The Citadel's rifle and pistol range will be dedicated at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, 2008, in honor of long-time pistol coach Joel Sexton.

Located inside the Inouye Hall, which was dedicated in 2007, the rifle range opened in 2006. The range has 16 firing positions for marksmanship training, weapons qualifications and competitions. The Citadel/South Carolina Army National Guard Marksmanship Center building allows the college to host regional tournaments. It is also used for practice and training by the National Guard, ROTC cadets and The Citadel's rifle and pistol teams.

A native of Spartanburg, Sexton lives in Newberry and is director of pathology at Newberry County Memorial Hospital. He is also a consulting forensic pathologist for about 26 county coroners.

Sexton has coached The Citadel pistol team, a club sport, since 1972. He also is coach of the Newberry Junior Pistol Team. Sexton began shooting in college on the Naval ROTC rifle and pistol team. He coached and competed on that and the University of Virginia Rifle and Pistol team and shot for the All-Navy Rifle and Pistol teams, winning a championship in 1961.

While under Sexton's leadership, nine cadets from the pistol team have been selected for the U.S. Olympic Development Team, one has competed in World Competition and 21 members have been selected for All-American teams. The team has also won numerous individual national championships, has had five national college team champions, numerous college NROTC individual and team champions and received an invitation to every shoulder-to-shoulder National College Championship since its inception in 1981. The 2007-08 team is made up of four women and 13 men.

The Sexton Marksmanship Center will be dedicated at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, 2008. Inouye Hall is located on the Ashley River side of campus on Hammond Avenue.

Reporters are asked to call Public Affairs at 843-953-2155 if planning to attend the dedication.