page_title: VMI Keydets football
section_title: Alumni Field
hierarchical_section_title: VMI Keydets football / History / Alumni Field
caption_attribution_description: English: The VMI Football stadium from 1921-1962
context_page_description: The VMI Keydets football team represents the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. The Keydets compete in the Southern Conference of the NCAA Division I FCS, and are coached by Scott Wachenheim, named head coach on December 14, 2014. VMI plays their home contests at 10,000-seat Alumni Memorial Field, as they have since 1962.
  Historically VMI's biggest rival was Virginia Tech. Today, VMI's biggest rival is The Citadel, as the two teams have battled 72 times, with The Citadel leading the series 40–30–2. The series was dubbed "The Military Classic of the South" in 1976 as a reference to the two school's status as the last two remaining all-military schools in the south, a region once rich with military colleges. The winner of each game receives an award known as the "Silver Shako", which has rested at The Citadel since 2003. The last contest occurred on November 12, 2016, in which The Citadel rushed for nearly 400 yards en route to a 30–20 victory. In addition to The Citadel, VMI has minor rivalries with William & Mary and Richmond. The Tribe and the Keydets first met in 1908, and William & Mary leads that series 52–33–2.
context_section_description: With the finished construction of Alumni Field in 1921, VMI football no longer needed to play on the Parade Ground situated in front of the barracks. The stadium was placed around the same place it is today, and was completed at a total cost of $69,000. The Keydets went 3–5–1 in the stadium's inaugural year, which included key wins over in-state opponents Roanoke, Hampden–Sydney, and a stunning victory over Virginia.
caption: Old VMI stadium
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