James Madison Dukes

James Madison University
National Championships
Football	2004
Field Hockey	1994
College World Series Appearances
Baseball	1983
NCAA Tournament Appearances
Men's Basketball	1981, 1982, 1983
Women's Basketball	1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1995, 2007

The James Madison University Dukes are the athletics teams of James Madison University. The name "Dukes" is derived from Samuel Page Duke, the university's second president. JMU participates in the Colonial Athletic Association, which is in Division I. In football JMU participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of Division I, formerly known as Division I-AA. Their mascot, Duke Dog, is frequently seen at events. JMU has won two national championships, tied for third most in Virginia.

Football

The football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999. Since then, JMU has gained recognition as one of the top programs in FCS football. They made the NCAA playoffs in his first year with the team and in 2004, the Dukes won the I-AA (now FCS) national championship behind the great play of quarterback Justin Rascati. They returned to the playoffs in 2006 but suffered an early exit to the hands of Youngstown State University. The team has a 206-163-3 all-time record. Some notable Dukes who went on to the NFL are Charles Haley, the only player to get five Super Bowl rings; Scott Norwood, known for missing "Wide Right" in Super Bowl XXV; and Gary Clark, a pro bowl wide receiver for the Washington Redskins.

Men's basketball

The men's basketball team at JMU was founded in 1945. Dean Keener currently coaches the team, and they play in the James Madison University Convocation Center. The team is historically stronger than the football team, but has suffered in the past few years. The Dukes have made the NCAA Tournament three times, most recently in the 1983 season. They've also gone to the NIT five times, most recently in the 1993 season. The basketball team has an all-time record of 567-432.

Women's basketball

The women's basketball team, currently coached by Kenny Brooks, 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 six times, most recently in the 2006-07 season. They have gone to the WNIT twice, most recently in the 2005-06 season. They have an all-time record of 779-447-5. Meredith Alexis, who graduated in 2007, is one of the top players to ever go through the program. She holds the conference record for most career rebounds and many school records including most career points.

Baseball

The JMU baseball team is coached by Joe "Spanky" McFarland, and has been since the 1997 season. They were founded in 1970, and currently play at Mauck Stadium and Long Field. They have a 1092-670-8 all-time record and are the only team in the state of Virginia to have played in the College World Series. They have made the NCAA Tournament seven times, most recently in 2002. Billy Sample is JMU's most famous baseball alumnus, who played in 862 career major league games with the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves. In the 2006 season, JMU had the top-two home run hitters in Division 1. One of them, Kellen Kulbacki, placed in the top five in all three of the triple crown categories. Kulbacki received the 2006 National Player of the Year award as a Sophomore.

Title IX compliance

On September 29, 2006, the James Madison University Board of Visitors announced that ten sports teams would be eliminated effective July 1, 2007.^[1] The affected teams were men's archery, cross country, gymnastics, indoor track, outdoor track, swimming, and wrestling, as well as women's archery, fencing, and gymnastics. The stated reason for the cuts was to comply with Title IX requirements, specifically that the ratio of male-to-female student athletes match the whole student population. Many students were angered by the cuts, complaining that only less-popular sports were affected, and not sports such as football. Numerous editorials have appeared in newspapers across the country, both in support of and against the decision. On October 12, the United States Olympic Committee sent a letter to President Rose and Athletic Director Jeff Bourne, asking them to reconsider the decision to eliminate all ten teams.^[2]

This action, however, was not without precedent. In March 2001, JMU's Board of Visitors was presented with four options for bringing the athletic program into compliance with Title IX. At that time, the options as presented to the board were to maintain the status quo, eliminate eight teams as recommended by JMU's Centennial Sports Committee, create a two-tiered system consisting of scholarship and non-scholarship teams as recommended by the administration, or raise student fees to fund an endowment for athletic scholarships as recommended by athletic coaches. Board of Visitors Athletic Committee chair Pablo Cuevas was paraphrased in The Breeze as stating that the option of maintaining the status quo was not viable due to concerns regarding Title IX. At that time, the teams under consideration for elimination were men's wrestling, swimming, archery, gymnastics, and tennis, and women's gymnastics, archery, and fencing.^[3] The Board of Visitors, in a unanimous vote, ultimately decided to adopt the administration's recommendation of a two-tiered system of scholarship and non-scholarship teams. The non-scholarship teams were men's swimming, indoor and outdoor track and field, cross country, golf, wrestling, tennis, gymnastics, and women's swimming, golf, tennis and gymnastics. Athletic director Jeff Bourne stated that the plan to eliminate scholarship funding would implemented gradually over four to five years, as all then-active scholarships would be honored, and that verbal commitments to scholarships made by coaches to potential recruits would also be honored.^[4]

References

External links

• JMU Sports

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