women's rifle team at Drexel Institute of Technology garnered attention for their remarkable achievements.



In 1925, the women's rifle team at Drexel Institute of Technology garnered attention for their remarkable achievements. Initially established in 1919 exclusively for male participants in the Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC), the program soon welcomed a women's team. Despite their limited experience with rifles, the women swiftly rose to prominence and emerged as one of the top contenders in the National Women's Rifle Championships.

Despite their consistent success, the women's team faced financial constraints that hindered their ability to travel for competitions. As a result, they often competed from the confines of their campus, shooting on Drexel's ranges and comparing scores afterward to determine the victor.

The noteworthy accomplishments of the Drexel women's rifle team caught the attention of renowned American sharpshooter Annie Oakley. She expressed her admiration for the team, remarking, "I only wish I had the opportunity to give them a little instruction. I can tell by the photographs... that they do not hold their rifles quite right. I could rectify that easily and make them better than they are, even if they have never been beaten."

The Washington Post on June 18th, 1922, reported, "Drexel Institute, of Philadelphia, had two wonderful rifle shooting teams the past indoor season, one of boys, the other of girls. So good was the girls' team that Capt. J. P. Lyons, the instructor, said: 'I would like to match the girls against any boys' rifle team in the country.' When the instructor speaks with such confidence, the skill of the girls must be acknowledged. And indeed, they proved themselves. They emerged victorious in every match they participated in, winning 16 out of 18 matches, with one tie and one loss against Yale. Drexel even achieved perfect scores in five of their matches."

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