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JMU Nation,
 
While we have not been officially notified of the NCAA Board of Directors' decision on JMU's request for relief from the two-year reclassification period requirement, we are aware of media reports regarding the outcome and disappointed to hear that our request was denied.
 
Unlike the 2022 football season, there is a path for possible bowl game participation in 2023 as NCAA bylaws do allow a team in its second year of transition to be selected if there is an insufficient number of deserving teams. Last year, that would have been the case as there were not enough teams meeting criteria to fill all available bowl slots. Any bowl would be intrigued to invite a team like JMU, and that is in large part a credit to the support and passion of JMU Nation. Rest assured, we will continue to work with the Sun Belt and the NCAA to ensure that every possible postseason opportunity for JMU football can be attained.
 
Our first year as members of the Sun Belt Conference has been an overwhelming success. James Madison has captured a pair of championships in volleyball and women's basketball and currently sits on top of the league's all-sport competition, The Bubas Cup, boosted by winning the East Division in football, third-place finishes in cross country and women's soccer and fourth place in men's basketball. Men's soccer also advanced to the conference title game.
 
On top of that, the sports not sponsored by the Sun Belt are doing extremely well with lacrosse currently ranked fifth nationally, field hockey finishing 22^nd nationally and swimming and diving narrowly finishing second in the CCSA title meet. Besides lacrosse, our other seven spring sports are also in the full swing of competition and performing well.
 
JMU planned for this move to the Sun Belt for a decade, and no part of the success is a mistake. We've built our infrastructure – support staff, facilities and financial resources – to be poised for success. The key was to find the right fit in FBS and JMU found that fit in the Sun Belt Conference.
 
With that methodical, strategic approach to transitioning the right way, JMU made its case to the NCAA that the mandated two-year transition period should be reduced to one. If the true intent of the two-year transition is to ensure that schools are equipped to operate in a sustainable manner at the FBS level, we believe that we've already checked every box. JMU never wanted any part of transitioning with uncertainty or on a whim; we wanted to be fully prepared, and we believe that plan was successfully executed.
 
We believe that JMU's transition to FBS is unlike any previous institution in the last 25 years and warranted consideration based on the investment and strategic decisions we made prior to our official transition and in light of what our student-athletes have been through with COVID, the withholding of championship opportunities by our previous conference and the current national landscape of prioritizing the student-athlete.
 
While we are incredibly disappointed, I want to stress that we knew the NCAA reclassification bylaws when we decided to move to FBS. We knew what we signed up for and at no point were disillusioned to think otherwise. With that in mind, I ask our supporters in JMU Nation not to respond with a negative outpouring against the NCAA or anyone involved in this review process. We knew the rules, we followed established protocol for a waiver request, and apparently will not get the result we had hoped in this particular process. We will certainly continue to do all we can to advocate for our student-athletes as we move forward, both within the Sun Belt Conference and within the NCAA structure.
 
We accept the outcome of the NCAA's decision and look ahead to the conclusion of our spring season and our second year as a proud member of the Sun Belt Conference in 2023-2024.
 
My sincere thanks to our athletics administration, who invested hours of time to compile 500 pages of supporting information to make our case to the NCAA. It was an exhaustive effort, and their work is to be commended. I'd also like to thank JMU President Jonathan Alger, the University Board of Visitors, Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill, the Sun Belt SAAC group, Governor Glenn Youngkin, Senator Tim Kaine and multiple others who have supported our efforts behind the scenes. It was a true team effort to file our waiver.
 
Every day is a great day to be a JMU Duke. This news is tough, but there are brighter days ahead!
 
Go Dukes!
 
Jeff Bourne
JMU Director of Athletics
 



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