WPU Starts Year with Win at Coe Invite

Riverside--The Statesmen shotgun sports team opened its 2025-2026 campaign with a victory at the Coe Invitational Saturday.

William Penn was first out three teams with a score of 917-for-1,000.  The event featured 200 Sporting Clays targets for each competitor.

Connor Gittings (Sr., Kansas City, Mo., Biology) paced the navy and gold in second place overall at 188-for-200, just two shots out of the High Overall Athlete position.  He missed only one target in the morning session.

Cole Henning (Jr., Wilton, Iowa, Industrial Technology) was next in third at 185-for-200, while Wyatt Kresser (Jr., Independence, Iowa, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management) and Trenton Giese (So., Muskego, Wis., Mechanical Engineering) tied for fourth at 182-for-200.  The duo of Ian Darragh (Fr., Eagle, Idaho, Business Management) and Brandon Nord (Sr., Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., New Media) also scored for the Statesmen at 180-for-200.

Karla Priebe (Fr., Wichita Falls, Texas, Industrial Technology) paced the ladies standings, winning the HOA honor at 176-for-200.  Giese and Emily Sjoberg (So., Citrus Heights, Calif., Undecided) tied for third (173), while Angie Wolfert (Sr., Waterford, Wis., Nursing) was fifth (171).

"I am extremely proud of how the team performed," Head Coach Colten Uitermarkt said.  "The leaders have been doing an amazing job of getting our large freshman class assimilated.  I saw plenty we need to work on, but for the first competition, I could not be happier with the foundation that everyone has.  With some hard work and fine tuning, the sky is the limit for this roster."

Next Up: William Penn travels to Waukee Saturday and Sunday to compete in the Simpson Invitational.