Dear Keydet Nation, here is a fall update from your Director of Athletics, Jamaal Walton.

Achievement and Recognition!
The Colonel Don Jamison Team Academic Achievement Award recognizes a men's team and women's team who have distinguished themselves by their superior academic achievement. The award is earned by which team's cadet-athletes have accumulated the greatest number of individual academic honors from the VMI academic honors program relative to the size of its membership. The 2024-25 men's recipient is Lacrosse and women's recipient is Women's Soccer. Congratulations to both teams! The baseball team was presented their third consecutive NCAA Division I stolen bases statistical champion plaque this fall. Lacrosse cadet-athlete, Austin English was honored by the Folded Flag Foundation and presented a scholarship at its annual Salute to Service Gala. The Charlotte Touchdown Club announced football cadet-athlete Kouri Crump as the recipient of the 2025 Defender of the Nation award, which recognizes exceptional student-athletes from the military academies and top collegiate ROTC programs.

Swimming and Diving hosted the Keydet Invite, the men took first place and women took second place. Multiple records and personal best happened over the three-day event at Goodall Pool. The Rifle program had strong finishes throughout the fall season and a win over The Citadel. In Wrestling, cadet-athletes Braxton Lewis and Toby Schoffstall were named to the Preseason All-Conference team as voted on by the SoCon coaches. The wrestling program season has begun but the year was kicked off by the annual Wrestling in Barracks intrasquad meet and something new…..a Wrestling on the Parade ground practice prior to the family weekend football game. Both men's and women's cross country had strong finishes at the SoCon Cross Country Championships, the women earned their best finish in 11 years. Women's Soccer cadet-athlete Mackenzie Hobik was recently named to the SoCon All-Tournament team. Congrats Mack!  Basketball has opened the 2025-26 season and Cameron Hall received multiple upgrades to include a brand-new sound system and state-of-the-art end-zone videoboards. The Basketball team will be competing in the Skechers Fort Myers Tip-off and in Orlando vs UCF. Coach Nick Regan signed an extension through 2029. We are excited for the future of Men's Soccer under Nick's direction.

Service Before Self
This Fall, VMI Athletics has been hard at work giving back and using our voices for positive impact. VMI Athletics learned there was an air quality issue at Fairfield elementary. Through collaboration, VMI Athletics partnered with VMI alumni-owned Oransi, delivering and donating 30 air purifier units to Fairfield Elementary. The Fairfield Elementary students were excited to meet and talk with our cadet-athletes during our visit. The basketball program held its second annual cadet basketball league for the youth in the community. Through collaboration with RARO, our basketball cadet-athletes led practices, scrimmages and provided skill development for youth ages 5-10. For the month of October, women's soccer released an inspirational video advocating and promoting breast cancer awareness. Men's soccer held its inaugural Drew Ross Memorial Foundation match, son of former Men's Soccer head coach Stephen Ross '83. For Halloween, our Wrestling and Water Polo teams welcomed VIA centers for Neurodevelopment students to post for a fun trick-or-treat walk on the track.
 
I wish all Keydet Nation a wonderful and safe holiday season with your loved ones. Thank you for your support of VMI Athletics.

Rah Virginia Mil!
Value Makes Impact!

Jamaal Walton
Director of Athletics
Virginia Military Institute