Etzel served as the coach of the WVU Rifle team from 1976-89, turning in a 101-3 career coaching record. He coached over 30 WVU All-Americans and guided his teams to four NCAA National Championships during the 1980s.
He was an active duty officer in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps for nearly three years during the Vietnam War and subsequently for 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, retiring at the rank of Captain.
Etzel was the gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles in the Men’s English Match Rifle event and was a gold medalist in the 1978 World Championships and 1979 Pan American Games. He was 11-time National Champion and set numerous national rifle records as a member of the U.S. Shooting Team.