BLACKBURN COLLEGE NAMES 17-TIME ALL-AMERICAN AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COACH LAUREN DUNN TO LEAD NEW CLAY TARGET PROGRAM

CARLINVILLE, ILL. – Blackburn College is proud to announce the hiring of Lauren Dunn as the first head coach of its new co-ed clay target club sport. Dunn brings an extensive background in collegiate competition, coaching, and range management, along with a distinguished record of success at both the national and state levels.

A two-time national championship coach and 17-time All-American trap shooter, Dunn joins Blackburn after leading Lindenwood University's Shotgun Sports Team to back-to-back ACUI National Championships in 2024 and 2025. She also guided the program to its first Collegiate Clay Target League National Championship in 2024.

"Lauren is exactly the kind of leader we hoped to find for this program," said Kim Camara-Harvey, Director of Athletics. "She brings a wealth of experience, both coaching and competing at the highest levels- she truly understands what it takes to build a championship-caliber team. Her track record of excellence, combined with her commitment to mentoring student-athletes, makes her a perfect fit for Blackburn."

A 2015 graduate of Lindenwood University and five-time collegiate national champion, Dunn made history as the first woman to win the High All-Around title at the Grand American and was inducted into the Illinois State Trapshooters Association Hall of Fame in 2024.

"I'm thrilled to join Blackburn and help build this program from the ground up," Dunn said. "There's incredible momentum around clay target right now, and Blackburn's supportive community and unique Work Program make it a special place to learn, compete, and grow."

Dunn's experience includes serving as Executive Director of the World Shooting and Recreational Complex for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Executive Director of Range Management and Development for the National Collegiate Shooting Sports Athletic Association (NCSSAA). She also spent five years as General Manager of Brittany Shooting Park in Bunker Hill, Illinois.

Dunn will begin recruiting immediately, with the program set to begin competition in 2026.