COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jul 21, 2026) – With two years remaining until the Olympic and Paralympic Games return to American soil in Los Angeles, USA Shooting’s 2026 National Championships demonstrated exactly what it takes to build a medal-winning team.
Held throughout May and June, the championships brought together Olympians, Paralympians, National Team members, collegiate standouts, and the nation’s top junior athletes to compete for national titles across rifle, pistol, and shotgun. More than a championship season, the events served as a benchmark for the athletes pursuing Team USA selection while showcasing the growing depth of American shooting sports.
“This season is proof our pipeline is deep, and it’s growing,” said USA Shooting CEO Kelly Reisdorf. “We saw three-year highs in participation across rifle, pistol, and shotgun, with some of the biggest gains coming from our women athletes. We also watched proven champions like Vincent Hancock and Samantha Simonton get pushed by a rising class of juniors who are closing the gap fast. That competitive pressure, top to bottom, is exactly what builds a team that wins in 2028.”
Throughout the season, Olympic veterans reaffirmed their place among the nation’s best while emerging athletes continued closing the gap. Every event carried significance as athletes battled not only for national titles but for momentum heading toward future National Team selections and international competition.
Rifle National Championships
Hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) in Anniston and Talladega, Alabama, the Rifle National Championships showcased excellence across Olympic and Paralympic rifle events.
Peter Fiori claimed the Men’s 10m Air Rifle National Championship while Griffin Lake earned the Junior National title. Isabella Baldwin won Women’s Air Rifle, and Elizabeth Probst captured the Junior Championship.
Lake added another national title in Men’s 50m Rifle Three Positions, while Braden Peiser earned Junior National Champion honors. Cecelia Ossi won Women’s 50m Rifle Three Positions, with Karlie Lynn taking the Junior title.
Para rifle competition featured standout performances across multiple classifications, highlighting the continued growth of the Paralympic program. Agapito Morales won the R1 Men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 title, while Taylor Farmer claimed the R2 Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 championship. Toai Nolan captured national titles in both R3 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 and R6 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1, while Benjamin Hays earned titles in R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2 and R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2. Jadon Nafzinger rounded out the Para Rifle champions with the R9 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH2 national title.
Pistol National Championships
Hosted by Hillsdale College at the new John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Center Nimrod Complex, Pistol Nationals featured Olympians, Paralympians, veterans, and rising talent competing for national titles.
Nick Mowrer captured the Men’s 10m Air Pistol National Championship while Mark Shen earned the Junior title. Suman Sanghera won Women’s Air Pistol, with Sophie Li earning Junior National Champion honors.
Olympian Keith Sanderson claimed the Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol title while junior standout Blaine Simpson earned the Junior Championship. Lisa Emmert Traciak captured the Women’s Sport Pistol national title as Eva Allan earned Junior National Champion honors.
YanXiao Gong led the para field, capturing titles in P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1, P3 25m Pistol SH1, and P4 50m Free Pistol SH1. Debra Freed earned the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 national title.
Shotgun National Championships
The season concluded in Hillsdale, Michigan, where many of America’s most accomplished shotgun athletes once again proved why the United States remains among the world’s elite shooting nations.
Olympian Vincent Hancock and Samantha Simonton claimed the Men’s and Women’s Skeet National Championships while Aidin Burns and Madalynn Schroder earned the junior titles.
In Trap, Rachel Tozier captured the Women’s National Championship and Derek Haldeman won the Men’s title. Taylor Dale and Max Hatfield were crowned Junior National Champions.
Beyond the podium, participation reflected encouraging momentum for the sport. Rifle Nationals welcomed 209 event entries and 122 unique competitors, the highest participation in three years. Pistol Nationals recorded 172 event entries and 121 athletes, also marking a three-year high, while Shotgun Nationals saw 230 qualification entries. Growth was seen across every discipline, including significant increases in Women’s Rifle, Women’s Trap, and both Men’s and Women’s Skeet.
As Team USA prepares for LA28, that increasing depth may be one of the program’s greatest strengths. Every new athlete entering the pipeline raises the level of competition, ensuring national champions continue earning their place against the strongest competitors in the country.
USA Shooting extends its sincere appreciation to our partnered organizations whose continued support helps grow Olympic and Paralympic shooting sports across the United States.
A special thank you to the Civilian Marksmanship Program for hosting Rifle Nationals and Hillsdale College for hosting both the Pistol and Shotgun National Championships. Their continued partnership provides elite venues that help prepare athletes for success on the international stage.
Complete results from all National Championship events are available below.
Results
Shotgun National Championships – Hillsdale, Michigan
Skeet – May 16–20, 2026
Results
Trap – May 23–27, 2026
Results
Pistol National Championships – Hillsdale, Michigan
June 5–10, 2026
Results
Rifle National Championships – Anniston & Talladega, Alabama
June 6–11, 2026
USA Shooting Results
CMP Results
Stay Connected
Website | Events | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube | Flickr
About USA Shooting
USA Shooting, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit 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.
Read the full article here
