Student Places First in National Collegiate Skeet Shoot

Charles W. Zeigler, a second-year individual studies student at Pennsylvania College of Technology and a resident of McSherrystown, won the ACUI Intercollegiate National Championships in Olympic skeet at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas, on Friday. More than 250 shooters representing more than 24 colleges and universities participated in the five-day competition. The Association of College Unions International 38th Annual Clay tournament began Wednesday (April 5) and continued through Friday. The course of fire for the Olympic skeet event consisted of 100 targets in the qualification round then the top 6 shooters shot another final round of 25 targets which were added to the qualification score. Zeigler entered the final tied with two other shooters for third place with a score of 90 and proceeded to shoot a perfect 25 straight to give him the win by one target. The young shooter was filmed throughout the match by ESPN and interviewed after the win. He will be featured in an upcoming program. Zeigler's win earned him an appointment to the prestigious USA Shooting National Development Team. USA Shooting is the National Governing Body for all Olympic shooting sports. "Charlie is just starting his third year in Olympic skeet competition. This is a very big win for such a young shooter," said his coach, Lester L. "Bud" Greevy. "Many of the guys that he beat have a lot more experience especially overseas than he does, but Charlie really had his confidence and mental game working and he blew by all of them. He had his goals set and there was no way they were going to stop him." Zeigler said, "I came to shoot for the NDT appointment. That was my goal for the year. I would have four chances to achieve it and I got it the first time. I would like to thank my mental coach, Bob Palmer, and my nutrition and hydration coach, Phyllis Kernan. What they taught me really pulled me through a long hard day. I was strong and confident at the end when others were tired. That allowed me to shoot my best when it counted." Zeigler trains at the North Mountain Olympic bunker and skeet fields north of Williamsport, just off Route 220 near Muncy Valley.