Former VMI golf and basketball athlete Chad Kenna '02 passed away Friday morning at his home in Springfield, Va. The recent graduate apparently died in his sleep. He was 23 years old.

Kenna graduated from the Institute in May, 2002, with a degree in history. During his athletic career, he earned four varsity letters in golf and also played four years on the Keydet basketball team as a guard and forward.

Kenna led the VMI golf team in his senior year last spring and posted an 81.9 average in 14 rounds. He shot a low round of 74 at Glenville State and posted a team low or tied for low honors in five of the seven tournaments VMI participated in 2002.

As a basketball player, the 6-4 Kenna was known as a three-point specialist and had a dependable outside shot. He saw the most action his junior year of 2000-2001 when he played in 24 of 28 games. He scored a career-high 11 points his sophomore year against Western Carolina and tallied those points in an eight-minute span after coming off the bench.

"On behalf of the VMI basketball team and coaching staff, our most sincere condolances go out to the Kenna family," said VMI head coach Bart Bellairs Friday afternoon."Chad is loved by so many people. He was a pleasure to be around and coach. He will be sorely missed by many."