Turnouts May 2018

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Class of 1968 Presents Initial Proceeds of 50th Reunion Campaign

On April 21, five brother rats representing the Class of 1968 – T. Bryan Barton, Dean A. Kershaw, W.M. Jeffress Jr., Thomas J. Hickey and George H. Roberts Jr. – presented the Institute with initial proceeds of the class’ 50th Reunion Campaign totaling more than $14 million during the traditional reunion parade. Robert P. Louthan ’82, VMI Alumni Association president, far left, and Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, far right, accepted the check on behalf of the VMI Alumni Agencies and the Institute, respectively.

Added to the $1.83 million raised by the Class of 1992 for its 25th Reunion Campaign and the $222,000 that the brother rats of the Class of 2007 donated for its 10th Reunion Campaign, this brings the grand total raised during this academic year’s reunion campaigns to more than $16.1 million.

“Reunions allow our alumni to re-engage with each other and the Institute in extremely positive ways,” said John J. Wranek III ’85, VMI Foundation vice president for annual and reunion giving. “Reunion campaigns emphasize the bond alumni have with every young person who follows them into barracks and spurs their energy and generosity– which translates into gifts and commitments that strengthen every aspect of the amazing education that VMI provides its cadets.”

Photo by Micalyn Miller, VMI Alumni Agencies.

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Sherman ’35: Oldest Living VMI Alumnus

by Jordan Whitman, Editor-in-Chief, VMI Alumni Agencies On April 3, 2018, Thom Brashears ’95, VMI Alumni Association chief operating officer, visited Jim Sherman ’35 at his retirement home in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Sherman, who was born March 31, 1914, turned 104 in 2018 and holds the distinction of being VMI’s oldest living alumnus to date.

Before Sherman’s momentous birthday in March, George Doswell Brooke ’900 held that honor. He died Aug. 23, 1982, at the age of 103 and 11 months.

Sherman matriculated to VMI from Newport News, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. Upon graduation, Sherman was commissioned in the Army Reserve and accepted a position in Newport News at Newport News Shipbuilding. He went on active duty at the start of World War II. He met his first wife, Betty, while stationed in Scotland, and they married in 1944.

During World War II, Sherman fought in many battles, including the Battle of Brest. He remained in the Army Reserve following the war and was later called back to active duty during the Korean War. He served as executive officer of Operation Blue Jay, responsible for building Thule Air Base in Greenland. The following summer, he was commanding officer of Operation Pinetree, tasked with constructing six Distant Early Warning Line radar stations in Labrador.

Sherman and Betty settled in Cleveland, Ohio, with their children, where Sherman served as principal surveyor on the Great Lakes for US Salvage. He formed his own company, North American Marine, in 1968. He and Betty relocated to Middlebury, Vermont, in 1984, where Sherman was able to pursue his love of skiing. He skied well into his 80s.

The Shermans later moved to Southern Pines. Sherman served the Class of 1935 as class agent for 15 years, until 2010.About his visit, Brashears stated, “I had the great honor and pleasure to

Jim Sherman ’35, left, with Thom Brashears ’95, VMI Alumni Association chief operating officer, during Brashears’ April 2018 visit when Brashears presented Sherman with a VMI blanket and a certificate of recognition.

visit with Jim Sherman and was able to present him with a couple of small gifts on the occasion of his 104th birthday. We visited for nearly an hour and half and spoke a lot about pride – pride in VMI, pride in the Corps of Cadets and pride in being a part of the tightly-knit VMI alumni body. Whenever the words pride and VMI were used together, his eyes welled up as emotions would overtake him. It is

very clear that he loves the Institute and holds his experiences there very near and dear to his heart.”

Sherman’s daughter, Elizabeth, stated, “I am so extremely grateful for their continued and keen interest in Dad! Please very kindly extend my deepest appreciation and thanks to Dick Knight [’70, Class of 1935 class agent] and Thom Brashears for their devoted efforts!”

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Wooten ’85 to Receive Super Bowl XXII Ring

Mike Wooten ’85, left, and Terry Thompson ’85, Ph.D., were co-captains of the 1984 football team. Wooten later played for the Washington Redskins during the 1987 NFL strike. Photo courtesy VMI Sports Information Office.

More than 20 years ago, Mike Wooten ’85 received a summons many only imagine: He was recruited to play regular season games for the Washington Redskins. Two weeks after the 1987 football season started, the NFL Players Association went on strike for nearly a month. The NFL canceled one game, but franchise managements scrambled and were able to cobble together replacement teams that carried the season for three games.

Wooten played center for the replacement Redskins team, which went 3-0 during the strike. The three wins they chalked up were pivotal and propelled the team to Super Bowl XXII, where they trounced the Denver Broncos 42-10.

Most teams had several veteran players cross the picket lines and suit up for their teams, but the Washington Redskins were the only NFL team without a single player to do so. While the team remains proud of their unity, the story of their 1987 season is the replacement team. The replacement Redskins handily won their three games against teams fielding star players, including a 13-7 Monday Night Football shut down of the Dallas Cowboys.

The replacements also came out on top of the St. Louis Rams 28-21, and the New York Giants 38-12. The strike ended after the victory over the Cowboys, and the Redskins released most of the replacement players.

After the strike, many regular Redskins players remained

unhappy with the replacements, whose actions allowed the NFL season to continue and weakened the strike’s effectiveness. The replacements were never recognized for their crucial contributions to the Redskins’ Super Bowl XXII victory.

In September 2017, ESPN aired the 30 for 30 documentary, “Year of the Scab,” detailing the strike and reasons replacement players decided to cross the picket lines: Many saw it as a oncein-lifetime opportunity to play in the NFL. Support for the replacements built, leading regular Redskins players to soften their stance. On March 7, 2018, one day after the Virginia General Assembly commended the 1987 replacement players, Redskins management announced that the replacements would receive Super Bowl XXII rings in spring 2018.

At VMI, Wooten started out as a tight end but was moved to center during the spring of his 4th Class year. He lettered all four years and was a starter for his last three years. Wooten, along with Terry Thompson ’85, Ph.D., co-captained the 1984 VMI football team. Both the Roanoke Times and Virginia Sports Information Directors named Wooten All-State in 1984. In May1985, he was signed by the Redskins, but the team released him that August.

Wooten currently serves as umpire in many Atlantic Coast Conference football games, including 2017’s Holiday Bowl.

Wooten resides in Princeton, North Carolina, where he is a banker and has served on the town council and school board.

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Williamson ’60 Writes About VMI Legacy of Service

by Molly Rolon, Assistant Editor, VMI Alumni Agencies

Newly minted author J. Bolling Williamson ’60 has gathered a comprehensive look at VMI’s storied history, emphasizing the exemplary record of alumni service. “On the Field of Honor: The Military Heritage of Virginia Military Institute” also examines VMI’s early history and walks readers through the founders’ vision of a practical college whose graduates would be “capable and motivated to serve.”

For Williamson, the journey to publishing his first book began several years ago when he initiated a project to honor VMI’s numerous service cross (Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross and Air Force Cross) recipients. Those awards rank below only the Medal of Honor, yet the recipients were not commemorated as a group on post, and he wanted cadets to be aware of the heroes who had come before them. The fruits of Williamson’s diligent labors now reside on the walls of Kilbourne Hall, where cadets pass the exhibit on their way to ROTC classes. Each service cross awardee is pictured, along with the citation.

Williamson’s realization that many of his fellow alumni were unacquainted with their heritage of military valor led him to seek a means of sharing VMI’s legacy with a wider audience. Using the VMI Archives and the VMI Museum, he began working on this book, and soon recognized the difficulty of narrowing his focus: VMI alumni had compiled an extensive record of service Bolling Williamson ’60 with a copy of his book, “On the Field of Honor: The Military Heritage of Virginia Military Institute.”

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

and achievement in addition to acts of valor. Through the years-long process of writing and research, Williamson said Col. Keith Gibson ’77, VMI Museum System director, was instrumental with help and guidance in the realms of both history and publishing. During his research, Williamson substantiated what he already knew in his heart: the Institute had an amazingly rich military heritage, particularly considering the Institute’s relatively small size.

“It’s hard to talk about the accomplishments of our alumni without talking about the institution that produced them,” Williamson recalled. With that thought, Williamson had the first chapter in his book. The founders’ primary goal was reinvigorating the younger generation with a sense of service, duty and patriotism, because they felt the spirit of service and patriotism that had carried the colonies through the revolution was “dying off,” Williamson said.

They also wanted to make college education accessible to middle classes, and to give students a useful education.

“They wanted a school that was unique: One that would develop character along with intellect,” Williamson explained.

Lexington was also home to one of Virginia’s state arsenals, which proved instrumental in VMI’s beginnings. College education became available to the middle classes when VMI cadets were allowed to trade their service as state arsenal guards for tuition. The birth of a small military institute in drafty state arsenal buildings began something that endures today: cadets continue to be trained in discipline, duty and patriotism, while citizen-soldier alumni provide exceptional service to their communities, states and countries.

“The extraordinary record of military service established by VMI alumni is exactly what the founders expected,” Williamson wrote.

Williamson relates the Institute’s early history, dedicating a chapter to

the Battle of New Market, where the founders’ vision of instilling duty and commitment in their students was realized. The Corps of Cadets responded to the call to serve beyond all expectations. Their performance and service at New Market has made them the stuff of legend; for those who survived, their service as citizen-soldiers continued well after the battle.

Williamson writes that VMI alumni have served in all military conflicts from the Civil War to the present conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.He also noted alumni who have risen to high levels of responsibility and that VMI is the only college in the nation with graduates who have headed three of the four major military services. Many alumni attained the rank of four-star general in not only the U.S. military, but also in foreign militaries.

Other accomplishments include several Chiefs of Engineers and an assistant Secretary of the Army.

Williamson outlines in detail the valor shown by VMI alumni in multiple conflicts, specifically Medal of Honor and service cross awardees. Seven alumni have been awarded the Medal of Honor, and VMI alumni have earned 86 service crosses. There are fewer than 86 awardees, Williamson points out, because some alumni earned more than one service cross. One of those was Albert K. Earnest ’38, who earned three Navy Crosses. In World War II’s Pacific Theater, bomber pilot Earnest was sent, along with five other planes, from Midway Island to bomb an incoming Japanese fleet. The six bombers soon found themselves under intense fire from a superior force, but pressed on. Earnest’s crew – minus one – was killed during the action, and his plane was severely damaged; but he continued his mission and dropped his torpedo at close range, earning his first Navy Cross.

Without the use of instruments, which were damaged in the battle, he managed to limp his bullet-riddled plane 200

miles back to Midway Island, guided by smoke from the Japanese attack on the island. There, the ground crew waved him off several times because his landing gear was malfunctioning. Earnest, who knew his wounded radioman was unlikely to survive ditching the plane in the sea, landed the plane on one wheel.

On the ground, he realized his plane was the sole aircraft to return. His actions earned him a second Navy Cross in the space of hours. The third award came for service at Guadalcanal a few months later.

Williamson profiled several alumni whose service after the military was truly remarkable. Among others, he highlights Verne E. Chaney ’45, M.D., who was decorated for bravery in the Korean War and then devoted his life to humanitarian medical service. He founded the Dr. Tom Dooley Foundation to improve health care in underdeveloped countries by providing medical equipment and supplies.

Williamson, who was inspired to attend VMI by his own family’s tradition, acknowledges the impact the Institute has had on his life, saying it changed and developed him. He continues to be inspired by VMI’s legacy of citizen-soldiers serving, and hopes his book will help VMI connect with diverse audiences in addition to cadets and alumni. Williamson, who said his “respect for [VMI] grew exponentially” while writing the book, doesn’t think VMI “is given the credit it deserves. I hope this will help tell the story outside the VMI family.” Aside from the general public, Williamson feels there are many corporations and foundations who “subscribe to the same values as [VMI] does,” and who could be encouraged to support VMI in the future.

Proceeds from book sales will benefit VMI. “On the Field of Honor: The Military Heritage of Virginia Military Institute” is available at the VMI Museum Store. For mail order, call the Museum Store at 540/464-7334.

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics Welcomes New Hires Part of the Center for Leadership and Ethics’ mission is to advance the understanding, practice and integration of leader and character development at the Institute. In fall 2017, the center hired Maj. David Dixon ’99 as assistant director for leadership development to undertake a significant role in that mission.

This new position will be responsible for enhancing leader development programs for cadets Dixon ’99 while assisting Col. David Gray, center director, in supporting faculty and staff professional development. The position will also serve as the main adviser to the Cadet Superintendent’s Advisory Board. “[Dixon’s] work in education, educational programming and pedagogy were skills we felt would most benefit the position,” explained Gray.

After graduating as a history major from VMI, Dixon enrolled in graduate school and obtained both a Master of Secondary Education degree and a Master of Educational Leadership degree. Afterward, he began his career working as a teacher before transitioning to assistant principal and then high school principal. As principal, he was actively involved with his school system in earning the 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest presidential honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence. Dixon’s next assignment was working in government contracting as the educational expert on various Department of Defense contracts.

He credits his long and winding story of open doors and opportunities to his education at VMI. “Helping a friend of mine move to West Virginia where they were going to grad school, I happened to meet the director of the College of Education, who basically signed me up on

the spot! I explained to him that I hadn’t completed any admissions requirements, and he said, ‘No problem; you went to VMI. You’ll do just fine.’ And that was that. I was enrolled in grad school,” said Dixon.

Just before returning to VMI, Dixon worked as director of the Hospital Education Program at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital. He implemented virtual learning classrooms for patients and coordinated programs in alignment with the Virginia Department of Education as well as UVa Hospital.

Said Dixon, “I never thought I’d be back here, and now I will be working directly with the cadets. It’s really come full circle.”

Dixon and his wife, Jennie, reside in Crozet, Virginia.

They have four children, Sydney, Sims, Nate and Maggie.

Emily Coleman, a 2017 communications major from Roanoke College, started work in December as the center’s new assistant conference and programs planner. Before starting her work at the center, she completed an internship with the Lexington-Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce helping with event planning and communications activities. Coleman is a lifelong resident of Rockbridge County.

She attended Rockbridge County High School, where she played basketball and lacrosse.

She is currently working toward a master’s degree.

In other news, the center rencently announced the theme for the 2018-19 academic year conferences and speakers: Courageous Leadership. Please follow the CLE on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram to see upcoming announcements. A schedule is also available on the new conferences website, http:// conferences.vmi.edu.

Coleman

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Cyber Fusion Explores Cybersecurity Challenges

by Ashlie Walter, VMI Communications & Marketing

Cadets Nicholas Celfo ’18, Peter Boyle ’19 and Brian Maguire ’18 compete in the Cyber Cup Competition Feb. 25 in Marshall Hall. VMI photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

Nearly 250 students and faculty members from colleges and universities across the state attended the second annual Commonwealth Cyber Fusion conference at VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics, where students competed in the Virginia Cyber Cup Competition and learned from cybersecurity experts.

Cadet Nicholas Celfo ’18, a computer science major, attended the conference held Feb. 23-24 for the “sheer amount of knowledge” available. “We are fortunate to have a couple events like this for cadets,” he said.

Celfo was a member of the VMI team participating in a cyber competition during the conference. The competition was hosted by the Virginia Cyber Range.

Students from each participating school answered a series of cybersecurity questions to progress in a “capture the flag” type race. George Mason University won the Virginia Cyber Cup, while Virginia Tech was second and Radford University third.

Participants had the chance to meet

with potential employers during two job fair sessions and an industry challenge in which students tested their skill in dealing with real-world scenarios. Employers participating in the job fair engaged with students individually and had the chance to observe their collaborative efforts throughout the conference.

Keynote speaker Thomas Rid, a professor of strategic studies at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, drew on a current cybersecurity issue that dominated the news last year. Rid detailed the “NotPetya” ransomware attack that, in his opinion, was the “most devastating and costly cyber attack.” Just last month, the U.S. and U.K. took the step of attributing that cyber attack to Russia. The attack halted Ukrainian businesses for a day or more and impacted many other global businesses.

Rid said the malware attacked a tax software exclusive to Ukraine called MeDock and from there it spread to global companies like Merck Pharmaceuticals. “This

is extraordinary. We had never seen anything like it. It was not just 10 percent of Ukraine; a large number of global companies were hit,” he said.

In total, the cyber attack cost billions in damage, with shipping giant Maersk estimating it could cost $300 million to replace the hardware damaged by the attack. Rid emphasized the need to consider that Russia is “playing by a different set of rules,” noting that the country is known for spreading disinformation on strategic, societal and political levels. “There’s the question of driving wedges. These active measures are designed to exacerbate existing cracks in our political system. We have seen this in 2016 [with the election].

They drive wedges between different parties, like [Bernie] Sanders versus [Hillary] Clinton,” he said.

Overall, the conference brought students and faculty from Virginia community colleges and universities that are designated National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security to the Center for Leadership and Ethics.

“The feedback from the students, faculty and corporate co-hosts has been overwhelmingly positive," said Maj. Kim Connolly, assistant director for programs and conferences at the Center for Leadership and Ethics. "People praised the planning and execution of the event and the opportunities for learning plus the potential for jobs and internships for the students through the job fair."

New this year, breakout sessions were hosted by experts representing tech corporations that participated in the job fair.

The sessions covered such topics as the internet of things, artificial intelligence, forensics and smart environments.

The event was co-hosted by Sen. Mark Warner and Gov. Ralph Northam ’81 with the goal of fostering excellence in the next generation of cybersecurity professionals in the state.

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Firefighting Club Gives Back Cadets Answer Calls, Drive Trucks and Bolster Volunteer Base

by Mary Price, VMI Communications & Marketing More than two dozen cadets are now members of the VMI Fire Club, an organization that was revived in 2015. But since there’s very seldom a fire on post – thankfully – these cadets instead give back to the Rockbridge area community by volunteering with local fire departments.

This year, seven cadets are volunteering with the South River Volunteer Fire Department, while seven are with the Lexington Fire Department and six are with the Kerrs Creek Volunteer Fire Department. All have standing permits with the commandant’s office to leave post for volunteer service. First Class cadets typically drive themselves to the fire stations, while underclass cadets get rides either with 1st Class cadets or with fire department members from the community.

One of the club’s newer members, Cadet Elizabeth Jackson ’20, is currently enrolled in Firefighter I and II classes at the South River VFD, and she’s also spending Friday nights as part of the duty crew at the Lexington Fire Department. She’s found that the extra time commitments off post are challenging to manage – yet well worth the strain.

“It’s hard,” she said of balancing school work and firefighter training. “I try to do most of my work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays so I don’t have to worry about it on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

The firefighting classes are held Tuesday and Thursday evenings and also on Sundays. “The class definitely pushes you to handle your time better,” she explained.

Jackson said that her decision to join the Fire Club was driven by a desire to give back to the community and counter the sometimes negative stereotypes of cadets. “I felt that this was a nice way to give back to Lexington, and I’ve always been someone who wanted to do service to others, so to have the opportunity to save lives and property is something that really entices me,” she stated.

Jackson is one of only two females in the Firefighter I and II classes, and she’s the only female cadet. She doesn’t give gender much thought, though. “You could say it’s the same as coming [to VMI] – you don’t see many females,” she remarked.

Ian Morris ’19, the assistant cadet in charge of the Fire Club, has been running calls, cleaning trucks and assisting with fundraisers at the South River VFD for over a year now. He joined the Fire Club after Breakout his rat year.

“To me, that seemed to be the best way to give back,” he commented. “I enjoy interacting and giving back to the community.

This January, at the fire department’s annual banquet, Morris was recognized for taking the second-highest number of training hours in 2017 – a whopping 283 hours on top of a full class load at VMI. His number of hours was topped only by that of his longtime friend and roommate, Zach Thoele ’19, who completed 299 hours.

Morris explained that it wasn’t as hard as it seems. “A lot of the fire classes are catered toward volunteers,” he stated. “The idea is that you’re going to work a 9-to-5 job.”

Working as a firefighter does require extensive training. But some things that Morris and Thoele do for the fire department don’t require much training at all but are equally beneficial, such

as helping with the chicken barbecues that are a staple of the department’s fundraising efforts. Last summer, Morris and Thoele even came back to help at the department’s annual carnival in late July.

This year, Morris, Thoele and Jon Kaiser ’18 are spending Thursday nights at the department from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. Friday as its overnight crew.

“It’s my short reprieve from this place,” said Morris. “It motivates me to do homework. It’s quieter, unless something happens.”

Because of the quiet, and the fact that all of the fire departments have internet access, Morris said it’s not hard to keep up with his studies. As a history major, he writes a lot of papers, and once he and the others have completed their chores for the department, there’s plenty of time for hitting the books and the laptop.

“We get settled for the night, and it’s quieter than post. ... We’ll usually work until the same time as [we would at] VMI, because our internal clock won’t make us go to sleep until 11:30 anyway,” said Morris.

Many of the calls that the South River department responds to are for automobile wrecks, and the majority of those are on Interstate 81, which is less than a mile from the department’s headquarters.

And while most wreck calls end with a sense of resolution – the injured go to a hospital, recover and move on with their lives – some do not.

Morris and Thoele each recounted that their toughest call involved a wreck in which the driver involved had already died at the scene.

The first responders could do nothing but wait for the coroner to arrive. “It didn’t affect me on a personal level,” said Morris. “I didn’t know the gentleman [who died]. But sometimes you realize you can’t help everybody. ... That’s just the way the world is sometimes.”

Thoele offered similar sentiments, saying, “That was definitely an eye-opener. ... You realize how short life is.”

Cadets Ian Morris ’19 and Zach Thoele ’19 adjust a coupling on a tanker truck during an evening shift at the South River Volunteer Fire Department. VMI photo by Mary Price.

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Gibson Named New Keydet Head Wrestling Coach

Gibson In March 2018, Dr. Dave Diles, VMI director of intercollegiate athletics, announced that James Gibson accepted the position of head wrestling coach.

Gibson comes to the Institute by way of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he served the past six years as the head assistant wrestling coach and recruiting coordinator for the Bison. On top of coaching, Gibson was tasked with scouting and evaluating prospective student-athletes across the country, developing a competitive schedule every year, managing team travel and accommodations, and overseeing and determining the best use of the program’s financial aid and scholarship budget.

In addition, Gibson monitored the academic standards and progress of the team’s 35 student-athletes, planned and implemented on- and off-campus recruiting activities, aided the regulation of the team’s yearly operating budget, and cultivated potential donors to assist

in reaching the team’s yearly fundraising goals.

Gibson helped coach the 2014-15 Bison wrestling squad that went 15-4, reaching its highest ever national ranking at No. 22 and setting Bucknell’s record for single season dual meet wins. The team placed third at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championship in both 2015 and 2016.

“VMI is a school with a lot of history and tradition and the wrestling program has had some great wrestlers throughout the years,” Gibson said. “I am excited to work with the current cadet-athletes to assist them with their goals in the sport and to bring high-caliber recruits into the program. I couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity. I would like to thank Dr. Diles, Lenny Brown, Jamie Severns and everyone else involved in the selection process. Their faith in me is greatly appreciated.”

Other highlights from Gibson’s time at Bucknell include three nationally ranked All-Academic teams (2014-16), 26 EIWA placewinners and the program’s 100 percent graduation success rate for three consecutive years. Since 2015, Gibson has served as the co-owner and director of the Bison System Wrestling Camp in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, overseeing its daily operations, managing funds and directing 20 camp counselors and four clinicians.

“In Jim Gibson we have found a highly experienced coach with impeccable credentials,” Diles said. “He had an outstanding competitive career and is a high achiever in coaching and recruiting at a prestigious institution. Most importantly, he articulated a vision and plan for moving our wrestling program forward that was compelling. Jim distinguished

himself throughout our review process for having the most detailed recruiting plan and had done an extensive assessment of our program and VMI. He’s the leader we need.”

Gibson began his coaching tenure at Clarion University of Pennsylvania as a graduate assistant coach from 200712 for a program that produced two All-Americans, 11 NCAA qualifiers, six PSAC champions, three EWL gold medal winners and four Academic All-Americans. The Golden Eagles placed 18th at the 2012 NCAA Championship.

A four-year starter at Edinboro University in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, Gibson qualified for the NCAA Championships as a senior after earning an Eastern Wrestling League runner-up finish at 197 pounds and was a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion.

He started at the 197-pound weight class on two NCAA Top 10 teams while at Edinboro.

After college, Gibson qualified for the 2009 world team trials and was the champion of the 2009 Northeast Regional qualifier. In 2008, he placed fourth at the Northeast Regional qualifier and finished in the top eight at the 2008 U.S. National Championship’s Challenge Tournament to qualify for the 16-man U.S. National Championships.

Gibson graduated from Edinboro in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education with a concentration in health promotion. He went on to earn his master’s in education with an emphasis in athletic coaching from Clarion in 2009.

He married his wife, Sarah, in May 2009. The couple have one son, James.

(Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at vmikeydets.com.)

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Keydet Club Sports Update

by Andrew Deal ’12, Vice President, Keydet Club The women’s water polo team wrapped up the 2018 season during the final weekend of April, finishing with a 20-12 season. For the second straight season, the water polo team, known as “smoke on the water,” made a trip to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. This was also the team’s second straight 20-win season, going 42-20 over the last two seasons. Cadets Shelby Barkley ’18 and Natalie Rivas ’18 earned All-MAAC first team honors, while Cadet Isabel French ’20 earned All-MAAC second team.

The baseball team is putting together a great season, winning a game over the Mercer University Bears April 27. The Keydets are now 23-20 on the season and are currently in fifth place in the Southern Conference with six conference games remaining. The Keydets defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies April 25, and Cadet Collin Fleischer ’18 became VMI’s all-time career homerun leader, hitting

his 42nd homerun of the season. He added two homeruns over the weekend in the Mercer series to his total.

In other baseball news, Cadet Brandon Barbery ’18, a left handed pitcher on the team, earned a postgraduate scholarship, the Dave Hart Scholarship, through the Southern Conference. He was one of 10 to earn a scholarship. Brandon is a biology major and carries a 3.95 GPA. The football team continues spring ball and held their second scrimmage of the spring April 28. The 50-play scrimmage was highlighted by an interception return for a touchdown by Cadet Connor Riddle ’21. The Keydet offense first got on the board following a 45-yard touchdown drive on a five yard pass by Cadet Reece Udinski ’21 to tight end Cadet Patrick Dolan ’20. The Keydets ended spring ball with an overtime scenario scrimmage Friday, May 4.

Click Here for the 2018 Spring Ball Update

VMI Turnouts A VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES DIGITAL NEWSLETTER

May 2018

Future Naval Officers Select Ship Assignments Naval ROTC Staff

Matthew Heinrich ’18 selects the USS San Jacinto for his first duty assignment with Col. David Coggins and Cmdr. Daniel Turbeville in Kilbourne Hall. Photo courtesy Naval ROTC staff.

Nine VMI Navy ROTC midshipmen recently took the first step toward military service when they selected their sea duty assignments. Eight of the nine were VMI cadets, while the other is a member of the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership Corps of Cadets at Mary Baldwin University.

Cadet Connor Robertson ’18 selected the USS Porter, a guided missile destroyer based in Rota, Spain, where he will serve as a surface warfare officer before undergoing intense training in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program leading to service on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Cadet Timothy Wenholz ’18 selected the USS Omaha, a littoral combat ship based in San Diego, California. Cadet Matthew Heinrich ’18 selected the USS San Jacinto, a guided missile cruiser based in Norfolk, Virginia. Heinrich also received a congratulatory phone call from the ship’s commanding officer and was able

to have a conversation with the officers he will be serving alongside in the near future.

Also selecting a ship based in Norfolk was Cadet Nathan Dugie ’18, who chose the USS McFaul, a guided missile destroyer. Cadet Bryson Kelly ’18 selected the USS Philippine Sea, a guided missile cruiser based in Mayport, Florida. Cadet Anthony Garcia ’18 selected the USS Sentry, a mine countermeasures ship based in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.

Selecting the USS Carney, a guided missile destroyer based in Rota, Spain, was Cadet Angeleah Haseltine ’18.

Cadet Finn Swenson ’18, regimental commander, selected the USS Anchorage, a dock landing ship based in San Diego, California, where he will serve as a surface warfare officer before training to become an engineering duty officer focused on upkeep of the fleet.