Each team ran a 4.37-mile relay race on April 12 to kick off the military skills competition known as Sandhurst. This relay race determines each team's starting position when the two-day competition officially starts on April 16. The last time this competition took place was in 2019 with the USMA-Black team winning the first place saber and Company D-2 coming in second. Sandhurst is the world’s premier international academy military skills competition that inspires excellence through rigorous physical and mental challenges that reflect the tempo, uncertainty, and combat operations tasks. The competition includes 16 grueling events that will test cadets' ability to shoot, move, communicate, medicate and lead and concludes at the Crucible, the final event designed by the Military Ninja Warrior focused on physical and mental toughness and agility. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the international teams will not participate this year and will return for Sandhurst 2022. Visit the Sandhurst webpage for updates about Sandhurst 2021.

WPAOG invites you to the Virtual Calabro Night of the Arts, presented by the USMA Department of English and Philosophy, on Friday, April 23 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm ET. The night will include presentations of cadet artistic works, cadet vocal and string performances, music performed by the Cadet Jazz Forum Band with the West Point Band, and an award ceremony. Endowed by Fred Gretsch (a childhood friend of John Calabro ’68) and his wife Dinah, the annual Margin of Excellence event showcases cadet talent and achievement in the arts, including music, film, poetry, prose, photography, and studio arts. Please register online here by April 20 and you will receive the link prior to the virtual event. If you have any questions, contact Development Events at developmentevents@wpaog.org.

Navigating a transition during a pandemic is especially daunting. If you are considering a new career path OR if your organization is searching for top-tier talent, SACC can help you make the right connections. Register early to be a part of an exceptional four-day experience from May 3-7, featuring guest speakers from more than 20 employer-sponsored webinars and job opportunities with a wide range of premier employers. Go to sacc-jobfair.com to get started today!

Our second West Point Entrepreneur Virtual Speaker Series event for the year will be held on Thursday, May 6, at 2:00pm ET and will feature Steve Cannon ’86, CEO, AMB Sports + Entertainment. This fireside chat will be moderated by Jamie Holden ’00, Senior Vice President, Vista Equity Partners. Register here. If you would like to receive invitation announcements regarding future Entrepreneur events, please email us.

Congratulations to the Black Knights for becoming the Patriot League Spring Volleyball Champions of 2020-21. On March 3, the No. 3 Army West Point Black Knights beat Colgate, 3-1, at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, New York. The last time the Army Black Knights took the Patriot League title was in 2009. CDT Hannah Presley ’21 was also chosen as this year's Patriot League MVP with 43 assists, seven digs, and six kills. CDT Mackenzie Karnig ’24 posted 16 kills, and CDT Ana Oglivie ’21 recorded 18 digs on the day to join Presley on the Patriot League Volleyball All-Tournament Team. Full story.

The 4th Annual WPAOG Entrepreneur Summit will take place November 3 & 4 in Austin, TX. Click here to view a draft agenda and make a hotel reservation. Registration will open in the Summer. Only graduates we have coded in our system as Entrepreneurs will receive invitation announcements, so be sure your business information is up-to-date. Would you like to sponsor this event? Or know someone who may? See our sponsorship brochure. Contact us with any questions.

Congratulations to Hector Topete ’76, whose Lemon Meringue Pudding story resulted in big bites as a cadet and a Big Bites T-shirt as the winner of our “share your big bites” contest. Whether you deserved big bites or spent your weekends on the area, we have the t-shirt for you!  Designed as a whimsical tribute to cadet days, these shirts are made of a soft, 100% jersey cotton. You will love the feel and the subtle tribute to your Rockbound Highland Home. Buy both shirts together and save 20% (we will add the discount when we process the order – good now through April 30). Shop 24/7 at WPAOGGiftShop.com or give us a call, M-F/10am-5pm at 800.426.4725.

The WPAOG Travel Program recently partnered with the National WWII Museum to offer a virtual program for West Point graduates. During this presentation, over 180 West Point graduates were able to learn unique information regarding the Museum’s most popular tour offerings and artifacts. From large sites like Tinian’s North Field to small places of intense action like Timme’s Orchard in Normandy, viewers experienced a virtual taste of the international battlefield tours offered by the Museum in partnership with WPAOG. For those unable to attend, the virtual program can be viewed here. To learn more about the WPAOG Travel Program, visit our website at www.westpointaog.org/travel or contact us via email at Travel@wpaog.org.

USMA Class of 2022 Cadet Elizabeth Bradley, Company I-3, set a new women’s record for the Indoor Obstacle Course Test Wednesday with an official time of 2:20. The previous women’s record of 2:26 was set in October 2013. Class of 2021 Cadet Trevaun Turner broke the all-time IOCT record with a 1:54 mark in 2019. Video. Full story.

On April 1, the New York Yankees hosted their 119th home opener, which featured an institution whose history goes back even further. Opening Day virtual pregame ceremonies featured the West Point Cadet Color Guard. West Point Band Vocalist, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Katherine Walsh performed the national anthem. During the seventh-inning stretch, U.S. Army Sergeant Major Mary Kay Messenger, accompanied by the West Point Band, performed “God Bless America.” Video.

Class Notes are online for you to read as often as you’d like, at your convenience. This gives you the opportunity to catch up with what your classmates and fellow graduates are doing, no subscription required! There is an email link on each class page to make it easy to send a submission to your Class Scribe. We post an item in Grad News each Friday listing which classes have posted updates.

In an all-new update of WPAOG’s most historic publication, the 2020 Register of Graduates & Former Cadets contains more than 77,000 individual entries recording the names, classes, and careers of every West Point graduate from 1802 to 2020. The 2020 Edition features a premium “Red Sash” red cloth binding embossed with gold foil, suitable for display in your office or home library. Order now online or call us Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm at 800.426.4725.