Submitted photo: Iowa Central brought home two silvers and two bronzes this past weekend at the ICCAC sports shooting championships. The Tritons were also conference champs and Western Division champs in the sporting clays competition.

Jessica Gunderson has big dreams for the Iowa Central sports shooting program.

The Tritons have produced another successful fall of competition, posting a 3-2 record in trap shooting, 1-1 in skeet and 3-0 in sporting clays. At the ICCAC championships this past weekend in Ackley and Waukee, Gunderson’s team secured a conference championship to flank its West Division title in sporting clays.

Nathan Swanson secured a silver medal in super sporting, and Iowa Central also took second in doubles trap (Aidan Hanson, Allen Brenner, Kaelan Smith, Hunter Winker and Swanson). The Tritons were third in trap singles (Hanson, Brenner, Swanson, Winker and Trevor Blauert) and super sporting (Andrew McDaniel, Brenner and Swanson).

“We’ve been pushing very hard this season to improve in all six disciplines,” said Gunderson, a former standout in the program herself. “We have added a handful of first-year student-athletes who are working hard to learn the new disciplines, and their effort – paired with the experience of our returners – has paid off.”

Grant Clark, a third-year team member, helped anchor the sporting clays group that earned gold. Gunderson also noted the efforts of freshman Ryder Keck and sophomore Jewell Ulrich.

“Eight athletes have been on different scorecards for us, with a handful more following right behind,” Gunderson noted.

The coach has the unique perspective of seeing just how much the program has grown since she was an active participant. Gunderson, who returned to Iowa Central to coach in 2022, will be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame on Nov. 1.

“This program would be unrecognizable to anyone who attended before 2021,” said Gunderson, a native of Kiron. “Iowa Central has invested in our practice facilities to add skeet and sporting clays. The season has expanded to include both the fall and spring semesters.

“This program and its student-athletes have the talent to win a high overall national championship. I can only hope to be a part of the coaching staff when that comes together.”

Last spring, the Tritons were third at the ACUI/SCTP National Championships in San Antonio. Iowa Central had six individual finishes of Top-5 or better.

Gunderson won the 2016 ACUI women’s national trap crown, along with the ACUI women’s regional trap gold and Iowa SCTP women’s state trap championship. In 2017, she captured first place at the Iowa SCTP, and went on to win the 2017 Iowa State Junior Olympic Trap title.