The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and the Virginia Tech football team continue their proud partnership to highlight the colors during the pre-game ceremony at every football game.

Three football players are selected, because of their performance in the last game or during practice, to carry the American flag, the state flag, and the team’s spirit flag as they lead the team onto the field. They carry the flags the length of the field and deliver them to cadets at the south end of the field.

The cadets performing this honor are also selected based on their performance during their training. The cadets render honor to the flags and then securely carry them off the field. At home games three freshman cadets are selected and one or two upper-class cadets travel with the team and receive the flags at away games.

Three outstanding freshman cadets, who were nominated by their cadet chain of command for this honor, will receive the flags at the Florida State game.

The cadets selected are Cadet Mark Mercier of Roanoke, Va., a freshman majoring in aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering who is a member of the Air Force ROTC program and is a recipient of the Emerging Leader Scholarship; Cadet Nicholas Schields of Port Jervis, N.Y., a freshman majoring in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences who is a member the Air Force ROTC program and is a recipient of the Emerging Leader Scholarship; and Cadet J.P. Snyder of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., a freshman majoring in economics in the Pamplin College of Business who is a member of the Marine option of the Naval ROTC program.

Future cadets will continue to be selected for this honor based on their performance in the cadet regiment. The program is part of the proud partnership the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has with the Virginia Tech Athletic Department and the Virginia Tech football team.

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