Amanda Knapp
James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, has an extensive athletics program, with basketball being one of the sports offered at the intercollegiate level for both men and women. The men's basketball team, known as the Dukes, has been playing since 1945 and has competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Dukes have seen success in recent years, winning the 2024 Sun Belt Conference tournament and advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Division I tournament, where they lost to Duke. JMU's basketball program has produced notable alumni, including Kellen Kulbacki, who received the 2006 National Player of the Year award, and Billy Sample, who played for major league teams such as the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees. The women's basketball team is also notable, with a long history dating back to 1920 and a strong record of 779-447-5 as of 2010.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the team | James Madison Dukes men's basketball team |
| University | James Madison University |
| Location | Harrisonburg, Virginia |
| Division | Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association |
| Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
| Previous Conference | Colonial Athletic Association |
| Head Coach | Preston Spradlin |
| Former Coaches | Sherman Dillard, Dean Keener, Matt Brady, Mark Byington, Lou Campanelli, John Thurston, Louis Rowe |
| Home Games Arena | Atlantic Union Bank Center |
| Arena Capacity | 8,500 fans |
| Team Record | 567-432 |
| Recent Record | 2023-24 season record of 32-4 |
| Recent Wins | Road wins at Michigan State and Kent State |
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What You'll Learn
James Madison Dukes men's basketball team history
The James Madison Dukes men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball programme representing James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 1945, but it was not until the late 1960s, as James Madison University became a fully coeducational institution, that the programme was fully developed. The 1969–1970 season was the first as a varsity intercollegiate programme.
The Dukes have appeared in six NCAA tournaments, most recently in 2024, and have been selected to compete in the NIT five times. The team has an all-time record of 567–432.
In 1972, Lou Campanelli became the head coach of the Dukes, a position he held for thirteen years. During his tenure, the Dukes competed in two NCAA Division II basketball tournaments and three NCAA Division I basketball tournaments after the school transitioned from Division II to Division I. In their first appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament in 1981, the Dukes won against Georgetown. They also won a game in each of their following appearances in the tournament under Campanelli. Campanelli finished his time at James Madison with a record of 238–118.
In 1997, James Madison hired Sherman Dillard, who had played basketball at the university under Campanelli from 1973 to 1978, to lead the programme. Dillard remained at James Madison through the 2004 season, guiding the team to one regular-season title in 2000 and compiling a record of 93–106. Dean Keener, previously an assistant coach at JMU under Dillard, was hired as the next head coach in 2004. Keener resigned during the 2008 season, and Matt Brady was hired to replace him.
In March 2020, Mark Byington was hired as the head coach of the Dukes. In his first season, Byington led the team to a share of the regular-season title, their first since 2015. In December 2021, the Dukes defeated Virginia for the first time in programme history. The 2023–24 season started with road wins against Michigan State and Kent State, both of which broke home winning streaks held by the teams. The Dukes won the 2024 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament, securing an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. They finished the 2023–24 season with a record of 32–4, the best in programme history. Following their loss in the NCAA Tournament, Byington accepted the head coach position at Vanderbilt, and Preston Spradlin was hired as the new head coach of the Dukes in March 2024.
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The team's coaches
The James Madison Dukes men's basketball team is the intercollegiate basketball program representing James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The team has had 11 head coaches in its 54-season history.
Lou Campanelli was the head coach of the James Madison Dukes from 1972 to 1985. He led the team to two NCAA Division II basketball tournaments and three NCAA Division I basketball tournaments. In 1981, the Dukes won their first NCAA Division I tournament game under Campanelli. He finished his tenure at James Madison with a record of 238-118.
John Thurston was hired as the fourth head coach of the James Madison Dukes men's basketball team in 1985. Sherman Dillard took over the men's basketball program in 1997. He played basketball at James Madison under Lou Campanelli from 1973 to 1978. Dillard led the Dukes through the 2004 season, guiding the program to one regular-season title in 2000 and compiling a record of 93-106.
Dean Keener was hired as the next head coach in 2004. He had previously been an assistant coach at JMU under Sherman Dillard during the 1999-2000 season. Keener resigned during the 2008 season, and Matt Brady was hired to replace him. Brady led the Dukes to a share of the regular-season title in his first season.
In 2016, JMU hired alumnus and former assistant coach Louis Rowe as the tenth men's basketball coach. He led the Dukes for four seasons before being replaced by Mark Byington in March 2020. Byington led the Dukes to a share of the regular-season title in his first season and defeated Virginia for the first time in program history.
The current head coach of the James Madison Dukes is Preston Spradlin, who was hired in 2024. Spradlin previously spent five seasons on the staff of John Calipari at Kentucky and served as the interim head coach for the Eagles in 2016-2017. He has a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in kinesiology and health promotion.
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The team's players
The James Madison Dukes men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 1945 but did not become a fully developed program until the late 1960s, as James Madison University transitioned to a fully coeducational institution. The 1969-1970 season was the team's first as a varsity intercollegiate program.
The Dukes have had several notable coaches throughout their history. Lou Campanelli, who led the team from 1972 to 1985, coached the Dukes in their first NCAA Division I tournament appearance in 1981, securing a win over Georgetown. The Dukes have also appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament five more times, most recently in 2024. In 1997, Sherman Dillard, a former player for the Dukes, was hired as the head coach. Under his leadership, the team won a regular-season title in 2000 and compiled a record of 93-106. Dean Keener, who was an assistant coach under Dillard, took over as head coach in 2004 but resigned during the 2008 season. Matt Brady was then hired as the head coach, leading the team to success in the 2008-2009 season. In 2016, JMU hired alumnus and former assistant coach Louis Rowe as the head coach, and in 2020, Mark Byington took over the role, leading the Dukes to share the regular-season title in his first season. The current head coach is Preston Spradlin, who has recently added transfer players Paul Jones III and Eli Wilborn to the 2025-26 roster.
The Dukes have had notable players such as Kellen Kulbacki, who received the 2006 National Player of the Year award as a sophomore. The women's basketball team, founded in 1920, is also one of the longest-running women's basketball programs in the country. Notable female players include Meredith Alexis, who played professional basketball in Europe after graduating, and Tamera Young, who was selected in the first round of the 2008 WNBA draft.
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The team's performance in the 2023-24 season
The James Madison Dukes men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The team is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and has appeared in the NCAA tournament six times, most recently in 2024.
The 2023-24 season started with road wins against Michigan State and Kent State, both of which broke the home winning streaks held by the teams. On December 9, 2023, the team broke their record for the best start to a season by defeating Old Dominion University to start 9-0. The Dukes won their next five games, extending their winning streak to 14-0, the best start in program history. However, their winning streak came to an end on January 6, 2024, when they lost their first game of the season to Southern Miss.
The Dukes went on to win the 2024 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament, securing an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. As the 12th seed in the South region, they upset the 5th seed Wisconsin in the First Round before losing to Duke in the Second Round. This marked the first time since the 1993-94 season that the Dukes advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Dukes finished the 2023-24 season with an impressive record of 32-4, the best in their program's history. Their success in the 2023-24 season can be attributed to the strong leadership of their head coach, as well as the dedication and talent of the players. The team's performance in the 2023-24 season has not only brought pride to James Madison University but has also solidified its place as a competitive force in Division I basketball.
The Dukes' schedule for the 2023-24 season included traditional home-and-away matchups within the Sun Belt Conference against opponents such as Old Dominion, Marshall, App State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Coastal Carolina. Their commitment to a rigorous schedule has undoubtedly contributed to their growth and improvement as a team.
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The team's performance in Division I tournaments
The James Madison Dukes men's basketball team has had a rich history in Division I tournaments. The team first transitioned from Division II to Division I in 1981 under head coach Lou Campanelli, who led the Dukes to their first NCAA Division I tournament appearance that same year. Campanelli's tenure saw the Dukes win a game in each of their three appearances in the NCAA Division I tournament, including a close loss to the eventual national champions, the University of North Carolina, in 1982.
Following Campanelli's departure in 1985, the Dukes struggled to find consistent success in Division I tournaments. Over the next two decades, the team appeared in the NCAA tournament only three more times, in 1994, 2013, and 2024. During this period, the Dukes also competed in other Division I tournaments, such as the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), but were unable to advance deep into these competitions.
The 2023-24 season, however, marked a turning point for the Dukes. Under head coach Mark Byington, the team started the season with an impressive 14-0 record, including road wins against Michigan State and Kent State. The Dukes went on to win the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament, securing an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. As a 12th seed, they upset 5th-seeded Wisconsin in the First Round before falling to Duke in the Second Round, matching their best performance in the NCAA Tournament since the 1993-94 season.
The women's basketball team, on the other hand, has had more frequent success in Division I tournaments. The Dukes have appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament thirteen times, most recently in 2023. They have also qualified for the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) nine times and the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) twice. The program's first coach, Althea Loose Johnston, guided the team to a successful 106-33-5 record during her 22-year career, laying the foundation for a consistent presence in Division I tournaments.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the James Madison Dukes men's basketball team is a Division 1 basketball program representing James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The school transitioned from Division II to Division I during Lou Campanelli's tenure as head coach from 1972 to 1985.
The Dukes have appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament six times, most recently in 2024.
As of 2020, Mark Byington is the head coach of the James Madison Dukes men's basketball team.
JMU basketball joined the Sun Belt Conference on July 1, 2022, after having been a member of the Colonial Athletic Association since that league's establishment in 1979.
