Local spotlight: Sutter shooter signs with Upper Iowa U.

Dec. 9—Sutter Union High shooter Cloey Carrier signed a national letter of intent to NCAA Division II Upper Iowa University last week at Sutter Union High School amid friends, family and colleagues.

Carrier has shown an interest in law enforcement and worked as a cadet at the Sutter County Sheriff's Office during her prep career, according to Sutter Union Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clay and Olympic Bunker Team Coach Dave Samson.

Carrier's work with SCSO helped developed a relationship with Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Barnes, who attended the ceremony, Samson said.

Samson said Carrier had several offers for universities to attend, but ultimately it was the academics at Upper Iowa that won Carrier over.

"She spent a week at the campus and shooting with their shotgun shooting team at the range," Samson said. "She was impressed with their scholastic program, shooting program and felt right at home there."

Carrier will compete for a spot on the coed shotgun sports team at Upper Iowa in the fall, according to the listing on the university's website.

Samson said shooting scholarships have become severely limited since the passing of Assembly Bill 2571, which prevents colleges from reaching out to athletes in California.

But thanks to the vigilance of Carrier and her family, the Sutter student-athlete was able to find a higher level of education to continue her academic and athletic career.

Samson said if it wasn't for new language added to the bill, Sutter's shooting program would cease to exist today.

Samson added that revisions made to the bill permitted Sutter to resume both its shooting programs, in limited fashion, and allow the program to host events once again.