By Brittany Nelson, USAS Public Relations & Communications Manager
HILLSDALE, MI (May 26, 2025) – The 2025 USA Shooting Skeet National Championship wrapped up with standout performances, as Hayden Stewart claimed the men’s champion title, Sam Simonton earned the women’s title, and the skeet team for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games was nominated.
The competition has held at John A. Halter Shooting Sports Center at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, May 21-25, where national, junior national, and world championship teams were named.
Stewart earned gold in men’s skeet after an exciting final, finishing ahead of Vincent Hancock, who took silver, and Dustan Taylor, who claimed bronze. A staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), Stewart holds three international medals and was an alternate for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games team. His performance at nationals also secured him a spot on the USA Shooting National Skeet Team.
Simonton captured gold in women’s skeet after a thrilling final, with Dania Vizzi earning silver and Amber English taking bronze. Simonton, the 2024 ISSF World Cup Final champion, is a Sgt. in the USAMU and has earned over 10 medals internationally. Simonton also earned her spot on the USA Shooting National Skeet Team.
The competition also served as the qualifier for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games. Gracie Hensley, Fayth Layne, Aidin Burns and Westley Kiter will be nominated to represent Team USA this August in Asunción, Paraguay. Held every four years, the Junior Pan American Games features athletes from across North, Central and South America.
Hensley and Burns also added to their accomplishments by earning titles as the 2025 USA Shooting Junior Skeet Champions. Hensley led a strong showing in junior women’s skeet, earning gold ahead of teammates Madeline Corbin, who took silver, and Karsyn Ross, who earned bronze. In junior men’s skeet, Burns captured the title with a standout performance, followed by Kiter with silver and Oscar Foxworth with bronze.
Medals were also awarded for the top three finishers in Men’s and Women’s under 18, under 15, collegiate, international, and senior categories. See all official results here. At the awards ceremony Conner Prince, Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist, was presented the Civilian Marksmanship Program Distinguished International Shooters Badge. The badge is the highest award for international marksmanship excellence. Conner is among only three USA Shooting athletes who earned the award in 2024.
The 2025 International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Championship team was also named. The following athletes will be competing this October in Greece:
Women’s Skeet: Dania Vizzi, Sam Simonton, Kimberly Rhode
Men’s Skeet: Vincent Hancock, Christian Elliott, Conner Prince
The following athletes were named to the national skeet teams:
Women’s Skeet
Men’s Skeet
Junior Women’s Skeet
Junior Men’s Skeet
Find photos from the competition here.
Trap nationals kick off May 28 at the John A. Halter Shooting Sports Center at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. USA Shooting is proud to have Hillsdale College as one of our great sponsors.
USA Shooting would like to thank a handful of sponsors and partners to include The NRA Foundation, Hillsdale College, The International Order of T. Roosevelt, The Hal & Jean Glassen Foundation, Safari Club International, MidwayUSA Foundation, White Flyer Targets, and Shoot the Moon.
About USA Shooting
USA Shooting, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation was chartered by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the Olympic & Paralympic Shooting Sports in April 1995. The organization develops and implements programs to promote growth in the sport and serves as a sanctioning body for local and national competitions. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, USA Shooting has a full-time staff dedicated to our sport.
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