Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, named Jamaal Walton ’07 as Virginia Military Institute’s next director of intercollegiate athletics May 24, 2024. A decorated graduate of the Institute, Walton will assume the role in June.
“Jamaal Walton brings a wealth of experience to the athletic director position and, as a VMI alumnus, provides a unique perspective. He is not just passionate about VMI athletics, but is passionate about the VMI experience,” said Wins. “Jamaal clearly demonstrated a solid understanding of the changing NCAA landscape that will help VMI athletics compete to win soon and for the foreseeable future.”
Walton succeeds Jim Miller, who announced his retirement in January. Miller came to VMI as the interim director in October 2021 before assuming the permanent position July 1, 2022.
Walton returns to post after serving as the University of Washington’s senior associate athletic director for strategic initiatives since July 2021. In that role, Walton was a key member of the athletic director’s senior leadership team, oversaw various sports, ensured NCAA compliance, and assisted with the donor engagement efforts of Washington’s Tyee Club.
Walton’s fiscal oversight at Washington included programs such as men’s basketball and baseball, the athletics partnership with Adidas, its equipment department, and the Husky Band and Spirit programs, among others.
Walton began his athletics administration career at Savannah State before stops at Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Alabama, where he was involved with each respective institution’s athletic marketing initiatives. Walton then worked at the College of Charleston from 2017–21, where he assumed the role of associate athletic director for external operations.
As a cadet, Walton earned the General George C. Marshall Citizen-Soldier Award and the Lemuel MacKennie Long Jarman Award. He was also a four-year letter winner and captain of the VMI football team.
Walton and his wife, Marci, have two children: Daughter, Zadie, and son, Krew.
“I would like to thank General Wins and the search committee for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading Keydet athletics,” Walton said. “This is a dream come true, and I’m humbled and thrilled to serve my alma mater as the next director of athletics. VMI changed my life, and my goal is to help serve and inspire future VMI graduates to be citizen-soldiers who embody the VMI spirit. The VMI family is special, and Marci and I cannot think of a better place to raise our family. Rah Virginia Mil!”
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on vmikeydets.com.
