VMI hires Jim Robbins to lead women’s soccer program

LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Director of Athletics Jamaal Walton announced the hiring of Jim Robbins as the fifth VMI women’s soccer head coach in program history.
Coach Robbins comes to the Institute after serving for four seasons as the head coach of the USL W League’s South GA Tormenta FC based in Statesboro, Georgia, where he led the squad to a 2022 national championship and a 25-5-9 record during his tenure. The USL W League is widely regarded as an all-star league for former collegiate soccer players and he found great success as 23 of his players went on to sign professional contracts in Europe and the United States.
“I am humbled and honored to be chosen as the head women’s soccer coach at VMI,” Robbins said. “Thank you to Mr. Walton, Ms. Fulton, Mr. Marcello, and all the search committee members and VMI staff who made me feel welcome from the first phone call to my visit on post. I knew from our first interactions that VMI was indeed a very special place that offered everything that I was looking for as I take the next step in my coaching journey. I look forward to working with the amazing cadet-athletes here on Post and to building a highly competitive and championship program in Lexington. Rah Virginia Mil!”
With the Tormenta, he coached the USL W Golden Ball and Golden Boot winner, Amy Andrews, as well as the USL W Golden Glove and Finals MVP winner, Sydney Martinez.
Prior to coaching the Tormenta, he served as the head coach of Peachtree City MOBA of the USL Two men’s team from 2019-21 where he identified and recruited players both domestically and internationally for a 28-player roster.
“Following an extensive search with a solid amount of interest from candidates across the country, Jim emerged as the ideal choice to lead VMI women’s soccer,” said VMI Director of Athletics Jamaal Walton. “Coach Robbins’ experience, IQ and network stood out amongst the rest. He has a track record of being a “builder”, having a sterling reputation and being a “teacher of the game”. I’m excited for the future of VMI women’s soccer under Coach Robbins’ direction. Rah Virginia Mil!”
Robbins has other head coaching experience with semi-professional club teams Coast FA based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and for the Dakota Fusion FC of the NPSL based in Fargo, North Dakota.
He has over 14 years of collegiate women’s soccer coaching experience, most recently as an assistant coach at North Dakota State University from 2016-18. He helped coach the Bison to a 2016 Summit League regular season championship and to a finals appearance at the 2017 Summit League Tournament.
From 2014-16, Robbins was the head coach at LIU Brooklyn where he coached four players to ALL-NEC Team honors in 2014 and three in 2015.
Robbins also has experience at the NCAA Division III level from his tenure at LaGrange College from 2009-14, where he turned a losing program into GSAC Tournament finalists in just three seasons. His athletes also excelled academically with 12 being named to the USA South All-Academic Team and 15 to the GSAC All-Academic Team. He was named the 2010 GSAC Coach of the Year.
With a reputation as a builder, Robbins coached at Oxford College of Emory University based in Oxford, Georgia, from 2007-2009, where he oversaw a 10-win improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 and led his squad to the NJCAA D3 national tournament Elite 8.
His collegiate coaching career began in 2003 when he served as an assistant men’s soccer coach at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He helped coach the team to a MAAC championship game appearance in 2004 and assisted in all facets of coaching and operating the program.
He replaces Chris Haught-Thompson, who stepped away from the program after the 2024 season for personal and professional reasons having coached the program since 2019.
The Keydets are coming off their most successful season in six years as they earned six wins in 2024, their most since the 2018 season.