ASHLAND, Va. — Gabe Altman is no stranger to experiencing success on the football field and he’s seen that momentum carry over into his college career.
A 2022 graduate of Richmond Senior High School, Altman just wrapped up his sophomore season at Randolph-Macon College (Ashland, Va.) with a trip to the Division III national semifinals.
Part of an historic run by the Yellow Jackets this fall, Altman and the team won 13 straight games to meet the State University of New York at Cortland in the final four last weekend.
On the heels of an exciting last-second upset win the week prior, No. 8 Randolph-Macon fell short of a national championship appearance in a 49-14 to the Red Dragons.
The team made it two rounds deeper in the playoffs in 2023 than during Altman’s freshman season.
The Yellow Jackets finished the campaign 13-1 with a perfect 7-0 record against Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponents. In their 11 regular-season wins, they cruised to victory by an average of 36.5 points.
Leading up to its final four appearance, Randolph-Macon defeated Christopher Newport University, No. 19 Ithaca College and No. 7 Johns Hopkins University in the first three rounds by a clip of 19 points per game.
“It was an amazing season and it was our second straight year going undefeated in the regular season,” Altman recalled. “This year we were able to take it a little further. It’s a great feeling knowing that I have the opportunity to be part of a winning program.
“Randolph-Macon is a great program, and I think about that a lot,” he added. “Even though I’m playing at the D-III level, winning is always a good thing, especially in the fashion we’ve done it the past two seasons.”
A two-year starting varsity linebacker for the Richmond Raiders, and two-time All-Conference selection, Altman was a key piece in the Raiders winning four consecutive conference titles.
Since getting to college, Altman has shifted to the defensive line. He entered freshman camp at defensive end and has split his time during his sophomore season at that position and defensive tackle.
“It’s a whole different position,” Altman, a business major, said of switching to the trenches. “For me, it’s been adjusting to the mental side of the position that’s led to the physical success.
“Playing on the defensive line, I’ve found myself able to focus and make more conscious decisions,” he continued. “I know that when I come off the ball, I have to work extremely hard for six seconds to get my job done. A lot of games that come down to the wire are won up front and I like being part of that.”
This season, Altman made appearances in six games for the Yellow Jackets. He made three tackles, including two tackles in a 38-3 win over Bridgewater College. One of those tackles also went for a two-yard loss.
Hosting the Cortland Red Dragons on Dec. 9, Altman said it was an experience he won’t forget. It’s also a game which he hopes the program and himself will learn and grow from.
“The national semifinal game was really cool,” Altman shared. “It was almost a weird feeling because at Randolph-Macon we’re all about being blue collar, humble and hardworking guys.
“That game felt a little bit foreign because we were in the limelight. I think I speak for everyone, though, when I say it was another football game we needed to win. Even though we came up short, it was a great experience and it will help grow the program.”
An anecdote shared by head coach Pedro Arruza before Randolph-Macon’s third-round playoff game against Johns Hopkins culminated in Altman’s favorite memory of the season.
In that story, Arruza, who wrapped his 20th season as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach, shared how Johns Hopkins defeated Macon-Randolph 42-21 in the first round of the 2016 playoffs.
Fast forward seven seasons to the same head coach and a more formidable Yellow Jackets team, and a storybook walk-off win is written into the history books.
“The best part was beating Johns Hopkins because we’ve played them in the past and they’ve always beaten us,” Altman explained. “Coach Arruza told us about the 2016 game and how our program wasn’t quite where it needed to be at the time.
“And then this season we go on the road and upset them in the playoffs,” he added. “Coach’s message was how our program took the necessary steps to grow to another level. I felt like it was a game that turned the tides. It was the best game competitively all season and tested us as a team.”
Against the Blue Jays on Dec. 2, the Yellow Jackets gave up a fourth-quarter lead which resulted in a 36-36 tie with 1:32 left. Junior kicker Kyle Ihle booted the game-winning 34-yard field goal with four seconds left to send Randolph-Macon to the national semifinals.
While he’s enjoyed his college football career the past two seasons and learned more about the game, Altman said he has “high expectations” for himself during his next two years of eligibility.
He explained that Randolph-Macon will “lose 17 fifth-year guys” but the goal is to “not drop off and be a consistent final four team.”
“I’m really looking to have a big offseason,” Altman said. “My biggest goals are to hit the weight room and make a more conscious effort to show up at fall camp with good weight. I’d like to be around 245 pounds with more muscle.
“I also want to take on a leadership role within the program,” he closed. “We’re losing a lot of players and those roles don’t just fill themselves. Wherever I can help out is where I want to be. I’m hoping to be a key contributor next season.”
