James Madison University - Athletics

Athletics

James Madison University's athletic teams use the name "Dukes" in competition, with the Duke Dog, a gray bulldog dressed in a purple cape and crown, as the school's mascot. "Dukes" is in honor of Samuel Page Duke, the university's second president. Madison competes in the NCAA's Division I (Football Championship Subdivision for football), the Colonial Athletic Association, and the Eastern College Athletic Conference. The Dukes played football in the Atlantic 10 Football Conference until it disbanded after the 2006 season and currently play in the Colonial Athletic Association, which picked up the Atlantic 10's football operations beginning fall 2007 Students compete in football, basketball, soccer, women's swimming, diving, women's volleyball, baseball, women's lacrosse, field hockey, golf, cross country, track and field, and softball. James Madison's two national championships ranks them tied for third most national titles in Virginia. James Madison's baseball team advanced to the 1983 College World Series, the only Division I institution in Virginia to do so besides the University of Virginia in 2009. The JMU women's field hockey gave the university their first national title in 1994. JMU football also won the NCAA Division I-AA national title in 2004, with a 13-2 record, and are the only team in history to win the title after playing four straight road playoff games. Since then they have appeared in the playoffs in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2011. In 2006, considerable controversy arose after the decision to cut 10 varsity teams (including both men's and women's teams) was deemed necessary by the Board of Visitors to comply with Title IX restrictions.

Most recently, James Madison University has used funds to create a new baseball and softball field complex by Memorial Hall. Additionally, after the last football game of 2009, the university began an expansion of Bridgeforth Stadium that increased seating to a capacity of over 25,000. Construction on the stadium was completed in time for the Dukes to start their 2011 football season.