VMI Prepares to Welcome The Rat Mass of 2026+3

On Saturday, August 16, 2025, Virginia Military Institute (VMI) welcomes another "Rat Mass" into barracks. The Rat Mass of 2026+3 arrives with record-breaking applicant numbers and a significant rise in female cadet enrollment. In stark contrast to the fearful numbers that 2026 came with, 375 on matriculation, VMI seems to be on its way to meeting its recruiting goals. But another Rat Mass isn't just all about meeting the quotas; there is an enormous amount of tradition surrounding the different classes and "dykelines" associated with each Class. As the next Class joins the legacy of 2026, it is worth noting some of the achievements of this esteemed VMI ancestry. All classes of VMI should be proud of the entire legacy and prestige of its alumni, but each Class holds special pride in the achievements and prestige of their unique dykeline. This pride should be shared by the members of the first Class and passed down to their Rats as a memory of the honor and privilege of being a part of it. Some of the highlights of the dykeline of 2026 include: Benjamin Franklin Ficklin: Class of 1849: Notably started the famous Pony Express Mail service. But his school days were not as serious. He was involved in many pranks, including painting the Superintendent's horse like a zebra, and his final prank, in which he fired a howitzer at barracks, which led to his suspension and dismissal from VMI. He was later readmitted and graduated. C. Bascom Slemp: Class of 1891: Became a U.S. Congressman and presidential secretary. Slemp graduated with exceptional academic distinction at VMI - contemporary biographical notes credit him with the Institute's top academic honors of his era, including the Jackson Medal. He remains one of the most politically influential alumni from VMI's 19th-century classes. Gen. Sun Li-jen: Class of 1927: Nicknamed the "Rommel of the East", he was the Allied hero of the Burma Campaign. In the classic example of leading by example, which VMI strives to imbue in its graduates, Gen. Li-jen is noted as having gone on personal reconnaissance during the Burma Campaign. Three Medal of Honor recipients: Charles E. Kilbourne and Cary D. Langhorne of the Class of 1894, and Edward R. Schowalter Jr, Class of 1951. Kilbourne earned the Medal of Honor for gallantry in the Philippine-American War and later received the Distinguished Service Cross and Distinguished Service Medal, before returning to lead VMI as its 6th Superintendent (1937–1946). A prolific writer and illustrator, Kilbourne encouraged cadets to combine military professionalism with intellectual curiosity during his tenure, a theme visible in his papers and VMI addresses. Langhorne received the Medal of Honor for carrying a wounded man under heavy fire during the U.S. landing at Veracruz on April 22, 1914. Edward R. Schowalter Jr. led Company A, 31st Infantry Regiment in savage fighting near Sokkogae, Korea on October 14, 1952, repeatedly refusing medical aid after multiple wounds as he rallied his men to take a key hill - actions for which he received the Medal of Honor, presented to him by President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the White House. Seven of the 10 New Market Cadets who Died on the Field of Honor: Thomas Garland Jefferson, Henry Jenner Jones, Charles Gay Crockett, Jaqueline Beverly Stanard, Luther Cary Haynes, Joseph Christopher Wheelwright, and William McDowell, who were all in the Class of 1867. Five Died on the Field of Honor in the War on Terror: Lowell T. Miller, Class of '93; Paul R. Syverson III, Class of '93; James C. Edge '96; Luke C. Wullenwaber '02; and William L. McMillan III, Class of '08 The dykeline of 2026 also boasts of the first female graduates: Chih-Yuan Ho and Melissa Kay Graham, who were of the Class of 2001, though they graduated early with the Class of 1999. Two professional athletes: Abisha C. "Bosh" Pritchard, Class of 1942, and Ron Carter Jr, Class of 1978. Pritchard was a two-time NFL champion and elite return man, winning two championships with the Philadelphia Eagles (1948, 1949) and earning a 1942 Pro Bowl nod early in his career. Pritchard's open-field flair was legendary. The Eagle's media guide recorded his 95-yard touchdown return vs. Washington (November 1, 1942), a time-capsule stat line still shared among Eagles historians. Ron Carter was a two-time SoCon Player of the Year and the first VMI graduate drafted and to play in the NBA, selected in the 2nd round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and later appearing with the Indiana Pacers. Taken together, the legacy of the 2026+3 Rat Mass can be traced through nearly two centuries of alumni history and is rich with figures whose achievements span the battlefields, political arenas, sports fields, and cultural stages. The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought a wave of military leaders and public servants. These also include William H. Cocke, the first Jackson-Hope Medalist and later VMI's fourth Superintendent. These figures reflected a hallmark VMI theme: academic excellence married to distinguished service. The mid-20th century produced a mix of war heroes and cultural influencers. Frank J. McCarthy (1933) shifted from cadet leadership to wartime service as Secretary of the General Staff under Gen. George C. Marshall, before producing the Oscar-winning film Patton. Later decades saw VMI alumni shaping the highest levels of military and political leadership. Gen. John P. Jumper (1966) became U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff just before 9/11, steering the service through the early War on Terror. More recently, Gen. John D. "Raz'in" Caine (1990) assumed the post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2025 - the first VMI alumnus to do so - after having been mission commander over Washington, D.C., airspace on 9/11. These careers illustrate the enduring pipeline from Lexington's barracks to national decision-making. Across time, the VMI Class of 2026+3's lineage reflects not only achievement but also resilience, camaraderie, and the occasional mischievous cannon shot. The Class of 2026 had a unique beginning because it had so few students to matriculate. After previous years of reaching nearly 500, many were shocked when the Class of 2026 matriculated with only 374. 53 women and 120 NCAA athletes. They now stand about 270-290 strong. They are the smallest Class in barracks and are smaller than most graduating classes in recent years. Their rats, the Rat Mass of 2026+3, have had record high recruitment and perhaps the most significant number of women to matriculate to VMI in a Class. According to a presentation by Col. Travis Homiak '95, VMI's Chief of Staff, to alumni during a recent Williamsburg, Virginia, Alumni lunch, the school received 3,515 completed and certified applications for the Class of 2026+3 - one of the highest in institutional memory. From this number, 1,705 appointments were offered, and 496 deposits were confirmed. VMI expects between 492 and 501 new cadets to matriculate, with 499–500 being the target size. The incoming Rat Mass includes approximately 16 to 17 percent women, near the 20% quota VMI set in the past. Roughly 61 to 63 percent of students are from in-state, with the remaining 37 to 39 percent hailing from out-of-state. Internationally, eight cadets are expected to enroll from countries including Poland, Hungary, Thailand, and Taiwan. The Institute is also working to re-establish a pipeline with the Philippine Military Academy. Academically, the Class is split almost evenly, with 48 percent of students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors and 52 percent opting for liberal arts fields. There are an estimated 155 to 165 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes among the incoming cadets. On August 16, the incoming Rat Mass of 2026+3 will form up in Cameron Hall at 2 p.m., to be separated into companies, and then marched up into barracks. Anxiety and nerves will no doubt affect many, for "Matriculation Day for VMI is a significant emotional event," VMI officials wrote in an online overview of the process. "For some... It is the first time they have been separated from their parents for an extended time. For others still, it is a day filled with anticipation and angst as they contemplate not only the challenges of a college-level academic curriculum but also the fact that it is occurring within the rigor of VMI's unique educational model." Regardless of the emotional aspect of it, Matriculation Day will keep the prospective cadet and their families busy. Matriculation Day is scheduled for Saturday, August 16. Activities begin at 7:00 a.m. for select cadet-athletes and international students already on Post. The general matriculation process for most incoming cadets will occur between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. at Cameron Hall, where students will receive their company assignments, Post Office box numbers, and uniforms. Those arriving early may complete these steps on Friday, August 15. From 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the Matriculation Fair in Cocke Hall will be open to cadets and their families, featuring booths from local banks, churches, VMI organizations - AND FREE COPIES OF THE CADET! Lunch will be served in Crozet Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., free to cadets and available to family members for a nominal fee. An optional non-denominational prayer session with the Institute Chaplain will be held at 1:00 p.m. in Memorial Hall. At 2:00 p.m., all new cadets and families will attend the Superintendent's Welcome in Cameron Hall. Matriculation Day ceremonies will be livestreamed via the VMI website and YouTube channel, offering alumni and supporters a chance to observe the welcoming of the Rat Mass of 2026+3. During this ceremony, the incoming Rats will officially take the Cadet Oath, marking their entry into VMI's rigorous military and academic system. Families will say their goodbyes following the ceremony as cadets begin their training and enter into barracks as the newest Rat Mass of 2026+3.