NDSU Marksmanship Club members had an outstanding showing during pistol and rifle shooting competitions at the 2014 National Rifle Association National Collegiate Championships held in March at Fort Benning, Ga.
In the pistol competition, Alana Townsend, a sophomore majoring in agribusiness from Kalispell, Mont., received gold medals as national champion in Women’s Air Pistol and Open Air Pistol. She was named to the 2014 NRA First National Women’s Air Pistol All-American Team.
NDSU’s Women’s Air Pistol Team, comprised of Skye Fugere, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice from Moorhead, Minn., Macy Nelson, a sophomore majoring in nursing from Arthur, N.D., and Townsend, received a silver medal.
Other NDSU participants in the pistol competition included Steven Adams, a freshman majoring in university studies from Moorhead, Minn.; Caitlyn Fleahman, a sophomore majoring in pharmaceutical sciences from Bemidji, Minn.; Grant Johnson, a sophomore majoring in finance from Bemidji, Minn.; and Katrina Martinez, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice from Custer, S.D. They were selected based on scores at various matches, as well as their showing in NRA Sectional Championship Matches in January and February. The pistol teams’ coaches are Eric Pueppke and James Ladwig.
In the rifle competition, Brandon Godbout, a junior majoring in computer science from Casselton, N.D., received an individual gold medal as national champion in the small bore rifle competition.
The small bore rifle team, which includes Kyle Boster, a sophomore majoring in natural resources management from Halliday, N.D.; Jed Ellenberg, a junior majoring in electrical engineering from Perham, Minn.; Robert Nelson II, a senior majoring in biological sciences from Anoka, Minn., and Godbout, received a silver medal. The air rifle team of Anastacia Hermes, a senior majoring in emergency management from Kindred, N.D., Boster, Ellenberg and Godbout, took second place honors and Godbout earned a silver medal in the combined small-bore and air rifle aggregate. The combined teams also received a silver medal in the combined small-bore and air rifle aggregate.
Godbout was named to the 2014 NRA First National Club Small Bore All-American Team and the 2014 NRA First National Club Air Rifle All-American Team. Boster was named to the 2014 NRA Second National Club Small Bore All-American Team.
The NDSU Marksmanship Club rifle teams are coached by Mitchell Godbout and are members of the NCAA Western Intercollegiate Rifle Conference.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.