OSU ROTC team wins competition

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Oklahoma State University ROTC female team members (front row, left to right) Cathy Terrell, Emily Bonner, Magen Duncan, (back row, left to right) Sharon Dennison, Alicia Howell, Korrie Powell, not pictured Kelsea Schultz placed first place overall in the annual Ranger Challenge Competition held recently at Camp Gruber near Muskogee. The competition included eight other schools from Oklahoma and Arkansas. The OSU male team placed third overall.

The Oklahoma State University ROTC female team won first place overall in the annual Ranger Challenge Competition held recently at Camp Gruber near Muskogee. The OSU male team placed third overall. The competition included eight other schools (21 teams) from Oklahoma and Arkansas.

“The Ranger Challenge is ROTC’s ‘varsity sport’ and a great learning event that helps push cadets places they didn’t know they could go,” said Lieutenant Colonel William Beck, team adviser. “We’re especially proud of these cadets, whose hard training prepared them to win and build on OSU’s history for fielding excellent teams.”

The competition offers events to challenge physical and mental capabilities, including a fitness test, 10-K road march/run, first-aid obstacle course, hand grenade assault course, patrolling test, marksmanship, timed event for M-16 assembly and disassembly, one-rope bridge, and land navigation course.

Members of the winning team included Emily Bonner, a junior, majoring in health education from Eureka Springs, Ark.; Alicia Howell, junior, university studies, Bartlesville; Magen Duncan, junior, international business, Sand Springs; Sharon Dennison, senior, animal science, pre-vet, Blanchard; Cathy Terrell, senior, human resource management, Biloxi, Miss.; Kelsea Schultz, junior, athletic training, Pond Creek; and Korrie Powell, sophomore, engineering, Seminole.

Male team members included Zach Owens, senior, finance, Owasso; Ed Echohawk, masters candidate, political science, Pawnee; Tyler Oliphant, senior, political science, Bixby; Matt Supan, sophomore, mathematics (Air Force cadet), Richardson, Tx.; Kyle Smith, sophomore, education, Tonkawa; Matt Dunkleburger, junior, business, Tulsa; and Chase Hardin, senior, engineering, Ft. Gibson.

The OSU teams competed against teams from Oklahoma, Central Oklahoma, Cameron, Arkansas, Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Central Arkansas, and Arkansas Tech.

In addition to the Ranger Challenge Competition in the fall, ROTC cadets also participate in the Best Ranger Competition in the spring, but in pairs instead of teams.