Murray State College, located in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Tishomingo, Oklahoma, provides opportunities for student learning, personal growth, professional success and community enhancement. Murray State serves more than 3,600 students annually. The College offers associate degrees in applied science, arts and science, and a Bachelor of Applied Technology in Gunsmithing.
ARDMORE, Okla., and TISHOMINGO, Okla. — To celebrate National Shooting Sports Month, Murray State College hosted a Shotgun Team Showcase, giving members of the Aggie Shotgun Team the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in front of the campus community.
The showcase served as both a celebration of athletic achievement and a reminder of the importance of safe firearm handling. Team members displayed accuracy and technique while emphasizing sportsmanship and personal responsibility. Students from all walks of life attended to learn more about shotgun sports and how firearm safety is displayed in a safe setting.
Members of Murray State’s 2025 ACUI College Clay Target National Championship Team were also celebrated. Fourteen members of the championship team are returning for their sophomore year and looking forward to mentoring the seven incoming freshmen as they pursue a consecutive year win.
The event also featured a shooting exhibition by Shotgun Team Head Coach Scott Robertson, an accomplished competitive shooter and the only individual in U.S. history to have won national championships as a college student, a professional shooter, and a collegiate coach. A former professional shooter for Beretta Firearms for 28 years, Robertson was hired in 2022 to elevate the program and support Murray State’s broader mission to become a national model for safe and responsible gun ownership.
“Our shotgun team demonstrates remarkable dedication and professionalism,” Robertson said. “This event highlighted the hard work of our student-athletes and reflects the college’s commitment to promoting responsibility, safety and excellence both on and off the range.”
Earlier this summer, the Murray State College Foundation received a $13,000 grant from the Sportsmen’s Club of Fort Worth to support the nationally recognized shotgun team. The funds were used to purchase 10 Beretta A-300 shotguns, giving student-athletes who don’t own their own firearm access to high-quality equipment that will expand the sport and promote responsible gun use.
Murray State College is also home to a nationally respected Gunsmithing Program, one of only four NRA-accredited programs in the country and the only to offer a Bachelor of Applied Technology in Gunsmithing. In addition to technical instruction in firearms repair and design, faculty emphasize safety, accountability and ethical stewardship, fostering a culture of respect for firearms and self-responsibility.
“The Shotgun Showcase is more than a competition – it reflects Murray State’s commitment to preparing students for success in the classroom, on the range and in life,” said Dr. Tim Faltyn, Murray State College President. “Our student-athletes and gunsmithing students alike are learning that responsibility, discipline and safety are just as important as technical skill. That combination is what makes Murray State a national model for excellence in higher education and a trusted leader in promoting safe and responsible gun ownership.
