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Behind the Balance: Cadet-Athlete Features
The Three-Legged Stool in Action
Virginia Military Institute’s cadet-athletes have to juggle cadet life, heavy academic course loads, and their NCAA Division I sport. Committed to both academic and athletic pursuits, along with their military training, balancing their rigorous schedule in both sports and school requires a certain level of commitment and discipline.
Behind the Balance is a series that focuses on those cadet-athletes and how they handle the hurdles of the day-to-day as part of the unique undergraduate experience found at this historic military college.
From overcoming setbacks to rekindling her love for swimming, Val Tonnu '26 found strength in structure, camaraderie, and character. She’s using her voice to uplift others, proving that true success is built on resilience and determination.
College was the last thing on Cameron Thomas’ ’27 radar in high school. Instead, he was looking to enlist in the military once he graduated. That was until he started track his junior year, specifically competing in pole vault.
Matthew Picard ’27 vowed he would never attend a military college. One of his teammates in high school ended up going to Virginia Military Institute and he was encouraged to investigate it.
Adrenaline and nerves flow through Eleyah Armstong ’25 before she starts a race. As a captain and sprinter on Virginia Military Institute’s track and field team, the anxiety dissipates quickly as she runs.
Since picking up lacrosse at age 5, Cole Jones ’26 has been drawn to the sport’s blend of physicality and speed — a pace that mirrors his packed schedule of academics, ROTC, and cadet duties. Jones credits the structure and camaraderie at VMI for teaching him how to prioritize.
Patrick Jordon ’27 has found purpose and resilience through the challenges of wrestling and life at VMI. Balancing the demands of being a cadet-athlete and a civil engineering major, he thrives on discipline, problem-solving, and overcoming procrastination.
Ryan Peterson ’25 has learned how to compartmentalize and focus. He said it’s something that his time at VMI has helped frame for him. The international studies major explained that the rigors of academics and playing a Division I sport makes it so he must focus on one task at a time.
Sadie Smith '26 excels as a water polo captain, cadre member, and honors student at VMI, while preparing for a 10-week internship with the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C.
Woongchan Oh ’25, a civil engineering major and cadet-athlete at VMI, balances the demanding cadet lifestyle with his passion for soccer. From Korea’s pro-soccer academies to VMI's soccer team, he’s learned the value of teamwork, time management, and dedication.
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Whitney Tracy '25 juggles her role as the starting goalkeeper, an S4 lieutenant managing logistics for the Corps, and her biology major — all while preparing for her next chapter after graduation.