After ending her collegiate career ranked among the top female clay target shooters in the United States, Neesa DaCosta returned home and added a national title to her growing list of achievements.
DaCosta was crowned E Class national champion at the 2026 Jamaica Skeet Club National Sporting Clays Championship at Worthy Park in St. Catherine. She hit 136 targets during the demanding 200-bird competition, winning her class and earning promotion to D Class.
The victory came shortly after DaCosta finished the academic year ranked fourth among female collegiate clay target shooters in the United States. Competing for Jacksonville University in Florida on a full athletic scholarship, she finished less than one point behind the third-ranked athlete.
A National Title on Jamaican Soil
DaCosta competed against more than 150 shooters during the two-day National Sporting Clays Championship, one of four events on Jamaica’s National Shotgun Championship calendar.
Competitors faced 200 targets amid challenging conditions that included intense heat, high winds and rain. DaCosta finished with 136 targets to claim the E Class national title and earn promotion to D Class.
The championship marked an important homecoming for DaCosta, who developed her shooting skills at the Jamaica Skeet Club before moving to the United States.
Her victory came during a historic championship in which Aliana McMaster became the first woman to finish as the highest overall winner of the 200-bird event.
Ranked Among America’s Top Collegiate Shooters
DaCosta represented Jacksonville University in skeet, trap and sporting clays throughout her college career. Her fourth-place national ranking placed her among the leading female collegiate clay target shooters in the United States.
She also earned selection to the 2026 National Skeet Shooting Association-Scholastic Clay Target Program All-America Team after completing her final collegiate season.
In 2025, DaCosta claimed the Florida Collegiate Lady Champion titles in skeet, trap and sporting clays at the Scholastic Clay Target Program Florida State Championships.
She was also named Women’s High Overall runner-up at the 2025 Spring Southeast Collegiate Regional Championships after winning the women’s skeet title and placing second in sporting clays.
At the 2025 ACUI Fall Lower East Coast Championships, she finished third in Women’s High Overall, Women’s Sporting Clays and Women’s American Trap. Those results helped strengthen her national ranking heading into the end of the academic year.
Success Inside and Outside the Classroom
DaCosta arrived at Jacksonville University in 2020 on a full athletic scholarship, pursuing a double major in Business Management and Marketing while competing for the university’s shooting team.
After completing her undergraduate degree, she was recognised as one of the top 25 students in the university’s Davis College of Business and Technology.
She continued her studies and graduated with a Master of Business Administration in 2026, earning recognition as a Distinguished Graduate Business Scholar.
Reflecting on her six years at Jacksonville University, DaCosta wrote in an Instagram post that the institution gave her far more than two degrees.
“I’m so grateful for my coach, my team, and the past six years of memories, lessons and friendships that shaped such a big part of my life. JU gave me so much more than two degrees, and I’ll always be thankful for this chapter of my life.”
Throughout those years, she balanced academics and competition with leadership, coaching and mentorship roles within the university’s shooting programme.
Leadership and Development Beyond Competition
During her sophomore year, DaCosta was elected board secretary of the Jacksonville University shooting team. She later became Chief of Staff and Chief Graduate Assistant, helping with team operations and athlete development.
After earning her National Sporting Clays Association Level 1 Instructor Certification, she joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach. In that role, she worked with university team members and junior athletes from Jacksonville-area high schools, teaching shooting techniques and firearm safety.
She also volunteered with Jacksonville Clay Target Sports through its Shooting Stars programme, supporting female shooters from the club and surrounding community. Her service earned her the Head Coach’s Award every year from 2020 through 2026.
DaCosta’s development received another boost in 2025 when Cole Fine Guns and Gunsmithing began sponsoring her. The partnership allowed her to compete with a custom-fitted Beretta 694 ACS shotgun with a 30-inch barrel.
The support coincided with several of the strongest performances of her collegiate career, including multiple regional podium finishes and her rise to fourth in the national rankings.
A Foundation Built in Jamaica
Before moving to the United States, DaCosta attended Hillel Academy in Jamaica. She developed her shooting skills at the Jamaica Skeet Club under the guidance of Khaleel Azan.
Her move to Jacksonville University allowed her to compete regularly at the collegiate level while continuing her education. Over six years, she developed into an accomplished athlete, student leader, coach and mentor.
Now, her E Class national title in Jamaica adds another achievement to a career that has already placed her among the leading female collegiate clay target shooters in the United States. With her promotion to D Class, DaCosta is entering the next stage of her competitive career while continuing to represent Jamaican talent in the sport.
