SRU Army ROTC places third at Ranger Challenge

Nov. 5, 2021

Cadets from Slippery Rock University's Army ROTC program placed third out of 42 teams at a recent Ranger Challenge at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. SRU's Frontier Battalion competed against other ROTC battalions from nine states in the Northeast that comprise the U.S. Army Cadet Command's 2nd Brigade.

Competitors were scored on various military skills on a non-tactical course, including a rope bridge, 10-kilometer ruck march and weapons assembly. By competing in the event, the cadets helped improve their scores on the National Order of Merit List, which is used to place cadets in the U.S. Army school of their choice after they graduate, such as Airborne Training, Air Assault Training, internships programs and other positions with active units.

SRU students who competed included:

• Nathan Marchand (team co-captain), a senior management major from Hermitage.
• Ryan Davis (team co-captain), a junior safety management major from Harrisville.
• Paul Budi, a sophomore homeland security major from Medina, Ohio.
• Andrew Gaudish, a graduate student majoring in criminal justice from Slippery Rock.
• Reese Johnson, a junior safety management major from Bradford.
• Reese Larson, a sophomore homeland security major from Saegertown.
• Nathan Morgan, a senior safety management major from New Columbia.
• Ryan Sproat, a sophomore homeland security major from Prospect.
• Victoria Stachelrodt, a senior dance major from Franklin.
• Blake Weary, a sophomore homeland security major from Mechanicsburg.

Nick Wile, a freshman criminology and criminal justice major from Greensburg.