{"id":27123,"date":"2019-04-09T16:56:24","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T21:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.discoverclarksville.com\/articles\/?p=27123"},"modified":"2019-04-09T16:56:24","modified_gmt":"2019-04-09T21:56:24","slug":"austin-peay-state-university-ranger-challenge-cadets-finish-first-among-rotc-teams-in-sandhurst-relay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discoverclarksville.com\/articles\/2019\/04\/09\/austin-peay-state-university-ranger-challenge-cadets-finish-first-among-rotc-teams-in-sandhurst-relay\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin Peay State University Ranger Challenge cadets finish first among ROTC teams in Sandhurst relay"},"content":{"rendered":"

Austin Peay State University (APSU)<\/h2>\n

\"AustinClarksville, TN<\/strong> – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) ROTC Ranger Challenge team arrived in West Point, New York, on Sunday, April 7th, 2019 ready to compete in its first-ever Sandhurst competition.<\/p>\n

And by Monday night, the team already claimed a top spot at the starting line.<\/p>\n

\"Austin<\/a>

Austin Peay State University cadet Thomas Porter runs during the relay at West Point, New York. (APSU)<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

The 49 teams who qualified for the Sandhurst competed in a three-person relay Monday afternoon to determine the starting order of the main April 12th-13th competition.<\/p>\n

Austin Peay\u2019s cadets finished sixth overall and first among the 16 ROTC teams in the competition. Cadets Wesley Gray, Thomas Porter and Brendan Dickinson represented APSU in the relay.<\/p>\n

The team already was motivated. Now, the cadets are proving they can compete.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re pretty motivated, and they think they\u2019re going to do really well, and I do too,\u201d Keith Colman, the team\u2019s coach, said. \u201cThey\u2019re real strong. They\u2019ve been training hard for three months now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prestigious Competition Starts On Friday<\/h3>\n
\"Austin<\/a>

Austin Peay State University ROTC cadet Kylie Head smiles as she and her teammates propel a Zodiac boat at Liberty Park in Clarksville. (Benny Little, APSU)<\/p><\/div>\n

The Sandhurst competition will put teams from throughout the world \u201cto the ultimate test of endurance, leadership and military skills as they compete to earn the title,\u201d according to an Army news release.<\/p>\n

Austin Peay\u2019s team also will train Tuesday and Wednesday at West Point\u2019s obstacle course and shooting ranges and get a chance to practice on Zodiac boats, which the team isn\u2019t new to.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe took advantage of our opportunity being near Fort Campbell to get a Zodiac to get in some practice prior to getting to West Point,\u201d Colman said.<\/p>\n

[320left]Cadets also are taking part in the Modern War Institute\u2019s Sandhurst Conference in the days leading up to the competition.<\/p>\n

APSU team captain Steven Price will receive a briefing about the competition Thursday night, and the competition starts 6:30am EDT Friday. The competition stretches through the night and ends Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

The challenge requires 11-person teams \u2013 nine competitors and two alternates \u2013 to carry a minimum of 35 pounds throughout the course, which likely will surpass last year\u2019s 28-mile route.<\/p>\n

Austin Peay faces tough competition. Last year\u2019s top five finishing teams return this year: the Air Force Academy team (which claimed the title), the Royal Military College-Canada, Sandhurst Red, University of North Georgia and West Point Gold.<\/p>\n

APSU\u2019S Cadets At Sandhurst<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>

The Austin Peay State University Ranger Challenge team poses for a group photo at West Point, New York. (Brian Dunn, APSU)<\/p><\/div>\n

Team captain Steven Price, assistant captain Daniel Cole, Brandon Hagens, Brendan Dickinson, Kylie Head, Walter Higbee, Christina Taylor, Wesley Gray, Thomas Porter, Paul Kearney and Thomas Rose are the 11 Ranger Challenge cadets competing at West Point.<\/p>\n

Who’s Competing?
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Austin Peay is one of 49 teams competing this year.<\/p>\n