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 first-year cadets are selected and one or two upper-class cadets travel with the team and receive the flags at away games. 

The cadet selected for this honor at the Purdue game is Cadet Jake Voorhees of Williamsburg, Virginia, a junior majoring in history in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences from Golf Company in Second Battalion. Voorhees is a member of Army ROTC and is a recipient of the T. Frank Smith ’44 Emerging Leader Scholarship. His company commander nominated Cadet Voorhees for his compassion and positive attitude while serving as a cadre sergeant this fall.

Cadet Leah Roberts of Fredericksburg, Virginia, a senior majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering in the College of Engineering who is a member of Air Force ROTC stated in her nomination, “Throughout cadre week and new cadet week, Cadet Voorhees never let fatigue or frustration get the better of him. If I have to change our staff's plans or ask anyone to do extra work, he is always the first to jump up with a ‘Yes Ma'am, what can I do for you?’ Cadet Voorhees would encourage us to keep pushing on, and always with a smile on his face. If I had to define him in one word, it would be servant.”

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. 

Share this story