Dear Keydet Nation,
Happy New Year from your Athletics Director Jamaal Walton!

Recognitions and Excitement!
VMI Athletics will be celebrating the 50-year reunion of the '76 and '77 basketball teams. The 1975-76 team advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and the 1976-77 team followed up with a run to the Sweet Sixteen. Both teams will be honored on January 17^th at halftime when VMI basketball squares off against The Citadel. The SoCon announced its Faculty and Staff award recipients, as Col. Jeff Smith and Major Isaac Slone are the two representatives for VMI. Thank you, Col. Smith and Major Slone, for time and dedication towards the Institute. They will be recognized at the VMI vs Citadel basketball game too. Cadet TJ Johnson was selected as one of three student-athletes nationwide to serve on the NCAA Board of Directors. The board is the highest-ranking governing body for the division. Congrats TJ!

Baseball, Lacrosse and Water Polo have announced their schedules and I'm looking forward to supporting those teams on North post and in the Aquatic Center! Speaking of the Aquatic Center, Swimming and Diving will be competing at home vs Saint Francis and Howard on January 16^th. Track and Field will be hosting the VMI Team Challenge on Saturday, Jan 17^th and the following week the VMI Invitational from January 23^rd – 24^th in the Corps Physical Training Facility (CPTF). Wrestling is gearing up for SoCon matches starting on the road at Appalachian State on January 15^th and vs Bellarmine on January 23^rd in Richmond, hosted by Benedictine College Prep. Days before the new year, Football announced the hiring of Head Football Coach Ashley Ingram. Coach Ingram is already hard at work building relationships with the current team and stakeholders within the VMI Community. I'm excited for the future of VMI football under the leadership of Coach Ingram. We need the Whole Damn Team to stand behind all our athletic programs. You all make a difference!!!

Community Engagement
In 1989, the NCAA formed the student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) to provide insight into the student-athlete experience. The purpose of SAAC may vary across conferences and institutions; however, the following four purposes should serve as basic guidelines for a SAAC department wide:

• Generate a student-athlete voice within the institution
• Generate a student-athlete voice within the conference
• Review and respond to proposed legislation
• Support the campus and conference through community outreach efforts.

As we kickoff 2026, VMI SAAC will be hosting the following events in the upcoming weeks.

• Teddy Bear Toss: On Friday, February 6^th at 7pm at Cormack Hall please bring a new stuffed animal to the Wrestling match against Chattanooga. All fans will have a chance to participate in the Teddy Bear toss at the match. All stuffed animals will be donated to area foster children.
• One Love Game: On Saturday, February 14^th at 11am at Drill Field #2 the lacrosse program will be hosting their second annual One Love Game against Mercer. The One Love Foundation is a national non-profit organization with the goal of ending relationship abuse. To learn more about the One Love organization, please visit www.joinonelove.org . For more information on the Lacrosse program, please visit www.vmikeydets.com.
• Hoops for Hunger: On Saturday, February 21^st at 1pm at Cameron Hall please bring canned goods and nonperishable food items at the basketball game against Western Carolina. All proceeds will be donated as part of SoCon's Hoops for Hunger initiative.

 Keydet Nation, thank you for your support of VMI Athletics. We are looking forward to what this year brings us!

Rah Virginia Mil!
Value Makes Impact!
Jamaal Walton
Director of Athletics
Virginia Military Institute