Bob Beard (1989) - Hall of Fame - Murray State University Athletics

Bob Beard

Bob Beard – Rifle, 1962-1966

Beard was one of the trailblazers that set the stage for national success for the Murray State rifle program.
He was one of the freshman who Col. Lance E. Booth, head of the school’s military science department at the time, designated to lead the school to national prominence in the sport of rifle.
Under the direction of coaches James Perkins and Christian Dubia, Beard and his teammates built the program until it placed third in national competition in 1966.
Most of that progress was centered around Beard, who was the Ohio Valley Conference individual champion four consecutive years, culminating with his being named All-America by the National Rifle Association in 1964.
When he graduated from Murray State in 1966, Beard left owning every school and conference shooting record.
He also left Murray State with his wife, Mary, whom he met as a teammate on the rifle team.
Beard remained active in rifle competition while serving eight years in the U.S. Army.
In 1977, he won the Distinguished Rifle Award, the highest award a shooter can earn in U.S. competition.
Serving in the Army National Guard, Beard is the marksmanship coordinator for the state of Alabama.
Beard, a native of Bardwell, Ky., went on to pilot the rifle program at UT Martin as head coach from 1982-2014 and again in 2016-17.
He was inducted into the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.