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Honoring a Hero and Supporting a Scholarship By Andrew Deal ’12, Keydet Club Vice President
Chase Prasnicki, left, with his father, David Prasnicki, VMI Alumni Agencies chief financial officer. Chase made the ultimate sacrifice serving his country June 27, 2012.
On Dec. 13, 2018, Carson Irvine, a current member of the Keydet Club Board of Governors, hosted a spaghetti dinner at his home in Roanoke. Each year, Irvine invites friends and family to this dinner, which includes a presentation from a local charity that guests can help support. The charity of choice has always been one that supports local veterans of the Roanoke community. Of the dinner, Irvine explained, “The Irvine Christmas spaghetti dinner has always been a special occasion known for great fellowship and wonderful food all while raising funds for a worthy military-related cause. For 2018, our sixth anniversary, we felt the need to do something really special – something that would raise the already high bar established in previous years. Our objective of raising funds has always been honorable and rewarding, but intuitively, we knew we could and should do more.” In 2018, Irvine wanted to take the event in a slightly different direction. Irvine grew up in Buena Vista, Virginia, and went to Parry McCluer High School, where he was a classmate and teammate of David Prasnicki, VMI Alumni Agencies chief financial officer. Those in attendance were honored to have Prasnicki speak at the dinner as he told the story of his son, Stephen “Chase”
Prasnicki, who made the ultimate sacrifice serving his country June 27, 2012. A 2010 graduate of West Point and a member of their football team, Chase was an Airborne Ranger and a graduate of Pathfinder School. After Chase’s passing in 2012, friends who had engaged with Prasnicki since his arrival at the VMI Alumni Agencies in the mid-1980s came together to honor Chase’s life by establishing the Stephen Chase Prasnicki Memorial Scholarship at VMI, which supports a commissioning member of either the VMI football or lacrosse team. The first recipient of this scholarship was none other than Irvine’s son, Clark Irvine ’13, who was a member of the VMI football team and now serves in the United States Army. Following Prasnicki’s presentation, Irvine asked the 40-plus dinner attendees to consider making a contribution to the scholarship to honor Chase. The 2018 dinner was a record, as those in attendance – and others who were unable to attend – donated $23,830 to the Stephen Chase Prasnicki Memorial Scholarship. Meade King ’85, Keydet Club chief operating officer, said of the dinner, “The poignancy of this event was striking and the spaghetti excellent. Memorial gifts to the Chase Prasnicki scholarship are especially meaningful.”
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January 2019
Hoopes ’19 Named Nation’s Top Army ROTC Cadet By Mary Price, VMI Communications & Marketing For the second time in three years, a VMI cadet has been ranked No. 1 in the nation by the U.S. Army Cadet Command. Cadet Alec Hoopes ’19 holds the top spot on the Army ROTC’s Order of Merit List, which is a comprehensive numerical ranking of all Army ROTC cadets in their final year of college. The rankings are based on a variety of factors, among them grade-point average, performance on the Army physical fitness test, participation in extracurricular activities, leadership in ROTC and performance at Advanced Camp, which is a required summer training program for commissioning cadets. This year’s Order of Merit List contains approximately 5,500 names, according to Sean Cook, operations officer with VMI’s Army ROTC. “His performance [in ROTC] has exceeded everything we could expect,” said Cook of Hoopes. “He has a very grounded personality and a great sense of leadership. He brings everyone together. He’s a tremendous leader.” The youngest of three children in a non-military family from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Hoopes knew from high school that he wanted to attend a military college. As high school graduation loomed, he began touring schools with strong Army ROTC programs. His second stop was at VMI, and right away he knew that he’d found what he was looking for. “I saw so many opportunities to get involved in things,” said Hoopes of his decision to come to the Institute. “There were so many opportunities to lead.” Over the course of the past four years, Hoopes has taken advantage of many of those opportunities. He’s held rank in the Corps of Cadets, serving as a corporal his 3rd Class year and as an operations sergeant his 2nd Class year.
Hoopes ’19 This year, he’s a 1st Class private, but only because he’s serving in the highest leadership role possible for ROTC – battalion commander, in charge of the approximately 900 cadets enrolled there. Hoopes said he’s drawn lessons from all of his leadership experience, both within the Corps and in ROTC. “I’ve never had to lead that many people at once,” said Hoopes, referring to his position as ROTC battalion commander. “You have to give your intent in a certain way that people can understand it and take it and accomplish what needs to be done.” In the Army, Hoopes noted, a battalion commander would typically be at the lieutenant colonel level. “It’s learning how the actual Army functions,” he commented.
But it was within the Corps that Hoopes received the training needed to succeed at a high level of leadership. “The Corps has taught me a lot about how to read people and work with others,” said Hoopes. “That’s the big part about leadership. You’ve got to understand the people you’re leading. And the Corps has taught me that. You’ve got to work with different kinds of people every year, and you have to learn how to motivate them.” During his 2nd Class year, Hoopes was elected to the Honor Court. After serving as an assistant prosecutor last year, this year he’s the vice president for investigations, responsible for making sure that investigations into possible breaches of VMI’s single-sanction Honor Code are conducted properly.
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“It’s a lot of extra work but I’m honored to have the position,” Hoopes noted. “The honor code really allows this school to be what it is. ... Without it, very little would function the way it does.” Coming in to VMI, Hoopes declared a major in civil and environmental engineering, and he quickly gravitated toward the environmental engineering aspect of that major, while maintaining a near-perfect grade-point average. He’s a member of Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society. Once he commissions, Hoopes will serve as an environmental engineer in the Army’s Medical Service Corps. Down the road, he’d like to earn his professional engineer certification and work for a technology company. At VMI, Hoopes said he’s learned the value of consistent effort and treating others with respect. “If you work hard at whatever you’re doing in life, you treat people the right way, and live a life of integrity and honor, there’s nothing you can’t do, essentially,” he stated. “You can accomplish a lot by maintaining that lifestyle.” Prior to Hoopes, the last VMI cadet to hold the top slot on the Order of Merit list was John Luke Phillips ’17. Before Phillips, the last cadets to hold the No. 1 position were Jason LaCerda ’07, who commissioned in a special ceremony at the White House, and Kyle W. Schriefer ’06. “It’s the quality of the cadets that VMI is recruiting,” said Cook of the Institute’s success in producing topranked cadets. “VMI is definitely pulling in the right future leaders.” This year, nine other VMI cadets from the Class of 2019 were ranked in the top 10 percent on the Order of Merit list. They are Cadets John O’Donnell, Sarah Dolitsky, Steele Lamade II, Zachary Herring, Andrew Schifalacqua, Colton Curry, Hannah Gillan and Jacob Drake – in addition to Washington and Lee University student, Collins Speed.
Kemper ’68 : A Passion for Mentoring By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer, VMI Alumni Agencies
Most people have a particular passion; some have many. It might be for a certain author whose books they extol and give as gifts. It might be for a sports team or some form of activity. Often, this passion exists outside the world of work. “My job pays the bills,” someone might say, “but sailing is my passion.” Some people – some highly fortunate people – are in the coveted place in which their passions are also their businesses. One such person is John E. Kemper ’68, who, since 2015, has been the chief executive officer of John E. Kemper, LLC, which provides strategic business advice to startup businesses and nonprofit organizations. In this position, Kemper gets to pursue what he describes as a passion: Mentoring. When it comes to counseling men and women who are trying to start a business or grow an already established one, Kemper speaks from considerable experience. After four years of service as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a decade as the director of public utilities for the city of Norfolk, he joined the corporate world in 1982, working for a large architectural and engineering firm as its director of corporate sales and marketing and opening its office in Washington, D.C. Six years later, he entered the field of health care construction and facilities management as the vice president of McDevitt and Street Company. In 1993, he became a partner with W.R. Adams Company, Inc., and as its president and chief operating officer, he grew it into a company that was managing more than $275 million in health care facilities development annually. In 1999, Adams was sold to the London-based Bovis Lend Lease, an international real estate and construction services company. Kemper stayed on as executive vice president, working on projects related to health care
in the United States and other countries, including the United Kingdom and Turkey. In 2002, he took the amazing step of buying back the company and reestablishing it as the KLMK Group, a national health care consulting firm, for which he was its majority owner, chairman and CEO. The company was soon managing more than $1 billion of health care projects a year. Kemper sold a majority interest in the company in 2010 and sold his remaining interest in 2013 to a Forbes 400 company, CBRE Inc. His resume states that Kemper “retired in 2014.” But, he apparently defined it differently than most, because he then set up his current company and started fostering the progress of entrepreneurs. It’s not just his passion for mentoring that drove him to this new line of work but also his belief in the importance of entrepreneurship to Virginia and the country. According to Kemper, Virginia’s economy has been too dependent for too long on the federal government, especially in northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. This has caused it to lag behind the rest of the nation in terms of economic growth and new business creation. More than this, “Virginia’s best and brightest have been leaving for opportunities in states that have more innovative and entrepreneurial business cultures,” said Kemper. Happily, over the past several years, Virginia’s government and business leaders have recognized that the federal government is, as Kemper puts it, “increasingly constrained, and are taking initiatives to reduce the state’s dependence on federal government jobs and contracts and are encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.” For Kemper, entrepreneurship’s benefits for the nation can be simply expressed, “It’s about taking good ideas and moving
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them forward. To me, that’s what makes this country tick and has for more than 200 years.” Kemper, therefore, has enjoyed his role as a mentor – and occasional investor – in those men and women who have those good ideas and are looking to advance them. Asked how he evaluates a new business, Kemper replied, “I bet on the jockey, not the horse. Many people have a great vision but few can execute and implement it. So, I look for business founders and CEOs who are strong leaders who can think strategically and solve problems.” To him, therefore, VMI is well positioned to nurture future innovators who will build the companies that will modernize Virginia’s economy and keep the United States ticking. As he sees it, successful entrepreneurs share numerous characteristics that alumni learn in barracks, among them leadership, discipline, integrity, determination, persistence and problem-solving. Thus, in 2016, he began working with Maj. Dekuwmini “Dee” Mornah, Ph.D., associate professor of economics and business, to support the innovation and entrepreneurship experience at VMI. As part of that assistance, Kemper has advised on the design and execution of the Business Leadership and Innovation Summit, the second of which will occur April 11-13, 2019, and has worked with the cadets in the VMI Entrepreneurship Club, often called “the e-Club,” of which Mornah is one of two faculty advisers. Kemper has spoken to the members of the club, which now number more than 40, at VMI and when they have visited the Richmond area. He has pursued his passion for mentoring with them, too. Working with cadets is nothing new for him. He has been mentoring cadets who have been supported by the two basketball scholarships that he established – one in 2004 and the other in 2014. As a cadet, Kemper was considered one of the leading players in Virginia, and he was named first team All-State and second team All-Southern Conference in his 1st Class year. “It’s funny,” he said, “how much cadets are surprised when I tell them that the U.S. Armed Forces all have innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives, and they are looking for people who have the entrepreneurial mindset. But, if you think about it, it makes sense. Look at how George Marshall [‘901] led the U.S. Army, quickly transforming it from a relatively small and somewhat backward institution into the world’s greatest and most modern fighting force. He had an entrepreneurial mindset, and he was always looking for officers who shared it. As it did 75 years ago, today’s military knows it must be open to new approaches in, well, everything if it is to be successful in its mission.” Kemper is pleased when he can introduce cadets to other alumni who want to help them succeed. “They have heard about the VMI network, but often they are very surprised by its strength and how much the alumni in it want to assist them to be successful. A major goal of the e-Club, therefore, is to
introduce cadets to the VMI network.” Mornah explains that the involvement of alumni in the e-Club is important because “VMI can be a world of its own, which can make it difficult for cadets to see all of the advantages of a VMI education and how it prepares them for the challenges in an increasingly competitive world. More than anything, alumni provide inspiration, belief and mentorship. They help cadets see real-world value in the unique education that VMI provides. The pride that beams through the faces of alumni as they talk about how their experiences at VMI prepared them for the things they do is absolutely inspiring and provides cadets with hope and aspiration.” According to Mornah, cadets also see alumni as having what he calls “authenticity.” He explains it this way, “To them, alumni are like big brothers and big sisters, and they can present messages that have an impact because cadets know they understand the VMI experience.” Mornah says that Kemper has been able to connect with cadets well because “he is not only enthusiastic, but also a great example, someone who embodies everything VMI hopes its cadets become. His ‘can do’ attitude is utterly infectious, too.” Asked what messages he provides cadets, Kemper points to the one about the challenges of being an innovator. The biggest challenge isn’t raising money or developing a product or service that people will want, he says. “The biggest challenge is committing yourself to executing and implementing your vision and transforming it from an intangible into a tangible, that is, a sustainable venture.” “I also speak to the other side of that coin, that is, the biggest benefit to being an innovator.” And what is it? He smiles and replies, “Being in a position to control your own destiny.”
John Kemper ’68, left, during a panel discussion about entrepreneurship sponsored by the e-Club, joined by Rich Daughtridge ’98, right. Photo courtesy Maj. Dekuwmini Mornah, Ph.D.
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January 2019
Rockets, Research and Rovers: Cadet Launches into Never-Completed Mars Rover Competition By Mary Price, VMI Communications & Marketing
At VMI, seeing cadets set and achieve big goals is almost an everyday occurrence. But Cadet Clay Penney ’19 has set a goal big enough to be called audacious: To succeed in a rocket-launching competition that no entrant has ever completed successfully in the decade-plus history of the competition. On March 30-31, 2019, Penney will launch his 11-foot-tall homemade rocket in Culpeper, Virginia, as part of the Federation of Galaxy Explorers’ Mars Rover Competition. For Penney, an electrical and computer engineering major, the rocket project is the basis of his Institute Honors thesis. To meet the requirements for full completion of the competition, contestants must launch a rocket to at least 1,000 feet, with an autonomous robot contained inside the rocket at the time of launch, and then deploy the robot for a safe landing. Once the robot has landed, it must travel at least 3 feet and wait for a command from a small handheld wireless controller. Upon receiving the command, the robot is to collect between 5 and 25 grams of soil. After that, the robot is to take a picture of the area from which the soil was collected, and then its work is done. The work done is meant to simulate that accomplished by the actual Mars Rover. Completing the Mars Rover Competition sounds simple. But as Col. Jim Squire, Penney’s adviser, explained, nothing could be further from the truth. “It’s freakishly, freakishly difficult,” said Squire, professor of electrical and computer engineering. “No team in the history of this competition ... has ever managed to not get disqualified at some point. “There’s just so many things that can go wrong on a rocket launch,” Squire continued. “Even the big boys like NASA have had problems with their Pathfinders.” Because every team that’s ever attempted the competition has been disqualified, Squire explained, the “winner” is the team which accumulates the most points by coming closest to reaching all of the goals. In years past, the winners have been schools with big aerospace programs such as the University of Alabama at Huntsville and the University of Texas at Arlington. Some years, no one enters the Mars Rover competition at all, Squire noted, likely because potential entrants realize the depth and breadth of the challenge. Penney, though, had the wisdom to know he’d need a test launch – and he and Squire completed that in early November at a launch site in Highland County. At the test launch, some things went well, and some did not.
At first, it was a picture-perfect launch as 450 pounds of thrust blasted the rocket skyward. At 1,300 feet, the rocket reached apogee – the highest point of its arc – and the craft’s flight computers recognized the time was right to set off the black-powder charges that would deploy the robot, attached to a parachute to assure its safe landing. That’s when things went wrong. “[The rocket] broke apart in ways it was supposed to, and ways it wasn’t supposed to,” said Penney. Because some screws gave way when they shouldn’t have, the force of the parachute yanking away pulled the avionics bay – the portion of the rocket housing the flight computers – away from the main body of the rocket. The avionics bay landed a mile and a half from the launch site, and it was up to Penney, a former cross-country runner, to retrieve it in a speedy fashion. Not surprisingly, Penney found his creation caught in a tree. But a red, white and yellow parachute isn’t too hard to find. “The VMI colors really stood out in the tree,” said Penney. The robot wasn’t part of the test launch, though a prototype was supposed to be launched in the rocket. “We ran into a size constraint at the last minute,” Penney explained. “The robot was about a quarter-inch too wide to fit correctly into the tube.” They’d measured, of course, well aware that an eight-inch diameter rocket is a very small space. But there was a problem neither Squire nor Penney had thought of – leaving room for the parachute to fit in the space alongside the robot. “There’s odd things like that – that even if you’re trying to test along the way, you don’t think of,” Squire commented. “That’s why we did the test [launch]. There’s too many variables to hit them all perfectly the first time through.” Before the March competition date, Penney plans to reinforce the rocket by strapping it together internally so it can’t break apart again when the parachute deploys. “While it didn’t go 100 percent perfectly, we can have it flying within a week and have it better than it was before,” he said the day of the test launch. “I wouldn’t have this opportunity without VMI or Colonel Squire, so I’m just grateful for that and the Honors Program,” Penney added. Funding for Penney’s project has come from the Wetmore Fund, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Jamison-Payne chair in electrical and computer engineering, which Squire holds.
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January 2019
Cadet Volunteers Honor Alumnus During Furlough By Molly Rolon, Associate Editor, VMI Alumni Agencies
Cadet Josh Brown ’21 holds a copy of “Cavalry Officer: The War Years, 1942-1945,” written by the late Harry Siebert ’42. Brown, along with Cadet Ethan Smith ’19, spent the first day of his Thanksgiving furlough representing the Institute at Siebert’s funeral in November 2018.
To an outside observer, the standards upheld by VMI cadets could be attributed to the strictness and austerity of the Lexington post. Cadet character, however, is forged at the Institute and built on foundations of honor, duty and service – and that character shines through in all cadet actions. These character standards were in evidence when the class agent for the Class of 1942, Harry J. Siebert ’42, died Oct. 31, 2018. A call went out through the commandant’s office for cadet volunteers to represent VMI at the funeral – scheduled for the first day of the Corps’ Thanksgiving furlough. The email notice for volunteers included a brief description of Siebert, an Army cavalry veteran who participated in the Normandy invasion during World War II. Requests for volunteers to attend funerals, weddings or other events are not unusual, said Cadet Josh Brown ’21. Brown had previously participated in a Company E – his company
– alumnus wedding. Despite the funeral taking place during a Corps furlough, several volunteers came forward, said Corps and Institute Sgt. Maj. Tom Sowers. From the volunteers, two cadets – possessing what may possibly be the two most ubiquitous surnames at VMI – were selected: Cadet Ethan Smith ’19 and Brown. The cadets’ commonplace surnames were fitting, Sowers noted. “[Smith and Brown] represent the cadets – They are the same as every other cadet at VMI.” “The effort of these cadets to give their own personal time to honor a VMI alumnus is emblematic of the type of person VMI embodies: Those of high character who freely give of themselves to honor and serve others,” said Thom Brashears ’95, VMI Alumni Association chief operating officer. Brown volunteered, he said, because his great-grandfather was a World War II veteran who died a few years before Brown was born. Although Brown never met his great-grandfather, the man left a legacy which Brown’s mother passed down to him when she related stories of his great-grandfather’s life. “I didn’t get to know my great-grandfather,” Brown said. “I wanted to honor the man who possibly fought alongside him. There’s not many of those people around to go see, or talk to or honor.” After the funeral, Jody Siebert – Harry’s widow – was able to spend some time talking with Brown and his mother, and told them more about Harry and his life experiences. Jody was, she said, incredibly honored and touched by the two cadets who took time out of their vacations to pay their respects and represent VMI at Harry’s funeral. Echoing her sentiments, Brashears said, “Harry was a special man, from helping to liberate Europe on the beaches of Normandy to his wonderful collection of stories regarding the history of the U.S. Cavalry. I was glad he was so honored, and I could not be more proud of the cadets.” Before parting ways, Jody gave Brown several copies of a book written by Harry detailing some of his time at VMI and his military service. “Life at VMI turned me in a new direction, gave me purpose and ambition, and most of all developed my character,” Harry wrote in the preface of “Cavalry Officer: The War Years, 1942-1945,” which was published when he was in his ninetieth decade. “I owe so much to the leadership, army officers and professors who started me on a new path.”
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January 2019
VMI Football Inks Three on National Signing Day The VMI football team announced that three new recruits had signed with the program on National Signing Day Dec. 19, 2018. “We are excited to add three new members to the VMI football family today,” said Scott Wachenheim, head football coach. “We got pair of athletic offensive tackles and a versatile offensive talent to add fuel to the offensive fire we ignited last season. We are looking forward to adding several more outstanding student-athletes to this class Feb. 6, 2019.” Check back at vmikeydets.com for signing updates in February. 2018 VMI Football Signees (as of Dec. 19, 2018) Tristan Mann: Offensive lineman, Monacan High, HT: 6’6, WT: 245, North Chesterfield, VA Jarvis Chandler: Offensive lineman, James River High, HT: 6’5, WT: 270, Bon Air, VA Leroy Thomas: Wide receiver, Patrick Henry High, HT: 5’11, WT: 180, Roanoke, VA SIGNEE PROFILES Tristan Mann Named first-team All-Region and second-team All-Metro at Monacan High School, was selected to compete in the Big River Rivalry High School All-Star game, earned a spot on the Presidential Honor Roll, member of the National Honor Society and the BETA Club, lettered four times in football and once in baseball as a pitcher/first baseman, and plans to major in biology with a minor in business. Jarvis Chandler Lettered for two seasons under Robert Henderson, head coach, at tackle; earned second-team All-Region accolades; competed on the lacrosse team as an attackman; played for Bon Air basketball; his uncle played defensive end for Nebraska’s first national championship team; and plans to major in international studies with a minor in national security. Leroy Thomas Lettered three times at Patrick Henry, playing three positions (WR, RB and DB), was named All-District and All-Region during his high school career; gained 1,007 yards rushing as a senior and caught 38 passes for 786 yards, and lettered for three seasons as a point guard on the basketball team.
Richards ’19 Wins 174-Pound Championship at Lock Haven University Classic Cadet Neal Richards ’19, red-shirt junior, captured the championship in the 174-pound weight class Dec. 29, 2018, as the VMI wrestling team competed in the Lock Haven University Classic. Richards pinned Colt Carroll of Cleveland State University in 1:14 in the semi-finals after receiving a bye in the first round. He recorded an 11-7 decision in the finals against another CSU wrestler, Dmitri Williams, to win the title. Richards is now 16-3 on the season with nine straight wins.
Two Keydets finished in second place: Chris Beck ’20 at 197 pounds and Tre Momon ’22 at 285. Beck won 2-0 in the first round and posted a 7-2 decision in the semifinals. Momon defeated Collin Kelly of CSU 4-3 to reach the finals. Cadet Hunter Starner ’18 took third place at 133, defeating an opponent 21-3 in the process. Cadet Zach Schmitt ’22 earned a win at 149, as did Cadets Darren Ostrander ’19 at 157 and Ben Wagner ’19 at 184.
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January 2019
Moody Hall Reservation Changes During the most recent VMI Alumni Association board meeting, held in Norfolk, Virginia, Nov. 17, two important decisions were voted upon and approved by the board of directors. Both votes were unanimous. First, it was approved to close the Moody Hall bunk room for lodging permanently. Over the last few years, the bunk room has become problematic because alumni staying in that space were often dressed inappropriately for the Alumni Agencies work environment. Further, there have been recent behavior issues and security concerns that had to be addressed. Secondly, it was approved – again unanimously – to begin charging $50 per night to stay in Moody Hall. Operational costs to maintain the rooms, including housekeeping labor, plus costs to clean and refresh linens and towels have increased. Further, over the last few years, there have been an increasing number of “no-shows” for rooms – meaning alumni call in to reserve a room and fail to show without notification. This results in unoccupied rooms on busy weekends, and having to turn alumni away and since there is no reaction time.
The new Moody Hall room reservation process will be as follows: When an alumnus calls in to reserve a room the reservation will be tentative until the payment process is complete. After the reservation request has been made, an email will be sent to the alumnus with a link to complete the total payment for the stay. Monies received for Moody Hall stays will go directly into the Moody Hall fund, which is where the operational funds are housed to support lodging. Exceptions to the charge will include any board member (Alumni Association, Keydet Club or Foundation) on post for official business, such as a respective board meeting. The charges will go into effect March 1, 2019. If an alumnus cancels within 48 hours of the scheduled stay, then the money will be refunded completely. For cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice, there will be no refunds. Please feel free to respond to the Chief Operating Officer of the VMI Alumni Association, Thom Brashears ’95, with any comments or questions regarding these VMI Alumni Association Board decisions.
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January 2019
Several Keydets Honored by Phil Steele Following excellent performances on the football field this past season, several Keydets were honored by college football analyst Phil Steele as members of the FCS Freshman All-America team and the SoCon All-Conference team. For the FCS Freshman All-America team, offensive lineman Marshall Gill ’22 was named to the Second Team offense while Ethan Caselberry ’22 (LB), Brett Howell ’22 (LB) and Collin Loftis ’21 (DB) were all named to the Third Team defense. Steele also compiled a Southern Conference All-Conference team in which he named wide receiver Kris Thornton to the Second Team offense, Javeon Lara to the Third Team offense and safety A.J. Smith ‘21 to the Third Team defense. In addition, senior Rohan Martin ‘20 was named to the First Team special teams unit as a punt returner.
SoCon All-Conference Kris Thornton ’21, 2nd Team Offense, WR Javeon Lara ’20, 3rd Team Offense, WR A.J. Smith ’21, 3rd Team Defense, DB Rohan Martin ’20, 1st Team Special Teams (PR) Kris Thornton ’21 – Second Team Offense, WR The Manassas, Virginia, native led the VMI receiving corps with over 1,000 reception yards (1,003) in 2018 and scored four touchdowns as quarterback Reece Udinski’s primary target throughout the year. He earned a career-high 155 receiving yards against Mercer on Sept. 29 by recording 11 catches including a long of 32 yards.
FCS Freshman All-America Team Marshall Gill ’22, 2nd Team Offense, OL Ethan Caselberry ’22, 3rd Team Defense, LB Brett Howell ’22, 3rd Team Defense, LB Collin Loftis ’21, 3rd Team Defense, DB Marshall Gill ’22 – Second Team Offense, OL Started all 11 games during the season as a left tackle ... made 12 pancake blocks during the season ... allowed just seven sacks on nearly 600 snaps he played during the season. Ethan Caselberry ’22 – Third Team Defense, LB Registered 81 tackles for the season, including 43 solo and 38 assisted … had 2.5 tackles for loss totaling 9 yards … also had a half sack for a loss of 4 yards at Toledo in the season opener … had three pass breakups during the season … earned a season-high 10 tackles at Samford Oct. 13 including six solo stops … had three other games in which he tallied nine tackles (Wofford, The Citadel, Old Dominion). Brett Howell ’22 – Third Team Defense, LB A linebacker from Fairhope, Alabama, Brett Howell recorded 60 tackles on the year (28 solo, 32 assisted) to rank among the team leaders for the category. He totaled seven tackles for loss on the year and had a sack at Western Carolina that resulted in a five-yard loss for the Catamounts. His best game of the year was against Tusculum Nov. 3 in which he recorded 16 tackles including nine solo. He followed that with 11 tackles versus Furman a week later and eight against Old Dominion in the season finale. Collin Loftis ’21 – Third Team Defense, DB Defensive back Collin Loftis ‘21 from Arlington, Texas, had 39 tackles for the season (26 solo, 13 assisted) in addition to a half tackle for loss against ETSU Sept. 14. The highlight of the year came against Western Carolina Sept. 22 in which he recorded two interceptions for 22 return yards. He also had a 54-yard interception return against ETSU Sept. 14 that was returned to the ETSU one-yard line to set up a VMI score in the second quarter. He also had six pass breakups during the year and blocked a field goal against Tusculum Nov. 3.
Thornton tied his season high with 11 receptions against The Citadel Oct. 20 as he tallied 146 yards and two touchdowns against the Bulldogs. During the game he earned his second best reception of the year with a 65-yard catch. He would later break that personal mark with a 67-yard reception against Old Dominion in the season finale. Thornton set a new VMI single season record with 87 catches and was second in the league with 7.9 catches per game and third in receiving yards with 90.7 per game. Javeon Lara ’20 – Third Team Offense, WR Totaled 53 receptions for 825 receiving yards on the season and seven touchdown catches ... grabbed a season-best 72-yard reception at Samford Oct. 13 for a touchdown … logged a season-high 10 catches against Mercer on Sept. 29 for a season-best 150 yards … had nine grabs at Western Carolina the week before totaling 143 yards and two touchdowns … also had two TDs against Samford Oct. 13 and versus Furman Nov. 10 in the home finale. A.J. Smith ’21 – Third Team Defense, DB Smith, from Virginia Beach, Virginia (Cox H.S.), co-led the 2018 Keydets in total tackles with 90 stops which tied him with teammate Elliott Brewster for ninth in the SoCon in tackles per game (9.1). He led VMI defenders with 55 solo tackles. A two-year starter in the VMI secondary at safety with 18 career starts, Smith posted 2018 double-digit tackle games against ETSU (11), Western Carolina (10) and The Citadel (10). He also had seven games with nine or more tackles and was credited with three pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a sack during the 2018 season. Rohan Martin ’20 – First Team Special Teams, PR Martin averaged 15.9 yards per punt return in 2018 as he returned seven punts for 111 yards including a 35-yarder at Chattanooga Oct. 27 … totaled 412 all-purpose yards during the season … as a receiver had 30 catches for 252 yards and a touchdown … snagged a season-best 34-yard reception against Mercer Sept. 29, registering a season-best 70 receiving yards on seven catches that day.