BALTIMORE, Maryland — The lights over the Ridley Athletic Complex’s lacrosse field shined on JMU sophomore attacker Isabella Peterson and UConn senior attacker Sydney Watson in the draw circle. It was as if the atmosphere knew to put a spotlight on them: JMU’s leading goal scorer versus one …

“I think some big things could happen for us.”

JMU cross country released its 2022 schedule Thursday morning, announced by now-retired head coach Dave Rinker.

Junior jumper Bethany Biggi said she was excited before the 2021-22 indoor track season — anticipating the debut of freshman sprinter Jordyn Henderson. 

JMU women’s soccer announced the schedule for its first season in the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The Dukes square off with a pair of in-state opponents before beginning conference play.

The Diamond Dukes swept their double header against Towson on Sunday with 4-2 and 5-4 victories, respectively. 

JMU lacrosse found out its fate in the NCAA tournament Sunday night; it now knows UConn is the first-round matchup Friday, May 13, at 7 p.m. in Baltimore. Sports editor Grant Johnson was at the Atlantic Union Bank Center lounge for the watch party and documented the team's immediate reactions to the news. 

Announced on the ESPN Selection Show Sunday evening, No. 10 JMU lacrosse secured an at-large bid to the 2022 NCAA tournament. The Dukes will play UConn on May 13 in the first round of the tournament. 

Dave Rinker announced his retirement from coaching JMU cross country after 23 years Friday morning, per press release. JMU has begun a national search for its next coach. 

JMU softball's schedule released Friday morning. The team embarks on its first full Sun Belt schedule in program history. 

JMU baseball is currently 24-20 (9-6 CAA) with nine games left. The underlying difference in its record comes from the team’s home and away records — home has been where most of the wins have came. With a long road trip encapsulating the home stretch of JMU's season, staff writer Zach Mendenhall looks into what stats need to change for the Dukes to see desired results. 

JMU track and field competed in the Liberty Qualifier on Wednesday, recording three first-place finishes.

This year started with a double byline — and that’s how we’re ending it.

History made, overtime game-winners and a conference realignment captured the essence of the 2021-22 athletic year for JMU. As the season winds down, The Breeze sports desk picks their favorite moments from the year.

Sports frequently connect different regions of the country together. This past week, it happened with multiple schools inside the Shenandoah Valley to honor JMU softball’s Lauren Bernett.

Sean O’Regan heads to spring practice, getting ready to help keep his team conditioned as the summer approaches. JMU’s women’s basketball head coach has been working with a smaller group than anticipated in the spring, but said it’s allowed him to build more personal connections. 

JMU lacrosse is riding a 10-game win streak heading into the NCAA tournament. With the women's lacrosse selection show this Sunday at 9 p.m., contributing writer Joshua Dixon looks into why the No. 10 Dukes have a lot going for them and that a higher seed may come because JMU isn't playing in the CAA tournament. 

Three JMU track and field athletes competed in the Virginia Grand Prix on Sunday in Charlottesville. The Dukes compete in the Liberty Twilight Qualifier on Wednesday starting at 11:30 a.m. in Lynchburg, Virginia. 

JMU softball announced Monday morning that the remainder of its 2022 season is canceled following the death of Lauren Bernett, per press release. 

The Dukes won 4-0 on Sunday to avoid the sweep against Presbyterian after dropping both Saturday games, 5-2 and 3-1, respectively. The Dukes (24-20, 9-6 CAA) are back on the road for a conference matchup versus Towson on May 6 at 3 p.m. 

JMU defeated Drexel 18-12 in their final game of the regular season. The first round of the NCAA tournament for the Dukes will be May 13, with the location yet to be determined.

This upcoming season, all but four JMU sports are entering the Sun Belt Conference, meaning they’ll be playing against a whole new set of teams. For the school's old rivals, this means they’ll have to find someone else to pick on. 

JMU lost to No. 7 Virginia Tech 11-8 Wednesday, snapping its four-game win streak. JMU travels to Presbyterian for a three-game series Saturday and Sunday, starting with a Saturday double header.

The 2022 NFL draft will begin this Thursday, April 28, at 8 p.m. and will wrap up this Saturday. While it’s highly unlikely any JMU players will hear their names called on the first two days of the draft, there are a few former Dukes who could be day-three picks or sign as undrafted free agents. 

JMU lacrosse is riding a nine-game winning streak. Its catalyst? An on-fire offense. Staff writer Zach Mendenhall looks into what makes the Dukes' offense go, and how it can carry them to greater heights the remainder of the season. 

JMU lacrosse senior Lilly Byrne wrote a synthetic reflection paper that describes her experiences in the Honors College as a student-athlete. With it, she said she hopes to break stigmas about what honors really is and to encourage more student-athletes to take it on, which she said may bring in more recruits to JMU and away from academic powerhouses down the road. 

Redshirt junior Travis Reifsnider’s performance Friday night at Veterans Memorial Park wasn’t his best. The center fielder was 0-for-5, flying out three times and striking out twice. One of those strikeouts came in the bottom of the eighth down one run with bases loaded. 

JMU men’s golf wrapped up its 2021-22 season at the CAA Championship last Sunday through Tuesday. While the Dukes were unable to compete as a team due to the CAA ban, members of the team did compete individually, with freshman Daniel Cheng finishing in the top 10.

The rainfall echoed over the silence of Veterans Memorial Park as JMU student athletes from nearly every sport gathered in front of JMU softball’s gate. Flowers, T-shirts and balloons filled a small table as teammates stood with tears in their eyes. 

UPDATE (4/27 11:10 a.m.): JMU softball has announced the cancelation of its home series against Delaware. Any further changes will be announced at a later date.

JMU softball completed the sweep of the weekend series against Drexel with an 11-4 win Sunday, extending its win streak to five.

JMU baseball has been rolling recently, and it continued Sunday. 

Two Dukes competed at the UVA Invite on Friday and Saturday.

JMU fans came flooding into Veterans Memorial Park (VMP) on Saturday afternoon, watching with anticipation to see if the Diamond Dukes could defeat William & Mary for the second game of their three-game series. 

The Dukes used a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Delaware 14-11 on senior day. JMU (12-4, 5-0 CAA) plays at Drexel on April 30 at noon. 

JMU beat Drexel twice in its doubleheader Saturday with a 4-1 win in game one and a 10-1 run-rule victory in game two. The JMU-Drexel series concludes Sunday at noon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The offense beat the defense 20-2 in JMU football's spring game Saturday. The Dukes are done practicing for the spring and next take the field in front of fans Sept. 3 versus Middle Tennessee. 

A walk-off double from Reifsnider saw the Dukes defeat William & Mary 5-4 in 10 innings. The Dukes (21-17, 7-6 CAA) and the Tribe (17-17, 7-6 CAA) meet again Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. to continue their weekend series.

JMU edged out George Mason 3-2. Coming into Wednesday's game,  the Dukes were looking to bounce back after a loss to Richmond on Tuesday. 

With JMU having games against bigger in-state foes — U.Va. (2023) and Virginia Tech (2025) — on the horizon, staff writer Graham Skinker looks into why he thinks JMU will not only compete but thrive in those matchups as in-state programs appear to be on the decline while JMU will garner more recruits amid its move to the Sun Belt. 

Anyone who’s familiar with JMU softball notices two things about the Dukes this season: They’re young, and they’re still adapting to play at this stage.

When asked to describe his daughter, redshirt sophomore attacker Isabella Peterson, and her lacrosse playing style, Eric Peterson used three distinct adjectives: “tenacious, hard working, instinctual.”

While women's golf and men's and women's tennis are individual sports, they're not played this way in college and, therefore, JMU student-athletes on these teams and weren't able to compete as a team for a CAA championship amid its ban on JMU. Despite it, multiple spring sport Dukes found perspective through the circumstances and put together program-defining seasons. 

With the recent creation of the United States Football League, JMU football athletes have a new opportunity to play professional football. Moreover, alternative football leagues supplements football fans' desire to watch football in traditional off-seasons. 

JMU’s three starting pitchers — graduate pitcher Justin Showalter, redshirt senior Liam McDonnell and sophomore Ryan Murphy — have become big-time catalysts for the Dukes' success in recent games. Sports editor Madison Hricik looks into how the three can build off what they've done during the season's home stretch. 

On Saturday at 1 p.m., JMU plays its spring game, an intersquad scrimmage that's been canceled the last two springs amid the pandemic in 2020 and JMU’s abbreviated spring season. It’s the first time fans can see the new-look, Sun Belt-bound 2022 Dukes. 

The Diamond Dukes lost 10-2 to Richmond on Tuesday. It moves JMU to 19-17 (6-6 CAA) and 13-5 at home. Richmond moves to 17-16 this season and 2-6 on the road.