Ryann Phillips will represent Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. She qualified for the U.S. Trap Shooting Olympic Team.
"It's incredible," Phillips said. "I never really expected to have this much support from a college because I kind of thought it would be more of a background thing."
Phillips has found an extended family at the Island University. She was raised in the small West Texas town of Gail near Lubbock.
"People are excited, but still it kind of just makes me excited that I came here because I almost didn't come to school here," Phillips said.
The 20-year-old is one of the best trap shooters in the nation. She competed against 50 other women, earning one of two spots on Team USA for a trip to Paris. A sport she started training for in third grade.
"Kind of surreal," Phillips said. "My mom and my coaches in 4-H back when I first started swore I was not coming back the next year because I hated it, and it was just because I was so small. I didn't really understand what was happening. As my mom has put it I came back with a vengeance, and I just decided I'm going to do this."
This will not be Phillips first trip to Paris. She finished third in the Grand Prix last summer.
"It's never going to be the same, but sometimes you get some fast moving targets that are going off to the side and it's always so satisfying to hit those."
Phillips leaves for Paris on July 20, 6 days before opening ceremonies. Then the games begin on July 30. For now, it's about enjoying the moment.
"I'm so excited that everybody else is excited you know," Phillips said. "Like this is an amazing opportunity and I'm so glad I get to share it with a whole bunch of other people.
