Commandant of Cadets announces new leadership for upcoming academic year

As the Class of 2025 prepares to join The Citadel’s Long Gray Line, the newest cadet leadership for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets is preparing to take over. To earn their positions for next year, these cadet leaders went through a series of rank board engagements, performance reviews and interviews.

The Citadel continues the tradition of developing principled leaders through a 24/7 military structure on campus, positioning cadets to run the Corps by earning increasing rank throughout their time at The Citadel. Rank holders acquire real leadership experience in these roles, by making decisions that contribute to the academic, physical fitness, military training and overall success of the Corps.

The new cadet leadership was announced by The Citadel Commandant of Cadets Col. Thomas Gordon, USMC (Ret.), ’91, during a gathering in Jenkins Hall on March 6.

“We picked the leadership for next year, not based on who you are or what you’ve done up until this point, but on what we think you can do. The selections that we have made have been based on your potential and your character,” said Gordon. “Peer leadership, I believe, is the most difficult type of leadership outside of combat.”

The top-ranking cadets for the Class of 2026 will include:

Regimental Commander – David Ropp

Major – Exercise Science

Hometown – Hartsville, South Carolina

Deputy Regimental Commander – Brody McLaury

Major – Intelligence and Security Studies

Hometown – Grosse Ile, Michigan

Regimental Executive Officer (XO) – Caitlyn Tyson

Major – Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering

Hometown – Summerville, South Carolina

Regimental Academic Officer – Noah Miller

Major – Political Science

Hometown – Camden, South Carolina

Honor Board Chair – William Dow

Major – Political Science

Hometown – Lexington, South Carolina

1st Battalion Commander – Lucy McArthur

Major – Intelligence and Security Studies

Hometown – Somerset, Kentucky

2nd Battalion Commander – Olivia Liquori

Major – Criminal Justice

Hometown – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

3rd Battalion Commander – Tucker Thayne

Major – Mechanical Engineering

Hometown – Hoosick Falls, New York

4th Battalion Commander – Luke Stringfield

Major – Intelligence and Security Studies

Hometown – Aiken, South Carolina

5th Battalion Commander – Mason Shaw

Major – Intelligence and Security Studies

Hometown – Greenville, South Carolina

Regimental Cadet Sergeant Major – Paul Scarpa

Major – Biology

Hometown – Beaufort, South Carolina

The regimental staff will lead approximately 80 cadet officers in the command of the Corps’ five battalions and 21 companies during the next academic year, with positions ranging from battalion sergeant majors to company first sergeants.

1st Battalion

1st Battalion Commander – Lucy McArthur (see above)

A Company Commander – Joseph Gaglione. Mechanical Engineering. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

B Company Commander – Claudia Sales. Computer Science. Easton, Pennsylvania.

C Company Commander – Kanjanika Kincaid. Marketing and Business Development. Pleasanton, California.

D Company Commander – Mackenzie Raniowski. Intelligence and Security Studies. Chesapeake, Virginia.

2nd Battalion

2nd Battalion Commander – Olivia Liquori (see above)

E Company Commander – Ethan Clinton. Mechanical Engineering. Clover, South Carolina.

F Company Commander – Jake LaRocca. Political Science. Rockville Centre, New York.

G Company Commander – Michaela Martin. Intelligence and Security Studies. Jacobus, Pennsylvania.

H Company Commander – Aidan Wiseman. History. Independence, Kentucky.

Band Company Commander – Levi Hoegemeyer. Civil Engineering. Fuquay Varina, North Carolina.

3rd Battalion

3rd Battalion Commander – Tucker Thayne (see above)

I Company Commander – Daniel DuBose. Electrical Engineering. Pinehurst, North Carolina.

K Company Commander – Immanuel Suhardi. Political Science. Hillsboro, North Dakota.

L Company Commander – William McDonnell. Supply Chain Management. Bluffton, South Carolina.

M Company Commander – Riley Chadwell. Intelligence and Security Studies. Erie, Pennsylvania.

4th Battalion

4th Battalion Commander – Luke Stringfield (see above)

N Company Commander – Corey Craft. Intelligence and Security Studies. Vernon Rockville, Connecticut.

O Company Commander – Aislinn Crowe. Intelligence and Security Studies. Brielle, New Jersey.

R Company Commander – Joshua Riggs. Intelligence and Security Studies. Lithia, Florida.

T Company Commander – Steven Duff. Intelligence and Security Studies. Treasure Island, Florida.

5th Battalion

5th Battalion Commander – Mason Shaw (see above)

P Company Commander – Andrew Coyle. Intelligence and Security Studies. Charleston, South Carolina.

S Company Commander – Bennett Smoak. Management, Business Administration. Kernersville, North Carolina.

V Company Commander – Mary Charland. Intelligence and Security Studies. Franklin, Tennessee.

Palmetto Battery Commander – Tatiana Demcovich. Modern Language. Ocala, Florida.

Cadets selected for additional positions within Regimental Staff will be added at a future date.