MARIETTA, Ohio — The 13th annual Pioneer Challenge will be an online event again in 2025. After 10 years of golf at Whispering Pines Golf Course in Meadville, Pennsylvania, the main organizers, Bill '79 and Carol '81 Kingzett and David Reese '79, decided to combine their event with the College's Pioneer Club Golf Outing.

Pioneer Challenge participants can directly support the Marietta College athletic program of their choice as all net proceeds from the Challenge go straight to their team's account. The 2024 Pioneer Challenge raised over $5,000 for Pioneer teams.

The coveted Golden Musket is back up for grabs. The Pioneer team that raises the most money earns the privilege of retaining the Golden Musket for the upcoming year. In the first 12 years of the Pioneer Challenge, only football and men's soccer have won the Golden Musket. Volleyball broke the ice and took home the Golden Musket in 2025!

At $50 per entry, supporters can directly support the Pioneer team of their choice and simultaneously be entered for a chance to win one of six great prizes. Supporters will receive six entries for $250.  

• Full set of TaylorMade Qi Clubs: Qi35 Driver,Qi35 Fairway Wood, Qi10 Irons 5-PW (retail value $1850) 
• Cincinnati Reds Tickets (4) to a game of your choice.  (Courtesy of WMOA Radio) 
• Pittsburgh Pirates Tickets (4) vs. Colorado Rockies on Aug 24 (Courtesy of WMOA Radio) 
• Cleveland Guardians Tickets (4) vs Tampa Bay Devil Rays, on Aug 26 (Courtesy of WMOA Radio) 
• Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium Tickets (4) (Courtesy of WMOA Radio) 
• Jet Express Tickets (4) to Put In Bay from Port Clinton (Courtesy of WMOA Radio)

You can support one sport, multiple sports, or the Pioneer Club in general that serves the whole department. The more times you enter, the better your chances, and your team's chances of winning. Click here to enter the Pioneer Challenge.

The winners will be pulled randomly on July 25 at the 40th annual Pioneer Club Golf Outing at the Marietta Country Club. There is still space remaining in this year's golf outing with flights at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Click here to register for the Pioneer Club Golf Outing.

The Pioneer Challenge was created in 2013 to reconnect Marietta alumni and help raise funds for the College's athletic programs, academic scholarships, and Annual Fund. Since the inaugural Challenge in 2013, over $250,000 in donations and gifts in kind has been raised.

Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.