More than 85 basketball alumni and guests attended the Keydet Club-sponsored basketball reunion Jan. 20–21, 2023. They received a behind-the-scenes peek into Keydet basketball everyday life by attending a team practice and appreciated sitting in a film session in the new John Kemper ’68 Film Room.—Photo by T.J. Lighton '15, VMI Alumni Agencies.
More than 85 people, including 60 alumni, attended the Keydet Club-sponsored basketball reunion Jan. 20–21, 2023. Andrew Wilson, head basketball coach, invited alumni for a behind-the-scenes peek into Keydet basketball everyday life. Alumni were able to attend the team’s late afternoon practice Jan. 20 and appreciated sitting in a film session in the new John Kemper ’68 Film Room.
A few hours after practice began, the Keydet Club hosted a reception in Moody Hall. The basketball team joined alumni at the reception, allowing alumni and cadet-athletes to chat and trade stories. From the legendary late 1970s Keydet teams, Ron Carter ’78, Curt Reppart ’76, John Krovic ’77, Will Bynum ’77, and Dave Montgomery ’78 made the trek to Lexington. Alumni from classes of 1956–2016 attended the weekend reunion.
“The Keydet Club has a pivotal responsibility to solicit for resources for our cadet-athletes, but we also have a responsibility to provide meaningful engagement that inspires our alumni and supporters to feel good about the programs that they are helping,” explained Andrew Deal ’12, Keydet Club chief operating officer.
The reunion picked up again Saturday morning, Jan. 21, with a pregame at Moody Hall. Like the previous evening, attendees enjoyed each other’s company and a full spread of refreshments. The Keydet Club provided shuttle service to Cameron Hall. VMI led The Citadel through the first half. After halftime, the Bulldogs took the lead nine minutes in, and the game ended with a 60-52 loss to The Citadel.
The basketball reunion, originally planned for another date, was rescheduled to coincide with VMI’s Hall of Fame weekend.
“The VMI basketball alumni reunion was the latest success in our efforts to engage our former cadet-athletes by bringing them back to post and giving them wonderful access to our coaches and cadet-athletes,” Deal said. “The team reunions that we’ve hosted over the last year have been well-received, and we look forward to providing continuing opportunities for our alumni to get back and meet the young people who are participating in the same programs that they did.”
