Rensselaer junior Jake Rankinen, a Navy ROTC member, made history among midshipmen this summer, becoming the first sailor accepted to attend an elite military pentathlon training program in San Antonio, Texas. Rankinen, who was joined by Chris Thornton of Texas A&M University and Alec Gray of the Virginia Military Institute on the male novice team, completed the three week program which included five major events: pistol and rifle marksmanship, land and water obstacle courses, and land navigation/orienteering.
Rankinen’s team also spent time training in Hammelburg, Germany before competing and placing second in the novice category at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 2005 Military Skills Competition in Elseborn, Belgium. The group faired particularly well in the pistol and rifle marksmanship, first aid, and NATO laws of armed conflict competitions, finishing fourth out of 60 teams.
RPI welcomes associate AD
Director of Athletics Ken Ralph announced the hiring of Karen Hansen as Rensselaer’s new associate athletic director last week. Hansen, who comes to RPI after a as stint at director of athletics at Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, Penn., will manage the athletic department’s business and financial operations, and will aid with game-day management and facility scheduling.
