VMI extends contract of basketball coach Dan Earl

VMI basketball coach Dan Earl has received a contract extension that will run through the 2024-2025 basketball season.

Earl, who recently completed his sixth season as head coach of the Keydet program, led VMI to a 13-12 overall mark and 7-7 record in Southern Conference competition this season while securing a #6 tournament seed and advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2003.

The 13 victories were the most since 2013-2014 and the seven SoCon wins were the most since 2014-2015. VMI went 11-1 at home for its most successful season at Cameron Hall in seven years.

Earl was a consensus choice for 2020-2021 SoCon Coach of the Year by both the league coaches and media.

“Everyone recognizes that Coach Earl is an exceptional basketball coach and a great ‘fit’ at VMI,” Athletics Director Dr. Dave Diles said.  “He cares deeply about the Institute and doing things that connect with our unique mission.  What some who don’t know him personally may not realize, it that he’s an even better person.  I’m so pleased to continue Dan’s leadership of our basketball program.”

VMI posted wins over the top four finishers in the conference, including victories over three first-place teams at the time of play (Furman, Wofford, UNCG). This marked the first time that VMI defeated the top four teams in the regular conference standings since 2008-2009 when the Keydets competed in the Big South Conference.

VMI ranked second in the nation in three-pointers made per game for the second straight year after averaging 10.8 per contest this past campaign. The Keydets also averaged 80.5 points in 2020-21 conference games – tops in the SoCon.

“A sincere thank you to Dr. Diles and MG Wins for their ongoing confidence in our staff to continue to lead VMI Basketball,” Earl said. “I am very appreciative to have such a good relationship with our administration. Thanks to our players and our staff for all of their hard work and in particular, their perseverance in dealing with all of the challenges of this past year.

“We have a great foundation in place and a culture that I am very proud of. I thought we made tremendous strides this year, but still have higher goals that we would like to achieve. The future is bright and I am confident that everyone in our program will continue to work hard to bring success to the Institute.”