She didn’t have a choice. By golly, Katie Welker was going to learn how to operate a shotgun. It’s just what you do when you grow up on a ranch in rural Hamill, South Dakota, a town so small that its population was recorded as 14 (!) at the 2020 census. That’s just fine with the Welkers, who have plenty of space to raise cattle and grow wheat, corn, soybeans and alfalfa.
It’s amidst this backdrop that Welker began honing her marksmanship. Little did she know that it would lead to a college scholarship and to her becoming one of the top competitors nationally on the collegiate scene.
Frankly, Welker is quite happy it worked out this way. Says the senior Biology major, “I was going to end up doing it whether I wanted to or not. We live out on an acreage where we farm and ranch, so I could go out and shoot whenever I wanted. I tried it out and ended up loving it. I decided to keep going with it.”
A graduate of Colome High School, Welker learned that collegiate competitive shooting might be an option for her during the summer that followed her junior year. The superintendent at the high school mentioned that some colleges offer scholarships for their shooting teams. Now on year four of her college career as a member of the Concordia University, Nebraska Shooting Sports teams, Welker is crushing it – or crushing targets, one might say. This fall saw Welker claim the first two high overall (HOA) championships of her career.
All those days on the range have paid off. The results this season have included not only the women’s HOA titles (at the Midland Invite and Southeast Community College Invite) but also two separate perfect 100s in trap, an HOA runner up claim at the Prairie Circuit Conference Championships and another all-conference award. This comes after she earned a national championships third place medal last season for women’s open trap.
Said Welker in reacting to her scintillating fall season, “I’ve had my first two HOA wins this year, which was awesome. It’s definitely a highlight of the year so far – that and running a couple 100s in trap. At the very last shoot – missing the first target out on trap and then running the back 99 is probably the worst way you could shoot a 99 in trap. I’m very thankful to have the success I’ve had. I put in a lot of work for it. I’m just glad it’s happening my senior year.”
In diving into the world of competitive shooting, Welker took after her father Dewayne and older brothers Chris, Nolan and Logan. The family (including mother Laura) has lived a life of ranching, hunting and absorbing all there is to do outdoors. Dewayne used to shoot skeet in Oklahoma and passed down his love for the sport. Katie says that her parents have managed to miss only three of her collegiate shoots while balancing the demands of the ranch.
Just like how learning to use a gun was a given, the chore of supporting the family’s livelihood was another nonnegotiable for the Welker children. Katie happily obliged.
“It was awesome,” Katie said. “I was lucky to be able to grow up living that life and be able to see the work that goes into putting food on the table and doing the nitty gritty stuff. I love it. I’ve been helping since I was able to. I enjoy going back in the summers to help with cattle and the farming. It didn’t matter how old you were. If you were able to walk, you had to go help. I loved it though. I wouldn’t complain.”
Added Welker, “We’re all big hunters. I got to watch them hunt. We have a pheasant hunting business, so I’d always go out with them and help the hunters. I was the bird dog to start. Eventually, I picked up my own gun and started to do it as well.”
Though the farm life can be consuming, Katie made time for extracurriculars like shooting, volleyball and basketball. She was also active in 4-H. In the summer that followed her senior year of high school, Katie competed at high school nationals, 4-H nationals and high school rodeo nationals for trap. It was a dizzying monthlong venture before heading off to Concordia, a roughly four-and-a-half-hour drive from the family farm.
When Katie began looking for colleges that sponsored shooting sports programs, she soon found out about Concordia, which was then led by Head Coach Scott Moniot. Before Moniot passed away in November 2021, Welker visited the campus and signed on the dotted line, pledging her commitment to become a Bulldog. She remained committed when Dylan Owens was announced as the new head coach. Owens has enjoyed the opportunity to coach Welker over the past four years.
Said Coach Owens, “Katie has shown what talent, and hard work can accomplish together. She was a great trap shooter when she came here as a freshman and through dedication to practice and refusing to settle for good enough, she is now an all-around competitor. With her focus remaining on daily improvement, I am excited to see her finish out the year strong.”
As a freshman, Welker shot 99/100 at the 2023 NCSSAA National Championships and was named an All-American. It was just the start. Eventually, the HOA titles would come. Said Welker, “It was something I’ve been chasing for a long time. There are a couple good female shooters from Midland and a couple from Fort Hays that I’ve been chasing since I was a freshman. When I saw the score come in (at the Midland Invite), I went running to my dad and was like, ‘I beat her.’ It was just a great feeling to finally have that title, something I’ve worked so hard for.”
With the dynamics of collegiate shooting (which is not governed by the NAIA or NCAA), some athletes compete for five or even six seasons. This will be Welker’s fourth and final one at Concordia, though she may continue elsewhere as she pursues her dream of becoming a radiology technologist.
“I still want to continue shooting,” Welker said. “I’m looking at a few that have a team where I still could compete. If not, I would still do it on the side because it’s something I can do until I’m old and can’t walk anymore. I want to keep doing it. Eventually, the Olympics is the ultimate goal. Maybe one day I’ll get there. At the very least, I want to keep doing ATA and NSCA shoots.”
Before then, Welker will have one last collegiate national championship wearing the Bulldog vest. The ACUI National Championships will take place in March 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Welker says she simply wants to make the most of it.
On that stage in San Antonio, it’ll be another chance for the Welkers to bond over a shared passion. Hundreds of miles away from the ranch, Katie will feel at home, cracking targets, just like home. All the while, she’ll feel that familial support.
“I’m very thankful that they take the time to do it because with a farm and ranch, there’s a lot of stuff that needs to get done,” Welker said. “They sacrifice their time to come and support me. My oldest brother, who lives at home, also sacrifices a lot to make sure everything is going smoothly at home so they can come and support me. This is my senior year, so they want to be at everything. I really appreciate all they’ve done for me.”