Texas A&M Cadets Win Sandhurst Trophy For Second Straight Year
Texas A&M University’s Army ROTC program recently claimed first place among ROTC teams in the 55th Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.
It is the second straight year the Texas A&M team won the ROTC Cup following the two-day competition of 48 teams from service academies, ROTC programs and international militaries.
“I am so proud of the Aggies for coming out here and giving it their all,” said Maj. Gen. Antonio Munera, commanding general of U.S. Army Cadet Command. “The team’s performance on the international stage demonstrates their commitment to leadership excellence.”
This year’s team, which is part of Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets, is led by Nicholas Nolan ’24, an English major from Kingwood, Texas.
“Cadet Nolan is simultaneously one of the most gregarious, uplifting people you could be around while still keeping people focused and on task,” said Army Maj. Russell Huebner, who serves as the team’s coach and assistant professor of military science at Texas A&M. “He draws the best out of the team when it comes to their work ethic and dedication, and you meet very few young men like him these days.”
Teams qualified for the championship event through regional Ranger Challenge competitions open to Army ROTC programs around the nation. The West Point competition, which was held April 26-27, tested the cadets through fitness events, long-distance movements over rough terrain, small boat movements, and marksmanship and medical skill challenges, among other tasks.
In addition to winning the ROTC Cup, the Texas A&M team placed fourth in the overall international competition for the second year in a row.
“What got us here was consistency in our training plan and a lot of dedication and hard work from our team, along with so many hours of volunteering from our coaches and cadre,” said Nolan, the team’s captain. “It’s an honor to represent Texas A&M. … It’s a fantastic school, and we have the best of the best of the student body represented in the Corps of Cadets.”
For more information on the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition, visit West Point online.
Media contact: Amy Thompson, [email protected]
