The Georgia Military College Rifle Team traveled to Kentucky and Tennessee this past weekend and participated in two rifle matches. Murray State hosted the 2017 Roger Withrow Invitational at the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range located on the campus. The match was conducted on the electronic range and hosted approximately 125 shooters from various colleges and clubs in the USA.
When the team arrived at the range on Friday afternoon, the University of Kentucky was on the firing line. Georgia Military College's team was excited to see one of GMC's prep alumni on the line. Jenna Bethea was a member of JROTC's rifle team and received the silver medal in 2012 for Georgia High School Association State competition. Jenna shot an outstanding 591 in air rifle and had a combined total score of 1165 as a member of UK's team.
The Withrow Invitational is named in honor of Roger Withrow from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mr. Withrow was a high school shooter in and attended Murray State on a scholarship. In 1978 Murray State took the NCAA championship and Withrow was a member of the team. He was not able to fulfill a dream of attending the 1979 Pan-Am Games due to a serious accident in the spring of 1979. At twenty six years of age he received a gold medal as a Paralympic shooter for the United States in air rifle prone shooting a world-record 397 out of 400. In 1980 he started the Wheelchair Shooting Federation and has been head coach for over thirty four years for the men and women Wounded Warriors of the five military services. He is also responsible for the Special Operations Command from Patton's Brigade to the Warriors of today. He coached the Team Army's shooting team for the 2015 DOD Warrior Games.
Georgia Military College Bulldog Rifle Team competed with ten NCAA Teams and many future college bound shooters. Colleges represented were: Murray State; Jacksonville State; University of Kentucky; Memphis University; North Carolina State; North Georgia; Ole Miss; University of Alabama-Birmingham and The University of UT Martin. Georgia Military College was represented by Tristian Swann's 545 in small bore and 554 in air rifle for a total of 1099. Emily Stefurak shot a 518 in small bore and a 554 in air rifle for a total of 1072. Her 554 was first for the team by one ten over Tristian. Ray Parker shot a 476 small bore and a 506 air rifle for a total combined score of 982. Jeffrey Glass shot a personal best in small bore with a 437 and air rifle 512 for a total of 949.
The team work up at five in the morning the next day and traveled to The University of Tennessee at Martin to shoot at the ROTC Building Rifle Range on the campus. GMC shot on the line with shooters from UT-Martin on their eight point range using paper targets. The shooters shoot small bore first followed by air rifle. In small bore Tristian Swann had a 518; Emily Stefurak a 509; Ray Parker a 475 and Jeffrey Glass 441. Their team total was 1943. The shooters then went into the air rifle event and Tristian Swann shot a score of 528; Emily Stefurak a 521; Ray Parker a 507 and Jeffrey Glass a 492. Their team total was a 2048 in air rifle. When the two team scores were combined they had a total team score of 3991.
The Bulldogs had a great experience competing this weekend with all the fabulous competitors from across the USA. Their coach, Mary Ellen Eaton, said this match will prepare them for the National Rifle Association Sectionals at the Citadel February 4, 2017 with Clemson University. The NRA Sectional determines who qualifies for the NRA National Collegiate Championship in March at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Georgia Military College ROTC team has the record for four consecutive wins the last four years at Nationals.