The North Georgia College & State University Shooting Sports Program is one of the most unusual and innovative programs in the country with its combination of military and intercollegiate competition teams. This program attracts quality recruits in a number of ways: it brings positive attention to the university and its military program from within the US Army, the competitive shooting community, and within college sports. A number of quality students and Cadets, have remarked that they specifically were attracted to the university because of the Shooting Sports Program. Check out the Shooting Sports current schedule and latest information on the North Georgia Athletics Web page.

The intercollegiate portion of the shooting program has a long and proud history, dating back to the founding of the university in 1873. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, marksmanship skills were highly prized and major competitions created excitement comparable to today’s football or baseball playoffs and championships.

Intercollegiate shooting competitions evolved during the middle and end of the twentieth century to utilize equipment and courses of fire mirroring those used in the Summer Olympic Games, World Championships, and World Cup competitions. Many of our country’s Olympians come from the collegiate ranks. Intercollegiate shooting teams from all parts of the country compete fiercely for conference and national honors.

Intercollegiate Shooting 

Beginning in the Fall of 2011, the shooting program hired the first full time coach in the history of the program.  Tori Kostecki, captain of the team for the previous four years, has taken on the challenge of returning the intercollegiate shooting program to its earlier prominence. Intercollegiate shooting programs are important to the university as a recruiting vehicle and as an opportunity to compete with the other senior military colleges and other top universities from around the country.

Coach Kostecki began shooting in JROTC at McEachern High School, by Sophomore year she had made the Varsity team and by Junior she began qualifying for national level matches.  At the collegiate level Coach Kostecki first attended North Carolina State University where she was again on the Varsity squad.  While here she qualified for the All-Conference team and finished third overall, along with several academic awards.  After a strong year at NC State, Kostecki decided to transfer the North Georgia, where she would finish her degree.  Kostecki’s merits while at NGCSU are many, including several National Championship invitations, making the All-Confrence team all four years as a competitor, winning numerous matches and awards, and culminating in a national championship title in her Senior year.

While competing with the team Kostecki also ran most of the team’s practices.  “Coach O’Connor gave everything he could to this team, but he was unable to spend as much time as necessary on-campus.” With this lack of leadership Kostecki stepped up and took charge of the team.  For the past three years, Kostecki has fulfilled nearly all of the duties of a full-time coach, all while also competing at a high level and maintaining a 4.0 GPA.  Under Kostecki’s tutelage the team’s average scores have raised significantly and the team’s final placing in the Southeastern Rifle Conference has gone up each year.

Kostecki graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2011 with a degree in Criminal Justice with a behavioral specialization and a minor in Psychology.

A Message from Coach Kostecki:   Rifle will have 10 matches this year against many strong schools including The Citadel, North Carolina State University, Clemson, Wofford, Memphis, Columbus State University, Mercer, and Georgia Military College. The team has a good core of returning athletes and will welcome several new recruits this Fall. We look forward to a great year and plan to move up once again in the league standings. We very much appreciate your support and assistance of the NGCSU intercollegiate shooting programs! Thanks, Tori

 Intercollegiate Rifle

The team competes in air rifle and smallbore (.22) rifle. Air rifle competitions are 60 shots in the standing position. Smallbore competitions consist of 20 shots each in prone, standing, and kneeling positions.

Joining The Team
The Intercollegiate Rifle team consists of students representing the undergraduate student body as a whole - male and female, cadet and civilian - all are eligible to try out for the teams. Rifle candidates should already have experience in formal target shooting. Potential team members or those interested in learning more about the teams are encouraged to contact Coach Kostecki very early in their college selection process.

Service Rifle & Pistol

In NRA Conventional High-power Rifle Competition, shooters compete with either a "service rifle" or a "match rifle." The service rifle category is generally limited to either the unmodified M1, M14, M16, or their commercial equivalents. Match rifles typically are of custom make, conforming to the desires of the shooter. They are freer of regulations than are the service rifles. All shooting, with the exception of limited long range events, are done only with metallic aperture, or peep, sights. Shooting consists of either "across the course" or "long range" matches. Shooters competing "across the course" are required to fire at distances of 200, 300, and 600 yards. In a typical Regional, or 800 point aggregate match, the course of fire is a total of 88 shots. Twenty record shots are fired in each stage, plus two sighting shots. Each shot is worth a maximum of ten points, with the entire match being worth a total of 800 points.

The Service Rifle & Pistol Team

The shooting sports program created a strong service rifle & service pistol program beginning in the Fall of 2003 with a generous contribution from the McClure family of Columbus, GA.  SFC Paul Johnson founded the team as directed by the former Professor of Military Science, COL Billy Wells.  The college is within 30 miles of River Bend Gun Club in Dawsonville, GA.  It is one of the most comprehensive, privately owned shooting complexes in the country.  Their high-power range enables the team to shoot sanctioned service rifle matches out to 600 yards.  We are one of only two collegiate service rifle teams in the country and are outfitted with some of the best shooting equipment that money can buy:

• Rock River Arms National Match AR-15’s
• Engagement Skills Trainer (EST 2000) loaded with the most up to date software and CGI for safe and realistic rifle marksmanship training
• DPMS .22 match practice upper receivers
• Indoor shooting facility, built to accommodate training with everything from air rifles to pistol cartridges
• Kowa 25 power spotter scopes with First Strike scope stands
• First Strike deluxe shooting carts
• Creedmore nylon shooting jackets
• Training and technical support from the Army Marksmanship Unit stationed at Ft. Benning, GA

In the Summer of 2005, SFC Eric Leid transferred from Camp Frank D. Merrill to North Georgia and took over as coach of the service rifle team.  Although relatively new to service rifle competition, he is a long time shooting enthusiast and action shooting competitor.  SFC Leid is an NRA Expert in service rifle competition and has earned Excellence in Competition rifle and pistol marksmanship badges.  He is the 2006 Ft. Benning Combat Pistol and Ft. Benning Rifle Open champion, team champion, placed 3rd in the 2005 All Army Small Arms (Novice category), and won the Secretary of the Army match with his combined rifle and pistol scores.

The 2006 shooting season has been the fruition of Mr. McClure’s vision.  With 9mm Berettas on loan from the Georgia National Guard, the Military Science Department handpicked a group of 22 Cadets for pistol competition training.  Four weeks of intense weekly practices paid off at the 2006 Ft. Benning Combat Pistol Matches in March of that year.  The Combat Pistol Team won 3 of the 4 events, taking 1st, 3rd and 4th in the Novice class and 1st place Overall.  The competition was against some of the Army’s best, such as Drill Sergeants from the basic training units, active National Guard and Reserve Soldiers, and even members of the Army’s elite Ranger Regiment, just to name a few. Two weeks later, the same team competed in the Ft. Benning Combat Rifle Matches.  The matches were comprised of events shooting from 100, 300 and 500 yards in a variety of positions with the standard M16A2 service rifle.  With minimal preparation, the team pulled off an impressive set of victories.  The NGCSU Rifle Team took 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the Novice Division.  They also took 1st and 3rd in the Team Competitions, and 3 students earned Excellence in Competition Badges.

 Program Emphasis

Emphasis is placed on learning skills and techniques, and on the life long journey of learning and training – not just as an athlete, but also as a person. That emphasis produces young athletes who are capable, competent and who enjoy their work. Additionally, it produces winning athletes and teams much more effectively and reliably than does a traditional focus on just “winning”.

It does not matter what the coach knows or has accomplished if the athletes are not engaged and motivated. While it is the coach’s job to create and maintain a positive environment of learning and excellence, it ultimately depends on the athletes themselves. The shooting sports program athletes are highly motivated and are excited at the prospects for 2011 and beyond.

Scholarships

Rifle Team members are eligible for Army ROTC Scholarships upon application. These scholarships are quite competitive and additional scholarships may be provided for exceptional Rifle Team prospects. To learn more about Army ROTC scholarships, click here.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) also provides 100 scholarships of 1,000 dollars each to students who are involved both in ROTC and marksmanship teams.  For more information about the CMP scholarship, click here.

Additionally, the Rifle Team reserves some private scholarships, which are allocated to the top shooters each year. These private scholarships are based on overall performance. For more information regarding these scholarships, contact the Cadet Admissions Office at 1-888-413-9366.

Bottom Line: There are few colleges that can provide the shooting opportunities available here at North Georgia. Our reputation is, and always has been, to produce outstanding teams, members, and leaders.

   

     

Competition Results

29 February 2012

Combat rifle team places first and pistol team second in Ft. Benning competitions 14-16 Feb 2012.  View the article.

11 November 2011

The Intercollegiate Rifle team takes second place at a recent match against the Citadel, Wofford College, Clemson, and Georgia Military College with NGCSU Cadet Matt Parsons scoring a new personal best. View the full article here.

15 April 2011

23 November 2010

The Intercollegiate Rifle team at North Georgia College & State University wrapped up its fall season by taking second place in a tournament earlier this month in Spartanburg, S.C. View the full article Here.

11 November 2010

Tori Kostecki, captain and coach of North Georgia College & State University's intercollegiate rifle team, took the top individual spot in an air rifle tournament last week. View the full article Here.

 30 September 2010

NGC Beats Clemson and GMC

18 March 2010

This Saturday, the NGCSU intercollegiate pistol team, ranked #1 in the nation in Division II and #7 against all divisions, competes in the Open (combined women's & men's) Air Pistol team championship. Representing NGCSU are pistol team captain Cheryl Roberts, Cadet Justin Beverly, rifle team captain (and pistol team member) Tori Kostecki, and Caitlin Cole.

22 March 2010

Cheryl Roberts turned in another strong performance, finishing in the top ten individually in this combined women's and men's event. Earlier in the week, she won the individual national championship in the Women's Air Pistol event, as previously reported.

19 February 2010

At the Fort Benning Pistol Championship, North Georgia's team won first place overall for individuals, the Commanders Trophy, and first place for teams. North Georgia had the only cadets at the match and competed against Regular Army units mainly from Ft. Benning and the area. This marks the fifth consecutive year that North Georgia's cadets have done this well at this championship. 

Click HERE  to read an article on one of the country's top shooters from North Georgia College

4 February 2010

The North Georgia combat shooting sports team went to Fort Benning, GA, to compete in the US Army Combat Pistol Championship; the team won almost every category shooting against active duty units.

From left to right: 

SGM Foster, Cadet Carlock, Cadet Larios, Cadet Adams, Cadet Guyton, LTC Moone

31 March 2009

(Article below was written by Denise Ray, "The Saint") 

Junior Cheryl Roberts of Douglas, Ga., was named All-American at the recent 2009 Intercollegiate Pistol National Championships. Roberts is the first NGCSU pistol athlete to earn the title. A founding member of the NGCSU Intercollegiate pistol team, which has ranked in the top 10 nationally since its inception two years ago, Roberts also coaches the team during weekly practices.

Balancing her 3.4 GPA and athleticism is "very, very hard," Roberts, who also is the team captain, said. "In order to get my training, I either stay late or arrive early for practice."  She is quick to add that "If it wasn't for God giving me the ability to shoot and for support of my family and boyfriend, I would not be an All-American athlete today."

Considered by coach JP O'Connor to be "a very tough competitor," Roberts was the only woman to make the final round in the Open Air competition at Collegiate Nationals. She has made the final round (top 8) in every Junior Olympic National Championship she has entered. "Cheryl's future in shooting is really a matter of the life, academic and career goals and choices she makes," O'Connor said. "Cheryl has a great deal of experience and understands how to train, so for her there are no limits."

Roberts will travel to Colorado Springs to the U.S. Olympic Training Center where she will compete in her final Junior Olympic Pistol National Championships. That venue is where Roberts spied an inspirational quote during her first trip there: "Success is a journey, not a destination.'"Said Roberts: "It is a quote I discovered through shooting, but one I apply to all areas of my life."

23 Mar 2009

While most students were away on spring break, the NGCSU Intercollegiate Pistol team spent last week at Fort Benning, GA competing in the 2009 Intercollegiate Pistol National Championships.

Only the top teams in the nation are invited, based on sectionals qualifying scores, and all schools compete in one division, regardless of size. All competitions are very demanding of the athletes, as they are identical to the events fired in the Olympic Games and World Championships. Other teams competing included United States Military Academy (West Point), United States Naval Academy (Annapolis), United States Coast Guard Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University, The Citadel, Texas A&M University, University of Utah, and others.NGCSU finishing among the top 10 teams in the nation for the second year in a row, both years of the team's existence.

In the Open (combined men's & women's) team events, NGCSU earned 9th place in the Open Air Pistol event, and 8th place in the nation in the challenging Open Standard Pistol event. NGCSU will round out its program with the addition of the very demanding Open Free Pistol event, the "King of Pistol events", this coming fall, and hopes to qualify in all three Open events next season.

In the Women's team events, NGCSU has not yet earned team invitations since only the top 5 women's teams are invited. The NGCSU women are ranked about 6th or 7th in the nation.

In the Individual Championship, two NGCSU team members earned invitations. Tori Kosteski (who is also Captain of our NCAA Rifle Team) earned an alternate selection in Women's Sport Pistol. Pistol team Captain Cheryl Roberts earned invitations in both the Women's and Open Air Pistol events.

In Women's Air Pistol, Cheryl entered the final round in the 8th and final place that advances. She fired a very strong final and moved up to place 5th in the nation.

Two days later, Cheryl fired a very strong qualification round in the Open Air Pistol event. She was the only female among the eight finalists and finished 5th in the nation among all competitors, including many National Development Team and National Team members.

NGCSU athletes competing at Fort Benning were Cheryl Roberts, Tori Kostecki, Mark Baldry, and Justin Beverly. The NGCSU Intercollegiate Pistol team is honored to be able to represent the university and looks forward to building upon their already considerable success these past two years since the team was started. The athletes very much appreciate your encouragement and support.

Please be sure to see my related email regarding Cheryl's selection as an All-American and her upcoming Junior Olympics Pistol National Championship competitions. 

11 March 2009

Two members of the NGCSU intercollegiate rifle team earned berths in the individual Olympic Final shoot-off during competition last weekend at the Southeastern Rifle League championships in Charleston, S.C.

Cadet Evan Bouchard, a freshman, and fellow cadet Caitlyn Wells, placed 7th and 8th, respectively, for the season to earn the berths in the shoot-off. In addition, the team received its awards for winning the team and individual gold medals at the Southeastern Collegiate Sectionals competition in February. Bouchard took the individual gold medal despite having only a few weeks of training after being away for military duty. Wells, also fresh off military duty, along with walk-on freshman Becca Bryan and junior Nick Anderson, combined to win the team event.

In the team standings, NGCSU finished fourth overall in a nine-team league, a dramatic improvement from two years ago when NGCSU was last. Strong championship performances by all four athletes, which included personal bests by Bryan and Wells, who finished 6th on the day, helped the team.

The rifle league also presents two individual awards and a team award for "Most Improved" over the season. Bryan earned the second most improved individual award and NGCSU earned the team award for most improved.

Next year's schedule includes hosting Columbus State University in its rifle team's first- ever competition, competing at Fort Benning against some of the best teams in the country and competing in a full schedule of small-bore matches.

Editor's note: JP O'Connor is involved in shooting as a competitor and is a former Assistant National Coach - USA Paralympics Shooting Team. He serves on the National Coach Development Staff in both rifle and pistol, coaches the NGCSU intercollegiate rifle and pistol teams, and coaches a junior club.

League Championship

  Left to right: Coach JP O'Connor, Becca Bryan,
Caitlyn Wells, Nick Anderson, Evan Bouchard, Tori Kostecki.

3 March 2009

The NGCSU Pistol Team swept the team and individual gold medals at the Southeastern Intercollegiate Sectionals competition. The team's performance also earned invitations to the 2009 NRA Intercollegiate Pistol National Championship. Collegiate shooting competitions in the United States are very challenging since they mirror the demanding Summer Olympics shooting events.

The team earned national championship invitations in Air Pistol and Standard (.22) Pistol, both of which are co-ed events. Team Captain Cheryl Roberts also earned individual invitations in Air Pistol and Women's Air pistol while Rifle Team Captain (and pistol team member) Tori Kostecki is an alternate for Women's Sport (.22) Pistol.

These invitations are the equivalent of an NCAA team earning an invitation to their NCAA championship. (NCAA sanctions Rifle - including NGCSU's NCAA Varsity Rifle team - but not Pistol. Thus, this is the equivalent of "making NCAAs!") The team has now earned nationals invitations in both years of the team's existence.

At the Southeastern Collegiate Sectionals, in addition to shooting the scores that resulted in the above invitations, NGCSU Pistol earned all 4 team gold medals and all 4 individual gold medals: Air Pistol, Standard Pistol, Women's Air Pistol, and Women's Sport Pistol. Individual awards earned: Cheryl Roberts won gold in Air and Women's Air and silver in Women's Sport, Tori Kostecki won gold in Women's Sport, and Mark Baldry won gold in Standard.

The team will travel to Fort Benning, Georgia during spring break to compete in the national championships hosted by the US Army Marksmanship Unit. They will be competing with teams such as United States Military Academy (West Point), United States Naval Academy (Annapolis), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio State, Citadel, Texas A&M, the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine academies, and others. Only the top 10 teams are invited in the co-ed events and only the top 5 teams in the women's events.

In separate competitions, Cheryl Roberts also earned invitations to the National Junior Olympics held at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in April. This is her 4th consecutive year to be so honored. For the past 3 years, NGCSU coach JP O'Connor, a National Development Coach for both rifle and pistol, was invited to run the instructional clinics at the National Junior Olympics.

We are most appreciative of your continued interest in and support of the NGCSU Intercollegiate Rifle and Pistol teams and proud to represent NGCSU!

From left to right:

Coach JP O'Connor, David Jones, Anneke Strickland, Justin Beverly,

Cheryl Roberts, Harrison Ulmer, Kaitlin Kleinsteuber, Tori Kostecki, Mark Baldry.

10 Mar 2008

Novice Class champion:
Cadet Michael Smolucha NGCSU-ROTC
Awarded a CMP presentation grade M1 Garand

1st Place Cadet:
Cadet Michael Smolucha NGCSU-ROTC
Awarded a $2,000 CMP scholarship

Cadet Michael Smolucha wins Fort Benning Rifle Championship

23 Feb 2008

1st Place Novice
1st Place Open
1st Place Overall
1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Teams

From left to right:

Christopher Lee, Michael Smolucha, Henry Markham, Ben Lynde.

COME TO NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE WEEKEND!