In a dominant showing at the 2025 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) National Championships
in Marengo, Ohio, the Jacksonville University Sporting Clays, Skeet and Trap Team
secured its 42nd national championship. The seven title wins in the span of a week,
including the overall team score, further cement JU’s reputation as one of the top
collegiate clay target programs in the country. 
The Dolphins’ victories came against a field of more than 3,200 high school and collegiate athletes competing in over 9,600 entries across nine events. Head Coach and Executive Director David Dobson, who founded the team in 2009, called the win a reflection of relentless preparation and unwavering resolve.
“Winning at any level is rewarding, but to see our student-athletes rise to the occasion at the national level is something special,” Dobson said. “They train tirelessly. Most shoot more than 21,000 targets a year. That kind of effort, week in and week out, is what sets this team apart.”
Dobson brings more than three decades of experience as an elite-level instructor and competitor. He is the only person in the country to hold Level III certifications from both the NSCA and NSSA, as well as the Paragon Master Instructor distinction. He has earned multiple state and national titles in sporting clays, F.I.T.A.S.C., and American skeet and trap. Dobson also serves as an adjunct professor in the Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences.
Shane Gillis, a senior electrical engineering major and team captain, won an individual skeet national championship and was a contributing member for each national title-winning squad. “Winning a national championship is honestly hard to put into words. There’s this rush of relief, disbelief and gratitude all at once,” said Gillis. “As an individual, there's a huge sense of validation, of both your efforts and that of your abilities, but being part of a team that wins makes it even more special.”
In addition to performance and championship pedigree, what makes the team stand out is how it operates. Dobson runs the program as a mentor-based business model, with student-athletes actively engaged in budgeting, planning and decision-making. “We have exceptional young men and women on this team who will become the leaders of tomorrow, and they will do the right things when challenged and never back away from adversity,” Dobson said.
After graduating this past spring with his MBA, Brooks Wiley transitioned from competitor to coach on Dobson’s staff. “The absolute stand-out factor of the team is our culture. We are a family,” said Wiley. “We care about one another deeply, and Coach Dobson treats everyone on the team like his own kids.”
Jacksonville University’s seven recent national championships add another chapter to a legacy of sustained excellence with promising growth on the horizon. This fall, the team will boast 87 student-athletes, including 27 incoming freshmen.
