The James Madison Dukes are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent James Madison University (JMU), in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The name "Dukes" is derived from Samuel Page Duke, the university's second president. The university mascot, Duke Dog, is frequently seen at many sporting events, and the school colors are royal purple and gold.
JMU sponsors an 18-sport intercollegiate athletics program.
Early Years and Coaching
The Dukes played their first field hockey season in 1972 and were coached by Challace McMillin until 1984.
JMU's women's athletics tradition is among the oldest in the nation, dating nearly back to the institution's founding in 1908. Strong intercollegiate programs for women have been in place at the university since the early 1920s, and JMU was among the first of the nation's institutions to provide well-rounded overall intercollegiate offerings for females.
James Madison University invested heavily in new athletic facilities throughout the tenure of President Linwood Rose.
Read also: Alpine Locations of 007
Check Out The Highlights From LU Field Hockey's Win Over JMU
Conference Affiliations and Independence
With JMU's move to the Sun Belt in 2022, a conference which does not sponsor field hockey, the Dukes field hockey program became an independent effective for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
In 2024, James Madison is set to join the Mid-American Conference (MAC) as an affiliate member for field hockey, marking a new chapter in the program's history.
Madison moved from NCAA Division III to NCAA Division I-AA in 1980 and would join what is now the Colonial Athletic Association's football conference in 1993 (at the time it was an independent entity known as the Yankee Conference).
JMU was a charter member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), now known as the Coastal Athletic Association.
Read also: Choosing the Right Hockey Stick Size
Notable Moments and Achievements
The football team's popularity grew with the addition of head coach Mickey Matthews in 1999, who in 2004 led JMU to their first National Championship, defeating Montana by a score of 31-21 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The team finished with a 13-2 record, and in 2016 with a 14-1 record going undefeated in the FCS. The 2004 squad was the only team in history to win the title after playing four straight road playoff games.
During the 2017 season, JMU continued its dominance over FCS competition, reaching its second consecutive title game with a 14-0 record before losing a close game to emerging rival North Dakota State, 17-13.
Since 2004, the JMU football team has appeared in the playoffs in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Since that time, the Dukes have proven to be one of the more formidable teams in all of FCS football.
Other JMU Athletics Programs
JMU has men's athletics programs in baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, and tennis. The JMU baseball team's head coach is Marlin Ikenberry. Founded in 1970, the JMU baseball team played at Long Field at Mauck Stadium through the end of the 2009 season. In 2010 they opened play at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park, the school's new baseball and softball complex. The "Diamond Dukes," as the team is known, have compiled a 1092-670-8 all-time record and have made the NCAA tournament eight times, most recently in 2024.
The men's basketball team at JMU was founded in 1945. On March 25, 2008, it was announced that Matt Brady, former head coach of Marist College, had accepted the position of Head Men's Basketball Coach. Brady replaced Dean Keener who resigned after four years as head coach. Prior to Dean Keener, Lou Campanelli and Charles "Lefty" Driesell enjoyed long and successful tenures in the position. The men moved to the new Atlantic Union Bank Center (capacity 8,500) in fall 2020 after a 28-season tenure in the James Madison University Convocation Center (capacity 6,426). The Dukes have appeared in the NCAA tournament five times, most recently in the 2013 tournament. They've also been selected to compete in the NIT five times, most recently at the end of the 1993 season. At the end of the 2008-09 season, the Dukes were selected for the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason tournament.
Read also: East Stroudsburg Field Hockey: A Look Back
The women's basketball team was founded in 1920 making it one of the longest-running women's basketball programs in the country. The team has made the NCAA tournament eleven times, most recently in the 2013-14 season. They have gone to the WNIT six times. The James Madison University's women's basketball team have won 5 national championships along with 15 conference championships while competing in the CAA.