A team of 10 students from the Penn State Army ROTC came out on top of squads from 43 other northeastern schools in the regional Ranger Challenge Competition held on Oct. 24, near West Point, N.Y.
The Ranger Challenge Competition put teams to the test and included events covering physical fitness, U.S. weapons disassembly and assembly, land navigation, urban combat operations, one-rope bridge assembly and application, and first aid. The competition also included an exam on military knowledge and tactics and a 10-kilometer ruck march. The team with the best overall time was declared the winner. Penn State was followed by Seton Hall University in second place, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania in third.
The Penn State squad’s victory propels them to the historic Sandhurst Military Skills Competition, which has been held annually since 1967, where they will compete with squads from across the nation and around the world. This year’s competition will be held on April 16, 2011, at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Penn State’s team of cadets includes the following members:
David Graynor, senior in biology from Old Bridge, N.J.; Scott Kelly, junior in international politics from Bethel, Conn.; Genevieve Faust, junior in psychology from Plymouth, Wis.; Steve Peranteau, junior in wildlife and fisheries sciences from Peters Township, Pa.; John Kuderka, junior in landscape contracting from West Chester, Pa.; Michael Stein, junior in recreation park and tourism management from Williamsport, Pa.; Jacob Ahle, sophomore in economics from Marlton, N.J.; Alexander Buchanan, sophomore in bioengineering from Easton, Pa.; Kirill Zemlyanskiy, freshman in international politics, from Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Aaron Felling, freshman in mechanical engineering from Indianapolis, Ind.; and alternates Peter Banos, senior in civil engineering from Mountain Top, Pa., and Sunny Lee, senior in crime, law and justice from Philadelphia.