Written by Stephanie Gordon
Kyle Luttig, ’17, grew up in small-town Fowler, Michigan. He began shooting American Trap through 4-H when he was just 12 years old. The sport came naturally for Kyle. He joined different shooting leagues throughout high school and eventually attended state and national competitions. His skills helped land him a spot on Hillsdale’s shotgun team as a freshman.
“I was recruited by former range master Bart Spieth,” said Kyle. “Once I learned more about Hillsdale and its core values, I knew Hillsdale was the place for me.”
Kyle came to Hillsdale as a two-time Michigan American Trap All-State team junior captain, a three-time Michigan American Trap state champion, and an AIM (the official youth program for Amateur Trapshooting Association) American Trap national champion.
The accounting major recalls several shotgun team memories, but his senior year nationals shoot was especially meaningful. “It was a tight competition going into the last event, and we all came together to pull off another championship for Hillsdale,” said Kyle. “It was a very special moment, as we were undefeated in all four years of my collegiate shooting career.”
Throughout his Hillsdale career, Kyle won several American Trap events, according to the Chargers Athletic Department. He had a solid performance at the ACUI Collegiate National Championship, averaging over 90 percent in all events. He was also a member of the five-man team that won the Michigan Fall Team Shoot. During his senior year, he led the team in American Trap at both the ACUI Midwest Conference Championship and the SCTP College Nationals with scores of 99 out of 100 and 198 out of 200, respectively.
Kyle explained that the team’s focus aided its success. “We were constantly pushing each other to make it to the next step,” Kyle said. “When a teammate was struggling, someone always stepped up and put up a solid score to carry the team.”
After graduation, Kyle took a step back from shooting to focus on his professional career. He entered the workforce right after graduation, working in public accounting, while earning his Certified Public Accountant license. He’s now a part-owner in a multinational logistics company where he serves as the chief financial officer.
“Hillsdale not only gave me my lovely wife, Katelyn (Bell), ’17, but it also gave me some of the best memories of my life,” said Kyle. “We had so many laughs and struggles both in school and in shooting, from practicing in -20 degree Michigan winters to writing papers on the bus or in a hotel room while at a shoot. We were such a tight-knit group. I am still friends with my past teammates, and I expect they will be my friends for the rest of my life, no matter where we all end up geographically.”
Both Kyle and Katelyn reside in Jackson, Michigan, and are expecting their first child in September 2024.
“Being able to celebrate so many national championships was unforgettable,” Kyle concluded. “Competing against schools three to five times the size of Hillsdale really put the College on the map for future shooters to further Hillsdale’s hand in the sport.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. When she has a spare moment, she enjoys paleo baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in July 2024
