2020-21 Athletics Awards

Athletics

2020-21 Athletics Awards Presented

LEXINGTON, Va. – Eleven VMI cadet-athletes and head basketball coach Dan Earl were recognized as part of the Institute's 2020-21 Awards ceremonies held in mid-May in conjunction with graduation events.
 
Below is a listing of the recipients for each honor:
 
Intercollegiate Award (outstanding athlete among football, basketball, baseball, men's cross country/track &field teams)
Football: Reece Udinski
 
Despite only playing four games this spring due to a season-ending injury at Samford, Udinski earned Second Team All-SoCon honors after throwing for 1087 yards (271.8 ypg) with a 72 percent completion percentage in addition to rushing for two touchdowns. He became VMI's all-time leading passer against Samford on March 20 and finished his illustrious Keydet career with 7,862 yards to surpass Al Cobb (2014-16). Udinski holds the all-time VMI records for passing yardage, completions, attempts, and TD passes. Udinski is responsible for 51 touchdowns in his career, second all-time behind running back Thomas Haskins (1993-96) who had 53. He was also responsible for 308 points in his career, which also is second all-time behind Haskins who had 326 during his Institute career. Udinski had ten 300-yard passing games in his career, which is one less that career leader Al Cobb (2014-16) and his 22 career 200-yard passing games moved him past Cobb to the top spot on the VMI charts. In April, he was a finalist for the Dudley Award, which is presented annually to the best college football player in the commonwealth of Virginia. 
 
Intercollegiate Award (outstanding athlete among lacrosse, rifle, men's soccer, swimming/diving and wrestling teams)
Lacrosse: Jonathan Fant
 
Fant played and started in all 11 games as a senior and finished 28th in the NCAA for assists with 21 on the year. He finished third in the conference at 1.91 assists a game. Fant led the team in assists, including a season-high four assists against Bellarmine. On the season, he earned 13 goals and a team-high 34 points on the year in addition to logging 36 shots and 11 groundballs. Over four years and 38 games at VMI, he took over 150 shots, including 80 requiring a goalie save, in addition to 61 groundballs and 16 caused turnovers. During his time at VMI, Fant served as chairman of the Cadet Investment Group. He graduates this month with a degree in economics and business with a concentration in financial management, after which he plans to pursue a master's degree in business administration
 
Intercollegiate Award (outstanding athlete among women's cross country/track & field, soccer, swimming & diving)
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field: Anna Armfield
 
Armfield led the Keydets at the 2020 Southern Conference Cross Country Championship by placing 15th overall in the race with a 5k time of 18:52.11. The 15th-place mark was the best female VMI score at the annual event in program history. She also helped VMI to an eighth-place finish at the race, tied for best in program history, and the team's 185 points is also a program best as a member of the Southern Conference. During the indoor track season, Armfield placed seventh in the mile run at the VMI Team Challenge and helped the distance medley relay team to eighth place at the Southern Conference Championships.  For the 2021 outdoor season, she placed first in the 3000m at the W&L Spring Term Kickoff and 12th in the 5000m at the Colonial Relays. She also came in 13th in the 10000m at the SoCon Outdoor Championships.
 
 
Nathaniel W. Pendleton '22 Distinguished Coaching Award
Dan Earl -  (Basketball)
 
Earl, who recently completed his sixth season as head coach of the Keydet program, led VMI to a 13-12 overall mark and 7-7 record in Southern Conference competition this season while securing a #6 tournament seed and advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2003. The 13 victories were the most since 2013-14 and the seven SoCon wins were the most since 2014-15. VMI went 11-1 at home for its most successful season at Cameron Hall in seven years. Earl was a consensus choice for 2020-21 SoCon Coach of the Year by both the league coaches and media. VMI posted wins over the top four finishers in the conference including victories over three first-place teams at the time of play (Furman, Wofford, UNCG). It also marked the first time that VMI defeated the top four teams in the regular conference standings since 2008-09 when the Keydets competed in the Big South Conference. VMI ranked second in the nation in three-pointers made per game for the second straight year after averaging 10.8 per contest this past campaign. The Keydets also averaged 80.5 points in 2020-21 conference games – tops in the SoCon.
 
The Frank Summers Team Leadership Award – given to the First Classmen chosen as the outstanding team leader.
Football: Jordan Ward
 
Ward earned First Team All-Southern Conference honors as a defensive lineman. He started seven of eight games on the defensive line, totaling 21 tackles and 12 solo stops, and had 5.5 tackles for loss including four sacks. He earned the team's jersey #0 for his team leadership and excellent academics. Ward was also given VMI's Three-Legged Stool Award, the highest athletic-academic honor a cadet-athlete can achieve at the Institute.
 
The Almond Award- given to the graduating cadet who has throughout his/her career, demonstrated outstanding contributions to intercollegiate athletics while distinguishing him/herself through academic achievement and soldierly bearing and aptitude.
Women's Track & Field: Ariana Ruffin
 
Ruffin earned an individual Southern Conference title during the 2021 indoor season in the 400 meter by finishing first in 56.74 seconds. She also helped the 4x400 relay squad to All-SoCon honors by placing third in 3:53.16. During the outdoor season, Ruffin again helped the 4x400 relay to All-SoCon recognition by placing second overall in 3:47.91. She placed fifth in the 200m at the SoCon Outdoor Championships with a personal-best 24.38 seconds and came in sixth in the 100m with a lifetime-best time of 12.09 seconds.
 
 
The Henry Johnson Award- given to the outstanding team manager
Andrew Ho (Men's Soccer)
 
 
The following six cadet-athletes were additionally honored at the annual Institute Awards Ceremony for their achievements as members of the Corps of Cadets, academic success and ROTC participation:
 
Anna Armfield (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field) – The Lt. Mark R. Wilson, Sr. Midshipman Award
 
Matthew Keane (Baseball) – Class of 1964 New Market Legacy Award
 
Makenna Moore (Water Polo) – Faculty Scholarship for Merit
 
Marilyn Cardenas – Paredes (Women's Soccer) – The Bruce C. Gottwald, Jr., '81 Award
 
Brad – Edward Davis (Football) – Marshall Citizen-Solider Award
 
Kasey Perea (Men's Soccer) – The Wilbur S. Hinman, Jr. 1926 Research Awards
 








 
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Players Mentioned

Dan Earl

Dan Earl

HBC
Redshirt

Players Mentioned

Dan Earl

Dan Earl

Redshirt
HBC