JMU volleyball lost its first-round NCAA tournament match Friday vs. No. 17 BYU in straight sets. The Dukes' season is over at 24-5 (15-1 Sun Belt).

JMU graduate long snapper Kyle Davis played his last game as a Duke on Saturday, which signified more than the end of an era of JMU special teams that broke record after record over the last decade. Sports Editor Grant Johnson unveiled quirks and unique habits that defined JMU special teams over the last half decade. 

JMU volleyball faces BYU in the first round of the NCAA tournament, marking the fifth time the Dukes have gone in program history. Staff writer Jackson Hephner shares what this year's trip means to the team.

JMU capped off its time in Savannah, Gerogia, this weekend with an 81-79 overtime loss to Valparaiso (3-4). The Dukes, now 6-2, turn their attention back home to face Eastern Kentucky on Friday before a clash with No. 5 U.Va. on Dec. 6.

JMU volleyball will play No.7 BYU in the Pittsburgh Quarter in the first round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship.

JMU defeated South Dakota State 79-60 on Saturday to begin a two-game slate the Dukes are facing in the Hostilo Community Classic this weekend. JMU plays the back end of the two matchups Sunday at noon versus Valparaiso, looking to move to 7-1. 

JMU football took down Coastal Carolina 47-7 in the final game of the season. Sports Editor Madison Hricik breaks down what the win meant to the Dukes on Senior Day. 

JMU leads Coastal Carolina at the half, 20-7. Sports Editor Grant Johnson recaps the good, bad and ugly from the first 30 minutes of action in the Dukes' last game of 2022. 

JMU men's basketball downed Coastal Georgia, an NAIA school, on Friday, 100-54. Now, the Dukes turn their attention to a two-game slate in the Hostilo Community Classic, first against South Dakota State on Saturday then Valparaiso on Sunday. 

JMU squeaked by Liberty 67-63 Wednesday afternoon in a game that came down to the final minute. The Dukes next play Dec. 1 on the road at VCU, looking to get to 5-2. 

JMU wraps up its season tomorrow vs. Coastal Carolina, which also culminates the careers of 15 senior Dukes. Staff writer Kaiden Bridges highlights those playing their last game at Bridgeforth Stadium and what they're JMU careers — and set records — mean to them. 

JMU women's basketball hosted No. 13 UNC on Nov. 20, and after a tight-knit game, the Dukes fell 76-65. Contributing writer Maddi Alley shares how it all happened. 

It’s the final week of regular season play, and JMU football (7-3, 5-2 SBC) has one game left.

Head coach Curt Cignetti joined the Sun Belt coaches conference to talk about the Dukes’ 42-40 win over Georgia State on Saturday and what to expect this week against Coastal Carolina. Here are three takeaways from his time on the call.

Don’t get caught in the Senior Day emotions

Cignetti made it clear — JMU must focus on the game and winning. Senior Day will have lots of emotions, but the head coach said it’s important to remember to focus on the game itself.

Cignetti said he believes the Dukes can focus on the game when it’s time, and that’ll come down to having “a great week of preparation.” He also said playing an opponent like Coastal Carolina is motivating for JMU because of the level of competition it creates. Coastal Carolina comes into Bridgeforth at 9-1 (6-1 SBC) and will play in the Sun Belt Conference title game regardless of Saturday’s result due to JMU’s postseason ineligibility.

Get the offense consistent

One of the biggest issues the offense has dealt with this season is remaining consistent for all 60 minutes. The Dukes found a way to shut out the Panthers in the second half last week, but the offense wasn’t scoring in the first half to balance things out.

Cignetti said moving the ball like the Dukes did in that second half, getting quick first downs and making third down conversions are key. Graduate transfer quarterback Todd Centeio threw for 274 yards and four touchdowns against Georgia State, and four different JMU players found the endzone: redshirt senior wide receivers Kris Thornton and Devin Ravenel, graduate running back Percy Agyei-Obese and redshirt freshman running back Kaelon Black.

‘Finite’ is a little weird this week

This is the first time in Cignetti's tenure at JMU when he’s known exactly when the season will end. In previous years, there were always the FCS playoffs. That’s not the case anymore.

The head coach said it’s a little strange knowing that Saturday’s game is the end, but he still embraced how impactful this season was. He said the team still plans to honor the senior class and their impact on the program through Senior Day celebrations and some of their own as well.

Cignetti also said Saturday’s game has made it a little difficult in deciding what color to wear on the sidelines — choosing between a black jersey and pants look, or purple.

Other news

Coastal Carolina’s starting quarterback, redshirt junior Grayson McCall is out of a walking boot, per head coach Jamey Chadwell. Chadwell said it’s unlikely the Chanticleers will see McCall on the field in the next two weeks. It was previously said on Nov. 9 that McCall would be out for 3-6 weeks.

JMU Athletics announced last week that dorms will open at 6 a.m. rather than the originally scheduled 10 a.m. to allow students to return to Harrisonburg in time for Saturday’s game.

Three Sun Belt teams have one last try at obtaining bowl eligibility — Georgia Southern, Louisiana and Southern Miss. The Eagles play Appalachian State, the Ragin Cajuns play Texas State and the Golden Eagles play ULM, respectively.

JMU secured an automatic bid to the NCAA volleyball tournament after winning the Sun Belt Championship Final over Troy on Sunday. Volleyball is the first JMU program to win a conference championship in the Sun Belt. 

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Bounce, bounce, trickle and out. 

After going down 20 points at halftime, JMU football put together a third quarter comeback to defeat Georgia State 42-40. Sports Editor Grant Johnson breaks down how the Dukes got the victory. 

JMU trails Georgia State at the half, 34-14, largely in part to three first half fumbles. Sports Editor Madison Hricik details what's went well, not well and really not well for the Dukes and Panthers through 30 minutes of action. 

In its first-ever Sun Belt Conference Championship match, JMU volleyball swept Georgia Southern to advance to the semifinals.

JMU women's basketball won its third straight game Thursday over Longwood. It hosts North Carolina tomorrow at 2 p.m., looking to get to 4-1. 

JMU sixth-year, graduate long snapper Kyle Davis is wrapping up his last year as a Duke after starting in purple and gold for four years and serving as "the glue," as former JMU punter Harry O'Kelly (2017-21) called it, of the Dukes' special teams unit for multiple seasons. Sports Editor Grant Johnson recounts Davis' football life to this point, which spans from an impromptu long snapping football camp in middle school and gaining respect at JMU to vying for an NFL job after this season. 

After defeating ODU in its last road game of the season, JMU football will finish with another winning record. Staff writer Jackson Hephner analyzes how the Dukes' win marks a successful first FBS season. 

JMU volleyball played 16 matches in conference play this year. It lost one.

JMU moved to 4-0 on its young season with a win over Howard in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. The Dukes now head to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to face No. 1 UNC on Sunday at noon. 

“Serve murder.” 

Following the tragedy at the University of Virginia, multiple Sun Belt coaches expressed their thoughts on the weekly coaches conference call. Sports Editor Madison Hricik shares how the Sun Belt coaches are standing with the Cavaliers. 

JMU head coach Curt Cignetti spoke on the Sun Belt Conference coaches call Monday with a heavy heart following the shooting at U.Va. that killed three Cavaliers football players. Sports Editor Grant Johnson breaks down the takeaways pertinent to the football field. 

JMU cross country wrapped up its fall running slate Friday in the NCAA Southeast Regionals. Junior Miranda Stanhope paced the Dukes' six runners, finishing 48th of 232 runners in the 6K at 21:20.

JMU closed out its regular season with a bang, downing South Alabama in straight sets to secure a No. 1 seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament. The Dukes, red-hot off 12 straight wins, play their first tournament match Friday. 

Junior forward Kseniia Kozlova, standing at 6-foot-4, made it look easy. She batted away the ball as it headed toward JMU’s rim, tapping the ball from going out of bounds. Junior forward Claire Neff did the same thing on a similar-looking play a few minutes later.

The JMU women's basketball bench was electric during the Dukes' season opener against Maine, and staff writer Kaiden Bridges shares what that energy level can do for the team this early this season.

JMU men's soccer freshman midfielder Kevin Larsson has immediately fit into his role for the Dukes, despite his far-away Finland roots. Staff writer Matt Taddei dives into Larsson's impact ahead of JMU's Sun Belt Conference Championship finals match vs. Kentucky.

JMU dominated Old Dominion on Saturday, 37-3. Sports Editor Grant Johnson recaps the action, which saw JMU graduate transfer quarterback Todd Centeio largely return to form but suffer an ankle injury in the second quarter that he played through. 

JMU (5-2, 3-2 Sun Belt) leads Old Dominion (3-6, 2-3 Sun Belt) at halftime __. Sports Editor Madison Hricik breaks down what went well, bad and really bad for both sides through the first 30 minutes. 

JMU volleyball downed South Alabama on Friday night in four sets. The Dukes have now won 11 straight matches. 

JMU has a dozen players returning to the "757" area Saturday when the Dukes head to Norfolk, Virginia, to face Old Dominion. Staff writer Craig Mathias details the importance those players place on returning home and what the game means for recruiting in the state of Virginia. 

JMU and Old Dominion, both coming off three-straight losses, face each other Saturday in the first rendition on the football field of the "Royal Rivalry." Sports Editor Grant Johnson previews the matchup between the in-state foes, where recruiting territory and bragging rights is just as much at stake as the result. 

JMU women's basketball got back on the right foot Wednesday, downing Millersville 80-39. Senior guard Kiki Jefferson showed out in her return to her hometown, Landcaster, Pennsylvania, dropping 21 points.

JMU Athletics announced Thursday afternoon that its swim & dive program will be joining the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA).

JMU men's basketball finally has players who've played under head coach Mark Byington for three years, and with that, a solid core of teammates who dealt with the adversity that COVID-19, injuries and the CAA brought last year. Sports Editor Grant Johnson details just how much last season has benefited the more mature and hungry returning Dukes.

JMU volleyball hosts South Alabama in the final home series of the season, and final games inside Godwin hall before the program moves to the Convocation Center. Managing editor Savannah Reger shares the history of Godwin Hall and the impact its had on JMU.

JMU men's basketball improved to 2-0 Wednesday, downing new CAA member Hampton, 106-58. The Dukes next head to Buffalo, New York, to face the Bulls on Saturday at 1 p.m.

JMU hired a new cross country and track & field director for this season, Delethea Quarles. After spending seven years at the University of South Carolina, she shares her story with staff writer Zach Mendenhall. 

JMU swept yet another Sun Belt Conference foe this past weekend, Marshall, to move to 19-4 (13-1) on the season. The Dukes finish their regular season at home this weekend against South Alabama.

JMU men's soccer beat Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference Championship quarterfinals 1-0 to advance to the semifinals tonight vs. Georgia State. 

JMU lost to Old Dominion in the first rendition of the "Royal Rivalry" with the utmost stakes in the Sun Belt Conference Championship 1-0 in double overtime. The Dukes' season is now over and will look toward next season. 

Even with a fresh start, new faces, combinations and new black-and-purple uniforms, lingering issues from last season found their way onto the court during JMU women’s basketball’s season opener against Maine.