VMI Rugby faces alumni and the national stage

Recently, the men's rugby team held its annual alumni game which holds a special place in the hearts of the club's players. Beginning the match, the alumni face off against the club's current Cadets in a battle between Old Corps and those who carry on their legacy. This is a fantastic opportunity for returning alumni to enjoy interaction with those who have taken up the mantle of Keydet, especially considering what large success the team has experienced in recent years. The second half of the game sees a transfer of personnel, the soon-to-graduate First Classmen join their alumni counterparts in battling those they will leave behind. Undoubtedly, this portion of the match is even more polarized with Cadets on both sides vying against their former teammates for the win. Cadet Caleb Evans '24 commented on the match saying; "What was really enjoyable, being a [First Classman] this semester, was switching sides at half time to the alumni side, signifying our transition to alumni and playing against our current, or former (depends on how you look at it) teammates. All around, it's a great experience for the players because not only does it reinforce that we carry a legacy when we play, but also continues the VMI network In more ways than one." Over the weekend of April 27th, VMI Rugby traveled to Washington D.C. for the national tournament. The National Tournament consisted of all 16 colleges in our "Small College" conference, to which VMI placed 6th after a 2-2 record. VMI first battled Wesleyan University, a game ending with a score of 19-5 with VMI taking the win. This was then followed by a hard loss to Endicott College with a score of 36-19. The third game saw another win for the Keydets as they butted heads with John-Carroll University with a score of 24-19. The Keydets unfortunately lost their final game to Duke University, bringing about a discouraging result for the team and their efforts. While VMI may not have reached the podium this year, the team has consistently fought to exhibit their best performance in every game throughout the year. Looking back over this past year and his Cadetship, Evans said ; "This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be on the 7's team this year that traveled to nationals. I initially had no part in that area of rugby but some current firsts convinced me to come back and play with them one last time. Regardless of the outcome, I am forever grateful for not only just this experience, but the entirety of my short rugby career. I didn't understand the scope of my enjoyment of Rugby, until I realized that it was the people who made the time worthwhile."