Two students from NDSU’s Army ROTC program won the co-ed division of a national military competition. NDSU student Sean Williams, a junior majoring in criminal justice from Fargo, and Concordia College student Abigail Peno, a freshman majoring in biology from North Branch, Minn., placed first out of 19 co-ed teams in the Best Ranger Buddy Team Competition on March 31 in Lawrence, Kan.
Cadets participated in nine events, starting at 5 a.m. with a 9.32-mile foot march with a 35-pound ruck sack. The next seven events, all physically demanding, tested knowledge of military tactics and skills. The final event was a 2.5-mile run through the woods.
“This is a huge win for the Bison Battalion and NDSU because this is the first time our battalion has won a title at this competition,” said Lt. Col. Santiago Bueno, professor of military science in NDSU’s Army ROTC program. “As one of the smaller programs in our brigade, we took 20 percent of our battalion to this competition. Our cadets trained six days a week for this competition and it really paid off.”
Of 94 male teams, NDSU students Mitch McGillick and Luke Daley placed fifth. Concordia student Robert Billings and NDSU student Caleb Hamilton placed 19th. Minnesota State University Moorhead students Brady Holte and Cody Holte placed 25th. Concordia student Ethan Glover and NDSU student Jason Dvorak placed 39th.
Concordia student Rachel Fitcha and NDSU student Katie Troxell as well as Concordia student April Kuck and NDSU student NiCoalle Landman were two out of 15 female teams to compete.
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