darrin webb - 2017
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Men's Track and Field

Webb Retires as VMI Director of Track and Field

Webb Retires as VMI Director of Track and Field
 
LEXINGTON, Va. - VMI Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Darrin Webb Thursday announced his retirement from the post after 27 years of service to the Institute. His last day in the role will be October 3.
 
"Over the last 27 years and two months, it has been an honor to be a member of the VMI Track and Field/Cross Country Staff," said Webb. "VMI has given my family and I opportunities I never could have dreamed of in August of 1994 when I first stepped on Post.  We have been very fortunate and blessed to be a member of the VMI family for such a long period of time.  My family and I have great memories of the Institute, but now we will start a new chapter, and we could not be more excited about what lies in front of us. 
 
"I want to thank Coach Bozeman for believing in me, mentoring me, and giving me the opportunity to be part of his staff.  I also, want to thank the late Coach Donny White, and Dr. Dave Diles, as I learned so much from both of them.  Finally, I want to thank the hundreds of cadet-athletes that gave me the opportunity to be part of their lives, and the opportunity to coach them.  I know that this staff is an outstanding group and that they will take care of the current cadet athletes giving them the opportunity to achieve all of their goals on and off the track."
 
The native of Phelps, N.Y. served as an assistant under former VMI coach Mike Bozeman for six seasons and was then promoted to the position of Associate Head Coach in 2000. Webb served in that role until 2008 when he was named to the position as Director of Track and Field and Cross Country.
 
"Darrin Webb is the consummate professional and handled all his duties as head coach with the skill and experience necessary to be successful on the Division I level," said acting athletic director Lenny Brown. "He was loyal, steadfast, cared deeply for his cadet-athletes, and stayed true to the VMI educational mission throughout a period of wide-sweeping change throughout NCAA intercollegiate athletics. His development of our athletes both on and off the track enriched our department and our community, especially with our women sports which began during his tenure on the track & field staff. He will be missed and leaves a lasting legacy."  
 
During his tenure at VMI, Webb's responsibilities have included recruiting coordinator, budget management for travel, purchasing equipment coordinator, director of home meet management, as well as coordination with academic services, the admissions office, financial aid and the sports information office for all publications regarding the VMI track and field program.
 
Since joining the Keydet staff, Webb was part of five Southern Conference team championships. Webb also has to his credit a 2004 Indoor NCAA All-American in the 200-meters, five NCAA qualifying marks in the 100-meters, 200-meters, high jump, and a 1996 provisional qualifier in the decathlon. Webb also worked with 12 IC4A champions in various events, along with 81 conference champions, over 150 all-conference performers and athletes who have recorded over 225 all-time top-10 school performances.
 
The Keydets enjoyed much success in recent seasons. During the 2020 season, the men's and women's team finished the indoor campaign at the IC4A/ECAC Championships in Boston where they had their highest number of qualifiers (25) in program history. The VMI men's team finish was their second-highest finish ever at this meet with a 14th-place finish out of over 100 schools that are eligible to qualify. The women's cross country and men's track teams were also rewarded with the athletic department's Jamison Award for having the best team academics for NCAA-sponsored sports for their respective genders.
 
In 2017, the Keydets opened the Corps Physical Training Facility, one of the premier indoor tracks on the east coast, with a dual meet win over The Citadel. The women's team set 11 school records as well, one season after the men's team had a runner-up finish at the 2016 SoCon Outdoor Championships.
 
Webb earned two Big South Indoor Coach of the Year (men's) awards. He has also mentored two of the top athletes in the history of the women's program, three-time conference champion Kate Collins (pole vault) and fellow pole vaulter Jennifer Sing.
 
In Webb's first year at the helm of the Keydets, he earned Big South Indoor Coach of the Year (men's) honors, as the Keydets equaled their best finish (second place) since joining the conference in 2003. He then led the team to the same finish, a runner-up position, at the outdoor meet that year, which helped earn him VMI's Distinguished Coaching Award given yearly to a deserving athletic coach.
 
Two seasons later in 2011, he once again earned men's Big South Indoor Coach of the Year honors as VMI notched another second place finish at the indoor conference meet.
 
A former collegiate track and field athlete at Syracuse University, Webb served as a team captain for the Orangemen as a senior in 1994, and was a member of the 1992 Big East Indoor Conference Championship team. Still the indoor school record holder in the pole vault, Webb graduated from Syracuse in 1994 with a degree in exercise science.
 
Webb earned his USA Track and Field Level II certificate in jumps, as well as sprints, hurdles and relays. During the pandemic this past spring, Webb also earned certifications from Altis Sports Performance Education-in both the horizontal jumps and in the pole vault.
 
The search process to find a successor will begin immediately.
 
 
 
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