Owens, who has already begun to form connections with our current student-athletes.”
Since graduating from NAIA member institution Bethel University (Tenn.) in 2019, Owens has immersed himself within the world of shooting sports. Owens has devoted his time to shotgun shooting clinics for athletes of a variety of ages, has coached multiple winning athletes at the state and national level and has traveled to events across the country while networking and bolstering his craft. Owens has worked closely with athletes through personal training sessions in three main disciplines: trap, skeet and sporting clays. At Holly Fork Shooting Complex in Tennessee, Owens served as the manager and club professional.
Owens’ coaching career followed his distinguished career as a member of Bethel Shooting Sports. As a collegiate competitor, Owens rose to great heights in earning recognition as the 2019 ACUI Nationals Super Sporting Class A National Champion and the 2018 ACUI Nationals Class A International Skeet Champion. Post-graduation, Owens claimed the 2020 NSCA Class A FITASC National Championship. He was named Bethel’s 2017-18 Club Male Athlete of the Year.
Professionally, Owens is certified as an SSSF Certified Coach Trainer, an NRA Level 1 Shotgun Instructor, a 4-H Level 1 Shotgun Coach and FITASC Certified Referee National Level. He has also previously worked for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation and duPont/Kreighoff Rifles and Shotguns.
Owens earned his Bachelor of Business Administration and Management from Bethel University.
Bulldogs reflect on 2021-22 season, prepare to host event to honor Coach Moniot
Apr. 27, 2022
Before scattering for the semester’s end, members of the Concordia University Shooting Sports program will gather for a shooting event in honor of the late Scott Moniot. It will be one last chance this spring to celebrate the life of Coach Moniot and a successful 2021-22 season for the Bulldogs. Through reflections from members of the team provided below, it’s clear that the program has created a special family-type atmosphere that will carry on under the leadership of new Head Coach Dylan Owens.
Shooting for Scott Event
Dates: Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Sunday, May 1, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Location: Oak Creek Sporting Club (Brainard, Neb.)
Purpose: Memorial shoot with proceeds being donated to the Concordia Shooting Sports Team
--Facebook invite to event
2021-22 Season-In-Review
The 2021-22 Concordia Shooting Sports season had many highlights as the Bulldogs competed in nine official events that were spread out over the fall and spring. The campaign culminated in late March when Concordia placed fifth in the Division 2 breakdown at the 2022 ACUI National Championships held in San Antonio, Texas. Impressively, the Bulldogs placed either first or second at five events:
· 1st – Concordia Bulldog Sporting Invitational
· 1st – Hastings Bronco Invitational
· 2nd – Prairie Circuit Conference Championships
· 2nd – Midland Warrior Open
· 2nd – Simpson College Invitational
At the national championships, Sarah Schwacher placed third high overall on the women’s side and Wyatt Hambly placed fifth high overall on the men’s side. It was a fine senior season for Hambly, who was the HOA conference champion. Four other Bulldogs were honored as all-conference performers: Sam Blevins, Nicole Breese, Russell Malterud and Emily Rasmussen. The program has boasted the conference individual champion in back-to-back years.
At the national championships, Concordia came away with the special awards listed below. The Bulldogs cracked 2,774 targets at nationals and outgunned rival Midland. A series of individuals nearly shot perfect scores in specific disciplines. Hambly, Mackenze Origer and Colten Uitermarkt each shot 99 in American Skeet and Damien Stewart and Brennen Stones both shot 99 in American Trap.
Concordia special awards at nationals:
- International Skeet 3-Man Team - 1st Place
- International Skeet 1 Man/1 Woman Team - 1st Place
- Open Individual Doubles Skeet - Claire Kee (2nd Place); Emily Uitermarkt (3rd Place)
- Individual Women's Super - Sarah Schwacher (1st Place)
- ISO Women's Skeet - Emily Rasmussen (2nd Place); Sarah Schwacher (3rd Place)
Back in mid-March at the Simpson Invite, Origer did crack 100 straight in skeet. As part of the team win at the Hastings Invite, Schwacher and Uitermarkt took individual titles. Outside of official collegiate competition, nine Bulldogs past and present competed at the 2022 Shotgun Selections event hosted by USA Shooting in Tucson, Ariz., in January. Blevins took home the men’s trap junior bronze medal, Sophia Bultema earned the women’s para silver medal in trap and Jack Nelson emerged with the men’s collegiate trap silver medal. No other college in the nation had greater representation at the Shotgun Selections than Concordia.
Clearly, there was a lot more to this past season than trophies and medals. Wrote Sarah Schwacher, “Though the shooting team suffered the big loss of Coach Scott Moniot, I was most proud of how we all carried ourselves throughout the remainder of the season. Losing someone so critical to our team was devastating, but our team was able to bond through the sadness. It has been the closest our team has felt since joining the team. The spring season really showcased the bonding of the team. Throughout the spring season, this team was able to compete at a high level. Though our Nationals finish was not what we all wanted, we were able to have amazing achievements. Wyatt Hambly was able to tie for fifth men's high overall, I was able to get third place overall women’s, as well as having so many individual awards. The competition keeps increasing in difficulty, but our team stayed competitive despite the hardships we all faced. It hasn't been an easy year, but we did make the most out of it. We all wanted to make Coach Moniot proud, in all we did, whether it was in our grades, our accomplishments or our shooting. I know Coach would be proud of the team and how we all have handled ourselves during this time.”
Added Cally Rogers, “I was the proudest of how our team handled adversity, and I know Coach would have been proud of that too. We stuck together when Mack’s dad died, and we stuck together when Coach was sick and passed away. We stepped up for each other and for Donna (Moniot) and the kids. We took care of each other and showed each other love. Coach would have been proud of that, and I am so proud of my team for that. I am grateful to have gone through such a tough time with my team. We could lean on each other and heal together.”
Wrote Colten Uitermarkt, “Coach Moniot was the entire reason I found myself at Concordia University. Looking back now I feel as though God had put Scott in my life to open Concordia University to me as I now feel God wanted me here. This past season was filled with many highs and lows both in regard to scores and emotions. Concordia University Shooting Sports is special. A memory that will remain with me was the final moments of nationals after we finished our last event doubles trap. A combination of finishing off the season knowing that we had just shot our last competition target as a Concordia Bulldog and being without Scott flooded my mind. The seniors had been through a lot of adversity with Scott at our side. Scott's lessons, coaching and talks will remain with me as I grow and carry on with my life. My experiences at Concordia with Scott were special especially this past fall semester as we had many talks after shoots in his office.”
Associate Athletic Director, Angela Muller responded by saying “Coach Moniot has impacted the Bulldog student-athletes, the athletic department, the university and the shooting sports world. His passion for the sport, his care for each student-athlete and his love for Jesus made an impression for all who were lucky enough to cross his path. Regarding the 2021-22 shooting sports team, I do not believe they could have made Coach Moniot more proud in character, execution and achievements. The team, along with the coaches who assisted in completing the year (Russel Malterud, Erin Lokke, and Dave Miller), truly lived out the goals set prior to Coach’s passing. I’m so very proud of everyone who played a role in the past and future success of these individuals. I can see Coach Moniot’s smile beaming now.”
Concordia Shooting Sports will return in 2022-23 in a new era with Owens leading the way. Owens was announced as the program’s head coach on April 18. Wrote Owens, “As a former collegiate athlete in the shooting sports, having the opportunity to raise up more athletes in this sport and represent a fantastic university really excites me. I endeavor to help the shooting sports athletes achieve their personal goals while giving all glory to our amazing Creator and Savior.”
‘Do your job’: Remembering Coach Moniot
A few members of the senior class, as well as former star Bulldog Erin Lokke, reflected on what Coach Moniot meant to them. He will always be remembered as a man of Christ and for perhaps his most common refrain, “Do your job.”
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Coach Moniot was a lover. He treated each of us like we were his own children. He celebrated our accomplishments and was there to pick us up in the hard times. He had a smile like no other and was almost always wearing that smile. What I will remember most about Coach though is his genuine want for each of us to succeed and his genuine kindness. Coach believed in me and had goals for me that I was not sure was possible. When I would accomplish these goals, it showed that he never had any doubt. He really wanted each of us to reach our full potential. When I had to disclose to coach the health issues that I was facing, he just hugged me and let me know that we would get through it however we needed to. He was there for me every step of the way, and I will forever be thankful for that. Coach was a man of God and that was very evident through his actions.
--Cally Rogers (Bellevue, Neb.)
Coach Moniot was one of the most amazing people I have had the honor to know. He always wanted to push me to be the best that I could be, in all aspects of my life. He would do everything in his power to help me achieve all my goals. He encouraged me academically, as well as with my shooting. Coach Moniot encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone to be able to do great things. Never once did he have a negative attitude, even when my training wasn't going well or I would have a bad score. He was the most uplifting person, and always knew exactly what to say to keep a smile on my face.
--Sarah Schwacher (Waterford, Wis.)
Coach was always welcoming to everyone. He would always make you feel as though you could do anything that you set your mind to. Personally, I think the biggest way he impacted me is to show me different ways to help others in coaching. He had described different ways to reach young kids and to think outside of the box and to do your job.
--Colten Uitermarkt (Otley, Iowa)
Coach Moniot displayed positivity in everything that he did. He was a dedicated coach, mentor, husband, father and grandfather. Many of his current and former students would agree when I say that Coach Moniot always saw potential in someone, even when they couldn’t see it within themselves. Coach Moniot was passionate about the mission at Concordia. He taught the shooting sports team many lessons that each person will cherish forever. As Coach Moniot would say, ‘everyone has a job to do.’ The team has a lot to focus on with nationals coming up in March and I believe the shooting team will grow together and work hard for everything he did for each and every one of them. I will always be thankful for the late night and tireless training sessions that coach Moniot pushed me through.
--Erin Lokke, former star Bulldog competitor and graduate assistant coach
Malterud reflects on World English Championship title, 2021-22 season
May 21, 2022
Former standout competitor and graduate assistant Russell Malterud is a world champion. The native of North Branch, Minn., can make that claim after he rose to the top of the ‘A’ Class preliminaries and the super sporting competition at the 2022 World English Sporting Clays Championship held at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas, April 19-24. Malterud also placed in the top 25 high overall in his class while going up against many of the best shooters from all over the world.
The World English Championship first began in the United Kingdom and alternates host sites between the UK and the United States every other year. The tournament features a 200-target main sporting clays event, along with 100-target old-style FITASC, Super Sporting, NSCA 5-Stand, and various other side events, including sub-gauge and sub-gauge FITASC. Malterud went into the event believing he belonged.
Said Malterud, “I definitely knew going in that I had a chance to win at least one event. Finishing top 25 is not something that shocked me, but it was a good event in terms of a measuring stick. Now I know how close I am to being all the way at the top. I have those last few targets to pick up to finish at the top of the world.”
Malterud shot 86/100 in the prelims and then 92/100 in super sporting while winning the A Class World English Championship. Malterud’s 92 was five targets better than the second-place finisher. It was an improvement over his total of 91 in super sporting at the same National Shooting Complex about a month earlier at the 2022 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships. Malterud was joined at the World English Championships by former Concordia teammate Colten Uitermarkt. This was a continuation of success by Bulldog marksmen on the national and world stages.
Though Malterud has finished his time as an athlete and coach at Concordia, he is confident the best is yet to come in terms of his competitive shooting career. He also has a desire to help the next wave of young shooters find their place within collegiate competition.
“I’m taking it one thing at a time,” Malterud said. “I’m coming off a big World Championship and I have a lot of momentum. I’ve got some big things lined up for clinics and coaching back home in Minnesota. I want to help develop kids for the collegiate level, something I wasn’t prepared to do. There are a lot of kids who participate in trap in high school and very few make it to the collegiate level. There’s a big disconnect there. I want people to have the experience and opportunities that I’ve had. Growing the sport is important to me. I’ll also continue my own career and hope to gain some more partnerships and build more relationships. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some really amazing people.”
Malterud also navigated challenges that were decidedly unique this past 2021-22 academic year. He took on increased coaching responsibilities after Concordia Head Coach Scott Moniot passed away in November 2021. The Concordia Athletic Department pooled additional resources and emotional support into the program to help the team continue through the second semester of competition. Malterud says the team came closer together while aspiring to make beloved Coach Moniot proud.
“Nobody could just step in and be Scott and everything that Scott was,” Malterud said. “I knew I had to not just help everyone developmentally, but it was more important that we could keep the family together. That was something Scott was big on. He brought us together as a team and that’s how we were able to get through it. It was hard for everyone coming back and doing what we did. It was especially hard for the senior class because all we knew was Scott and this program with Scott. Now we didn’t have him there after spending three-and-a-half years achieving everything we had. I knew we had to keep everyone’s heart in it. I told our team that no other team in the country has a spotlight shining more brightly on them than us. Everyone is looking at us to see how we would respond.”
As Malterud moves on and continues his own shooting career, he knows he’ll be forever impacted by what he experienced as a Bulldog. He will think of the things he learned from Moniot and the time spent with teammates on all of those weekend college shoots. As he continues to attempt to elevate himself into the category of “Master Class,” Malterud is thankful for the time spent at Concordia. The relationships will always stand out as Malterud looks ahead to the North Central Regionals and future national and international competitions.
Said Malterud, “I loved all my teammates. It changed to a different sort of relationship as I stepped into a new role this spring. It forced me to grow as a person. You can’t put a price on that. There are some amazing stories and relationships I’ve built with these people.”